DNC Montana Superdelegates

DNC Montana Superdelegates
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HuffPost's OffTheBus members produced these superdelegate profiles as part of its Superdelegate Investigation. You can find all profiles here.

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Margaret Campbell

Vice Chair of Montana Democratic Party

Montana

Basic Bio
* Vice President of the Fort Peck Tribal College
* President of the Fort Belknap Reservation College for 14 years
* Fourth-generation educator, all graduated from Northern Montana College
* Member of the Assiniboine Tribe
* President of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium http://www.missoulian.com/specials/northernlights/ftpeck.html
* House of Representatives, District 31 - Montana Tribe: Assiniboine
* PhD in Education
* Educator for 25 years


Political interests and issues
* American Indians - very strong supporter of Indian rights, very active in promoting Indian causes
* Pioneer in promoting higher education for Indians
* Pioneer in promoting Native American candidates for political office - Montana has 10 Native American legislators - the most for any state in the country
* State Tribal Relations - very important issue
* Privacy Issues
* Civil Rights & Civil Liberties - very involved with promoting voting rights and particularly voting rights for American Indians - plaintiff in legal cases in the 80's and 90's - active participant in the reapportionment and redistricting processes in Montana
* Women & Children Issues - Affordable childcare is very important issue - "allowing struggling mothers to pull themselves out of poverty and make a life for themselves and their families"
* Economic Development Issues
* Affordable Access to Higher Education - very important that all Americans have access to affordable education
* Agriculture - very important to Montana residents
* Natural Resources and Need for "Clean and Green" Development
* Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Windpower, Solar, Hydroelectric - all from Montana - very important economically
* "Development of New Technologies must be done responsibly"
* Second Amendment rights are very important. Montana residents want to hunt, fish and have access to streams - vital issue
Above information from personal phone interview on March 14, 2008


Involvement in the Democratic Party
* This year was 2nd term in elected position, but has been involved in local politics, canvassing, handing out literature and supporting issues for over 25 years
* Ran for political office in 2004 and won and ran unapposed in 2006.
* Currently serves as the House Minority Whip
* Serves as the Vice Chair for the Montana DNC
* Prominent figure in American Indian rights and issues
Above information from personal phone interview on March 14, 2008

Pledged Status
* Campbell is currently not publicly supporting either candidate. Does have a personal favorite that she is not revealing because she feels it is important for a superdelegate to honor the wishes of the constituents. Feels that right now constituents are split. In a typical room of five people from Easter Montana, two support Hilary Clinton, two support Barack Obama and one is undecided. Campbell will not endorse either candidate until she is sure what her constituents want. Feels that the Manfield-Metcalf Dinner scheduled at the Civic Center in Butte, Montana on Saturday, April 5 is absolutely critical for both candidates. Has asked both Clinton and Obama to attend the dinner and address the issues important to Montana residents. Feels that their ability to persuade Montana residents at that dinner is essential to which candidate will gain the support of Montana democrats and the Montana superdelegates.
Above information from personal phone call on March 14, 2008


Involvement in the 2008 Election
* Has been involved in supporting and promoting issues that are important to her, American Indians and the residents of Eastern Montana including Second Amendment Rights, Civil Liberties, Appropriate, Clean and Green development of Montana's natural resources
* Access to affordable education and access to affordable childcare. Her promotion of these issues at many public forums represents her specific involvement in the 2008 election thus far.
Above information from personal phone call on March 14, 2008


Previous Campaign Work and Experience
* Campbell has worked on several campaigns including Pat Williams, Bill Clinton, Governor Brian Schweitzer, Senator Max Baucus, Senator Jon Tester, Representative Dorothy Bradley, Representative Monica Lindeen and many others.
Source: Personal Phone Conversation on March 14, 2008

This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. All profiles will be donated to the Superdelegate Transparency Project. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please join the Superdelegate Transparency Project and update the profile there.

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Jean Lemire Dahlman

National Democratic Committeewoman, Montana

Forsyth, Montana

Basic Bio
* Ms. Dahlman is a ranch partner in Near Forsyth, Montana.
missoulian.com
* She lives on a 3,500-acre ranch with her husband.
American Prospecthttp://archive.prospect.org/archives/archives/2005/01/index.html Online
* The town of Forsyth has a population: 1800 and has no cell phone or television reception.
missoulian.com
* Ms. Dahlman is a former English and French teacher
American Prospect
* Since 1998, Ms. Dahlman serves as Director of the Adult Education Center located in Forsyth.
Montana Association for Adult and Community Education
* Ms. Dahlman has been affiliated with Literacy Volunteers of America (ProLiteracy America) in Rosebud County since 1987
Montana Association for Adult and Community Education

Involvement in the Democratic Party
* Ms. Dahlman was a superdelegate to 2004 National Democratic Convention in Boston.
Political Graveyard
* As a two-term Democratic National Committeewoman, she has been a superdelegate for the last two presidential cycles.
Great Falls Tribune
* Ms. Dahlmann signed a resolution by DNC Resolutions Committee at its meeting on February 1, 2007 to restore Habeas Corpus
democrats.org

Personal Political interests and issues
* Ms. Dalhman is a member of 2006 Montana Book Award Committee
Montana Book Award
* She "ticked off her local library board" for purchasing the library a gift subscription to The Nation and donating to Jim Hightower's latest book
American Prospect


Involvement in 2008 election - campaign appearances, statements
* Trying to avoid the "aggressive" pursuits and phone calls by both Clinton and Obama campaigns, Ms. Dahlman took her phone off-the-hook.
* missoulian.com
* Ms. Dahlman is "leaning to one candidate," but will not declare until after Montana primary on June 3.

missoulian.com
* Ms. Dahlman wants Senators Obama and Clinton to come to Montana: "Usually Montana doesn't get much of a chance to be much of a player. This may be one of the few times. That's why I've decided to wait."
misoulian.com
* Ms. Dahlman admits that she has received more calls from Senator Obama than Senator Clinton.
Flathead Beacon
* Ms. Dahlman said, "Superdelegates should be free to vote their consciences."
Flathead Beacon

This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. All profiles will be donated to the Superdelegate Transparency Project. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please join the Superdelegate Transparency Project and update the profile there.

