Brian Schweitzer

 ( 1955 Births ) 

While Burns attempted to link Schweitzer with presidential candidate Al Gore, Schweitzer "effectively portrayed himself as nonpolitical".Michael Barone, The Almanac of American Politics 2004, National Journal Group. Schweitzer primarily challenged Burns on the issue of prescription drugs, organizing busloads of senior citizens to take trips to Canada and Mexico for cheaper medicine.William Booth, "Mont. Rancher Mounts Brawny Challenge; Crusty GOP Incumbent Finds Race Tightening Against an Equally Rough-Hewn Opponent", The Washington Post, October 31, 2000. Burns charged that Schweitzer favored "Canadian-style government controls" and claimed that senior citizens went to doctors to have "somebody to visit with. There's nothing wrong with them."

Schweitzer lost narrowly to Burns, with a 51% to 47% margin, despite being outspent two-to-one. Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore received just 33% of the vote in Montana in 2000.

In 2008, Schweitzer and Bohlinger won re-election to a second term by a landslide over Republican State Senator Roy Brown and his running mate Steve Daines; Schweitzer recurred 318,670 votes (65.4%), Brown received 158,268 votes (32.5%), and Libertarian candidate Stan Jones received 9,796 votes (2.0%). 2008 Statewide General Canvass - November 4th, 2008, Compiled by Secretary of State Brad Johnson, Montana Secretary of State.

Schweitzer was known for his unsparing use of the veto, a power exercised 95 times during his tenure. He vetoed 74 bills in the 2011 legislature, none of which were overridden.Charles S. Johnson, Schweitzer vetoes all survive override, Helena Independent Record (June 3, 2011). For instance, in April 2011, Schweitzer made news with his unconventional use of a branding iron to publicly veto several bills passed by the Republican-controlled legislature. "Gov fires up VETO brand", Helena Independent Record, April 14, 2011. He denounced them as "frivolous, unconstitutional and just bad ideas" that were "in direct contradiction to the expressed will of the people of Montana." "'VETO" Schweitzer fires up branding irons to veto bills", Billings Gazette, April 13, 2011. Schweitzer setting records with his veto pen ... and branding iron, Missoulian (April 17, 2011). The bills vetoed by Schweitzer including anti-abortion legislation Montana Governor Vetoes Invasive Parental Notification Bill (press release), Center for Reproductive Rights (May 13, 2011). and legislation that would have repealed Montana's 2004 legalization of medicinal marijuana.

Schweitzer has pointed out that Montana has had the highest ending fund balances in the state's history under his administration, with an average ending fund balance of $414 million. The average balance of the eighteen years prior was $54 million. "Gov rips GOP for 'lies' on budget", Helena Independent Record, August 1, 2012.

Schweitzer consistently held one of the highest among governors in the nation, with polls regularly showing a rating of above 60 percent. Baucus approval rating slides in MSUB poll, billingsgazette.com; accessed March 1, 2015. 50 State Governors: Sort By State, SurveyUSA, October 19, 2006; accessed September 17, 2015.

Schweitzer was elected chair of the Democratic Governors Association in 2008. Schweitzer to lead Democratic governors, United Press International (December 3, 2008).

As governor, Schweitzer emphasized early childhood education,Betsy Cohen, Schweitzer stresses early education, Missoulian (July 14, 2006). and in 2007 signed into law a voluntary full-time kindergarten program. Senate backs Schweitzer's schools plan, Billings Gazette (January 23, 2007). Schweitzer goes back to school to tout full-day kindergarten, Missoulian (September 27, 2007).

In 2005, Schweitzer signed into law "Indian Education for All" funding, which provided for the first time funding for schools to fulfill a mandate passed in 1999 to teach tribal history in Montana schools. Montana Schools Must Teach Indian History, Tribal College: Journal of American Indian Higher Education, Vol. 17, No. 4 (summer 2006).Jodi Rave, Schweitzer meets with tribal leaders in Helena, Missoulian (January 5, 2009).

Under Schweitzer, from 2009 to 2012, Montana achieved the country's highest rate of increase in the proportion of its population with college degrees.Jon Marcus, In Montana, small changes spur nation's biggest jump in college graduates, Hechinger Report (June 27, 2012). Montana's improved college-graduation rates lead U.S. average, Billings Gazette (July 12, 2012). The increase was attributed to a variety of initiatives backed by Schweitzer, including increased investments in the state's two-year community college system (including an increase in state funding, allowing two-year colleges to freeze tuition), better skills and practical training, additional online education, a dual enrollment program for high school students, and reforms to make it easier for students to transfer academic credits, such as from a two-year to a four-year college.

During his term as governor, Schweitzer focused on expanding Montana energy production, including both such as coal and oil and Renewable energy such as Wind power.Dillon Tabish, State's Single Largest Wind Farm Powers Up, Flathead Beacon (September 25, 2012).Patrick Mazza, "Montana moving to top ranks in renewable energy, Gov. Brian Schweitzer tells Harvesting Clean Energy Conference", Climate Solutions (January 30, 2009). Schweitzer helped arrange financing for the Rim Rock Wind Farm, which opened in September 2012 as the state's largest wind farm. He strongly supported the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project, which was opposed by environmentalists. In 2008, Schweitzer expressed support for a "25x'25" proposal to transition at least 25% of U.S. energy production to renewable sources by the year 2025.

In 2009, after General Motors voided its contracts with Stillwater Mining Company for the development of platinum and palladium mines in Montana following GM's reorganization in bankruptcy, Schweitzer strongly criticized GM's decision to withdraw from the project. Schweitzer called upon the Obama administration to force GM to continue with the project and expressed concern that the cancellation would harm Montana's mining industry and create a national security risk, as platinum and palladium were mined in only two other nations (Russia and South Africa).Matthew Brown, Montana gov blasts GM mine contract cancellation, Associated Press (February 17, 2015).

