Christopher Paul Buckles

Christopher Paul Buckles served in the U.S. Army National Guard from 1988 to 1994. He earned a bachelor's degree from Ashford University in 2013. His career experience includes working as a healthcare administrator.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Christopher Paul Buckles, a 55-year-old candidate for Montana State Senate District 8. I was born in Exeter, California, and I currently live in Saint Ignatius, Montana.

My formal education includes a double major in Sociology and Healthcare Administration, and I graduated magna cum laude. In addition to my formal education, I have completed more than 2,000 hours of mental-health training, which qualified me to become a provider for the State of Montana.

Since 2015, I have worked as a provider in Montana’s Severely Debilitating Mental Illness (SDMI) Medicaid waiver program. Through that work, I have spent more than a decade directly serving Montanans with serious mental-health challenges and working with the systems designed to help people live safely and independently in their communities.

My education in sociology and healthcare administration, combined with more than a decade of hands-on experience in Montana’s behavioral-health system, has given me a unique understanding of both the people government programs are intended to serve and the systems through which those programs are delivered. I have seen firsthand where government programs can make a meaningful difference and where bureaucracy, inefficiency, or poor coordination can prevent resources from reaching the people who need them.

I believe these experiences qualify me to be an effective legislator because I would bring a combination of education, professional expertise, business and management experience,

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The Montana Legislature will face a number of important issues, but I would prioritize them around one basic principle: government should protect individual freedom, spend taxpayer money responsibly, and provide practical solutions to problems that government is uniquely positioned to address.

1. Health care and Medicaid reform — Highest priority

As someone who has worked in Montana’s SDMI Medicaid waiver system since 2015, I have firsthand experience with the strengths and weaknesses of Medicaid. I support protecting access to necessary care while making the system more efficient, accountable, and focused on outcomes.I believe Montana should do more to combat sex trafficking and protect children and vulnerable adults. This includes supporting law enforcement, improving coordination among agencies, strengthening penalties where appropriate, and making sure victims have access to meaningful support and recovery services.

Public safety also means addressing the problems that contribute to repeated interaction with law enforcement, including untreated mental illness, homelessness, and substance abuse.Montanans are being squeezed by the increasing cost of housing, property taxes, insurance, health care, food, and other necessities. I would make property-tax relief and responsible state spending a significant priority.

The state should carefully examine how existing revenues are being used and whether surplus revenues can be returned to taxpayers or used in ways that provide long-term relief rather than creating new permanent spending obligations.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Montana needs an economy where people can build a life without having to leave the state. I support policies that encourage small-business growth, entrepreneurship, agriculture, energy development, skilled trades, and responsible economic investment.

I believe government’s role should primarily be to create a predictable environment in which private citizens and businesses can succeed—not to pick winners and losers.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

N/A

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