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Dennis McDonald

Chairman

Montana

Basic Bio
* Eyeing the rural vote to broaden the party's urban strength, Montana Democrats elected Dennis McDonald, a Melville rancher and national leader on cattle issues, as their state party chairman.
* McDonald and his family raise and train registered quarter horses, cutting horses and working cow horses as well as 750 head of Angus and Brangus cattle at their Sweet Grass County ranch.
* Former president of the Montana Cattlemen's Association and was a co-founder of R-CALF, a leading national group opposing the import of Canadian beef.
* While living in California, McDonald said he marched in anti-war protests in the 1960s, worked as a Teamster and helped on Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 presidential campaign and on Gov. Jerry Brown's races. http://www.montanademocrats.org/elected/chairmanscorner/index.html

Political interests and issues
* McDonald served seven years on the U.S. Agriculture Trade Advisory Committee (ATAC) and on many occasions, has testified on industry issues before the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Trade Commission. http://www.hpj.com/archives/2006/aug06/aug7/ThreenewR-CALFdirectorsassu.cfm
* McDonald is currently working with the to fight hunger in his state. Article at: http://www.montanastandard.com/articles/2008/03/03/state_top/20080303_state_top.txt
* McDonald, former president of the Montana Cattlemen's Association and a member of the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America, was active in opposing the importation of Canadian cattle after bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also called mad cow disease, was discovered in Canadian herds in 2003, and he fought the reopening of the border a year ago.
* Opposed the Central American Free Trade Agreement passed by Congress last year. http://www.montanaforum.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=4933


Involvement in the Democratic Party
* Montana DNC Chairman, and was elected in 2005. His press coverage revolves around his duties as state party chairman, his project partnering the Montana Food Bank Network with the Montana Cattlemen's Association Foundation


Involvement in the 2008 Election
* McDonald is urging the other superdelegates to also wait until after the primary to make their choices, so as not to influence the outcome. "The formal pledge, at this juncture, is not to make a pledge," McDonald said. "Sometime between now and the national convention in Denver, we'll make some choices as superdelegates." "I fully can't imagine taking a position different than the majority here in Montana, in terms of how I cast my ballot as a superdelegate," McDonald added. http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/meet_the_supers/2374/


Previous Campaign Work and Experience
* Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 presidential campaign and on Gov. Jerry Brown's races. http://www.montanademocrats.org/elected/chairmanscorner/index.html

This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. All profiles will be donated to the Superdelegate Transparency Project. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please join the Superdelegate Transparency Project and update the profile there.

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Ed Tinsley

Montana

Basic Bio
* Masters of Public Administration from the University of Montana, 2007
* 1992 Political Science graduate of the University of Montana
* Graduate of the Montana Law Enforcement Academy
* Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Army after 4 years service with Army Achievement Medal with clusters and Overseas Service Ribbon, January 1990
* Served 4 additional years with the Army inactive ready reserve.
* Awarded Humanitarian Service Medal for firefighting in Yellowstone National Park
* Served as Land Board Advisor to the Montana State Auditor and as the Senior Outreach Coordinator.
* Also served as the Chief of Enforcement for the Montana Securities Department and as an insurance fraud investigator
* National White Collar Crime Center, Financial Investigations, Boise, ID; August 1999
* National White Collar Crime Center, Cyber-Cop 101, Jackson, MS; August 1998
* Montana Law Enforcement Academy, Helena, MT; May 1997 http://www.montanaflyfish.com/

Political interests and issues
* Public safety and water quality
* Lewis & Clark County Commissioner
* County Commissioner representative to numerous Helena Montana Boards and Commissions
* Chair, Hard Rock Mining Board http://www.montanaflyfish.com/, http://www.pewminingreform.org/pr-2008-01-15.html, http://ewww.meic.org/mining/mining-reform/1872-mining-law-aug07-update/

Involvement in the Democratic Party
* Democratic National Committeeman, Montana Democratic Party http://www.montanaflyfish.com/
* Montana delegate to Democratic National Convention, 2000, 2004 http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/timmons-tittmann.html

Pledged Status
* Barack Obama
* highest-ranking Montana official to come out in support of Barack Obama http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/03/16/news/local/znews02.prt
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080214/NEWS01/802140302

Involvement in the 2008 Election
* Tinsley suggested that the Obama campaign consider holding a rally in Bozeman, Billings or Missoula, but thought Helena would be a "prime choice" http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/03/16/news/local/znews02.prt

Previous Campaign Work
* Treasurer for Gov. Brian Schweitzer's campaign See footnote http://brianschweitzer.com/

Connections to Politicians, Leaders on State Level
* Brian Schweitzer, Hon Gov of Montana

This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. All profiles will be donated to the Superdelegate Transparency Project. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please join the Superdelegate Transparency Project and update the profile there.

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