Lay out for us what makes you different and better for this job.

Well, you know, you touched on it in your introductory marks, which covered the landscape.

A big part of this is simply the partisanship of this race.

Nonpartisan judicial elections have been a Montana tradition for a reason for almost a century, going back to the Copper Canes.

It's been a matter of public policy in Montana that we have not wanted our judges to be held captive by political parties.

We have not wanted them to swear loyalty oaths to political party platforms before they make decisions.

We have not wanted them considering whether they Those decisions would jeopardize a political party endorsement or ongoing political party contributions, which for the first time, political parties are able to contribute directly to judicial candidates in this election cycle.

What does that say about how this is all becoming increasingly politicized? The state courts in particular.

all right so you know judgeship's kind of an interesting deal you're running for the supreme court and you know oftentimes in the public uh that is one of the races that people just don't know anything about so for those who don't know you could you tell us a little bit about yourself and what brought you to montana and your career in law

Yeah, I'd be happy to.

So I grew up in a little town called Stanley, Idaho, population 70 people, year-round, not too far on the other side of the Montana-Idaho border.

And I grew up with my parents and my two younger sisters.

We were snowed in in the winter times, and I got to ski two and a half miles out to the highway to catch the school bus, and went to a two-room schoolhouse, excuse me, K-8 with 10 kids.

I had one other student in my grade.

Her name was Amy also.

And I, you know, I feel like we keep sort of hitting on this, but what is your judicial philosophy and how would you describe it to somebody who doesn't have a legal background?