Russell Cleveland

Russell Cleveland served in the U.S. Navy from 2009 to 2013. He earned a high school diploma from Stevensville High School, a bachelor's degree from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2012, and a graduate degree from Seattle University in 2015. His career experience includes working as an executive.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a husband, coach, small business owner, Navy veteran, and father of seven children. I decided to enter the race after the Trump administration cut funding to child cancer research. My wife and I lost our older daughter Madison to leukemia in 2020, and I knew I wanted to get involved.

I was raised on a farm in Stevensville, Montana. I went on to play football under Bob Green at Montana Tech and studied electrical engineering, which led me to join the Navy in 2009 as an Aviation Electrician. Four years later I married my wife Dr. Kate Cleveland, and together we founded Rocky Mountain Kids, a startup child care company that grew to serve thousands of children across dozens of locations. During the pandemic and with schools shut down, we quickly opened remote learning centers to keep children engaged and learning.

Following the loss of our daughter Madison, we knew we needed to come home. Returning in 2021, we found that this great state had changed--and in many ways for the worse. Regular working-class Montanans who sculpted this state into excellence had been neglected by those meant to serve them and priced out of the only place they called home.

Today, my family and I live on a homestead and cattle ranch in Saint Regis. My Wife and I coach at Saint Regis High School (Go Tigers!), where our children today go to learn.

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?

Healthcare is too expensive. I will fight to improve healthcare with Medicare for All, seeking to lower drug prices, strengthen rural clinics, and adequately fund research programs to once again lead the world in finding cures and preventing disease.DC corruption steals Montanan's money and weakens our institutions. I do not take corporate PAC money. I would support ending Citizens United, banning dark money in politics, and standing up to Big Tech, billionaires, and corrupt politicians who take our data and steal from our pockets. I believe a full-time job's earnings must provide enough to cover a standard cost of living.America has the resources and must invest in our own communities. DC politicians comfortably send billions abroad for foreign wars while defunding research, the VA, and cutting health care subsidies. I support universal childcare, including Universal Pre-K, and increasing pay for teachers to build resiliency in our education system. I would restore funding to the VA, demonstrating that America's strength comes from the durability of her people.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My campaign is based around three pillars: Healthcare, affordability, and ending corruption.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

No Dems Left Behind

Turn Left

Josh Hutcherson

Bryan Andrews

Sergeant Rhodes

Susan Weber

Lance Fourstar