As governor, Schweitzer was an outspoken opponent of gun control proposals, and enjoyed the endorsement of the NRA Political Victory Fund.

In April 2009, Schweitzer signed into law the Montana Firearms Freedom Act,Jeff Taylor, Politics on a Human Scale: The American Tradition of Decentralism. (Lexington Books: 2003), p. 76. a bill that attempted to declare guns manufactured and possessed in Montana as exempt from federal gun regulation. This attempted nullification legislation was emulated by several other states, which passed similar legislation, but never went into effect, because the federal courts struck down the law on federal preemption grounds. 9th Circuit rules against 2009 Montana Firearms Freedom Act, Associated Press (August 23, 2013).'' target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Montana Shooting Sports Ass'n v. Holder'', 727 F.3d 975 (9th Cir. 2013).

During his tenure in office, Schweitzer proposed the introduction of state-level single-payer health care in Montana, based on the Canadian model.Sarah Kliff, Interview: Schweitzer's plan to bring Canadian health care to Montana, The Washington Post, October 3, 2011. Under Schweitzer, Montana opened a government-owned but privately contracted primary care clinic for state employees, but did not succeed in obtaining HHS permission for the state to import prescription drugs from Canada as a cost-savings measure.Dan Boyce, Brian Schweitzer, Montana Governor, Sees Big Savings With New State Health Clinic, Reuters (September 30, 2012). Schweitzer was critical of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the federal health care reform legislation championed by President Barack Obama, saying it did not go far enough in controlling health-care costs, and describing it as a "corporatist" policy, but did not outright oppose the ACA.

In May 2006, Schweitzer granted posthumous to 78 persons convicted in 1918 and 1919 of sedition during World War I for making comments critical of the war. These were the first posthumous pardons in Montana history. The individuals had been convicted under Montana's 1918 Sedition Act (which was subsequently repealed), one of the broadest and harshest of its time: one man went to prison for calling food rationing a joke, while others were targeted because they refused to kiss a U.S. flag or to buy . Schweitzer described his pardons as an important reminder of the importance of individual rights in wartime. Montana governor to pardon 78 convicted during WWI, Associated Press (May 3, 2006).Jim Robbins, Pardons granted 88 Years After Crimes of Sedition, The New York Times (May 3, 2006).

Following the suicide of Iraq war veteran Chris Dana in 2007, "War Vet Laid to Rest", Helena Independent Record, March 10, 2007. Schweitzer started the Yellow Ribbon Program, a joint program between the Montana National Guard and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that helps military personnel returning home from overseas to transition back to civilian life.Martin J. Kidston, Guard, VA working to fully address post-combat stress, Helena Independent Record (April 2, 2007). Fight Now Pay Later: The Future Costs of Funding the Iraq War, U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (June 12, 2008).

In a 2008 biography, Schweitzer expressed support for some form of same-sex civil unions, and in 2013 he expressed support for legal recognition of same-sex marriage.

On foreign policy and national security, Schweitzer took positions to the left of Hillary Clinton. In a series of speeches in Iowa in 2013, Schweitzer criticized Clinton and other Democrats who supported the 2002 Iraq War Resolution and called on Democrats to "keep the Iraq war vote in mind" when nominating a presidential candidate in 2016. Schweitzer also occasionally criticized the Obama administration's foreign policy, referring to it as supportive of the "military-industrial complex." In 2014, Schweitzer expressed opposition to domestic surveillance, asserted that "a lot of people that are working within the CIA and the NSA" of "spying illegally on American citizens," and called for Edward Snowden to be granted clemency.

After leaving office at the end of 2012, Schweitzer was mentioned as a possible candidate for president. Schweitzer speaks on gun control, kfbb.com; accessed February 17, 2015. In February 2013, the National Journal reported that he indicated he was leaning towards a run for president in 2016 instead of running for the U.S. Senate in 2014; a Senate bid would have involved challenging Democratic U.S. Senator Max Baucus in a primary election. "The gun loving straight talking 2016 Democratic presidential dark horse" , nationaljournal.com; accessed February 17, 2015. In April 2013, Baucus decided to retire. Soon thereafter, a Democrat associated with Schweitzer stated that Schweitzer was leaning toward a Senate bid in 2014. "Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer 'Leaning Toward' Run for Baucus' Seat", Yahoo.com; accessed February 17, 2015. After Baucus' announcement, Schweitzer stated that he was concentrating on helping a dissident investor group take control of the Stillwater Mining Co. in south-central Montana. "Baucus departure creates wide-open race, but Schweitzer looms large", helenair.com; accessed February 17, 2015. He subsequently became the chair of the Board of Stillwater Mine. Stillwater Mining CEO retires following board shake-up led by Schweitzer, missoulian.com; accessed February 17, 2015. When asked about the Senate race in June 2013, Schweitzer expressed uncertainty; however, Montana political analysts generally believed that he was considering a Senate run. "Some say Schweitzer already planning U.S. Senate run", missoulian.com; accessed March 1, 2015.

On July 13, 2013, Schweitzer stated he would not seek the U.S. Senate seat in Montana in 2014. In February 2015, Schweitzer stated that he has "no plans" to run for president in 2016. Schweitzer rules out run for presidency in 2016, greatfallstribune.com; accessed March 1, 2015. In October 2015, Schweitzer endorsed former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's campaign for the Democratic nomination for president and was named a national co-chair for O'Malley's campaign.Tom LoBianco, Former Montana governor backs Martin O'Malley for president, CNN (October 23, 2015).

• Speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention

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