By Rep. David Bedey, HD 86, Hamilton
Nancy Ballance and I have served together both on the local school board and in the Montana House of Representatives. In both cases, I’ve witnessed her consistently bring conservative principles to the table and effectively put these principles into action. She succeeds because she is always the best-prepared person in the room and has the toughness to stand her ground in the face of opposition from wherever it might come.
As the most powerful fiscal leader in the legislature for the past three sessions, Nancy delivered state budgets that limited the growth of per capita state spending to less than the rate of inflation and that cut the size of government by eliminating funding for unneeded state positions. And during the 2017 special session, she almost singlehandedly thwarted the governor’s attempt to force through a program of massive tax increases.
Her opponent’s accomplishments pale by comparison. Theresa Manzella has only managed to pass two bills into law during her six years in Helena—one to revise bird-hunting dog laws and the other to slightly modify driver licensing requirements. Most legislators accomplish more than this in their first year.
Whether dealing with state agency officials, members of the governor’s staff, or her own party’s leaders, Nancy demands facts and reasons before making decisions. Her approach to lawmaking is to find the best attainable conservative solution to the challenge at hand. In a few cases, this has led her to vote against the wishes of party bosses, knowing full well that the consequence might be—and indeed has been—a wretched campaign of slander coming from the far right.
Nancy Ballance has the moral courage to never shrink from her duty and to withstand attacks that would have most other politicians running for cover. The same cannot be said of her opponent.
Nancy Ballance has earned the respect of legislative leaders from Ravalli County, including Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas and former House Majority Leader Ron Ehli. I am proud to join these strong conservatives in endorsing her to be the next senator to represent Senate District 44.