Anja Wookey-Huffman
From Ballotpedia
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Anja Wookey-Huffman (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Montana House of Representatives to represent District 65. She lost in the Democratic primary on June 4, 2024.
Wookey-Huffman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Anja Wookey-Huffman was born in Bozeman, Montana. She earned a bachelor's degree from Montana State University in 2021. Her career experience includes working as a service industry worker, office manager, bookkeeper, legislative intern, and community organizer. She has been affiliated with Montana Democrats and Gallatin County Democratic Central Committee.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Montana House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Montana House of Representatives District 65
Brian Close defeated Esther Fishbaugh in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 65 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Brian Close (D)  | 55.7 | 3,456 |
 | Esther Fishbaugh (R) | 44.3 | 2,746 | |
| Total votes: 6,202 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 65
Brian Close defeated Anja Wookey-Huffman in the Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 65 on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Brian Close | 61.3 | 860 |
 | Anja Wookey-Huffman | 38.7 | 543 | |
| Total votes: 1,403 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 65
Esther Fishbaugh advanced from the Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 65 on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Esther Fishbaugh | 100.0 | 1,030 |
| Total votes: 1,030 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Wookey-Huffman in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Anja Wookey-Huffman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Wookey-Huffman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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My name is Anja Wookey-Huffman and I’m running to represent Montana House District 65. I was born and raised in Bozeman, and graduated from Montana State University in 2021. Like many in our community, I know the challenges of trying to afford to stay here. I work two service-industry jobs and am a renter. My passion is to have a meaningful, positive impact on my community. I am running for the state legislature to be a lawmaker who votes with integrity to promote community and sustainability. I will listen to my constituents to ensure that the issues impacting you are addressed, solutions are found, and so that we can build a livable future for all of us.
- Affordability of Living: I am a renter from a family of renters. I understand how much the rental landscape has changed. The cost of living is unaffordable for many in our community. Housing prices rose fast, and then, in 2023, homeowners in our community saw their property taxes increase by a median of 21%. That is not affordable! I will fight in the legislature to make sure that renters and homeowners alike can afford to call this community their home.
- Affordable and Accessible Healthcare: During the 2025 session, the Montana legislature will be voting to renew Medicaid Expansion. Not only should we renew Medicaid expansion, but we should also remove the sunset from Medicaid expansion. It is a program that has proven to bolster local economies, support healthcare providers, and keep Montanans healthier than they would be without it. Additionally, our state needs to ensure that Medicaid adequately reimburses providers for the services provided so that providers can stay open. We should all be able to access healthcare and have the privacy to autonomously make choices about the care we receive.
- Quality Public Education: Public education is under attack. Charter and private schools now receive funding meant for public schools while the funding for our public schools is not even keeping up with inflation. I am who I am because I attended Bozeman public schools. The quality of schooling I received should be available to all kids now and in the future.
I believe government is how we help each other, and when we can help each other, we are all better for it. I support public policy that makes it easier for working people to live in our community, adequately funds public schools, takes climate change into consideration, and protects our right to privacy, including abortion care. Bozeman is a growing community, with challenges that are not unique in Montana. The Montana Legislature has the opportunity to address growth sustainably and help make it easier for local communities to create affordable housing so that we can live where we work. You and I deserve a livable future and we can make that possible through sustainable, forward-thinking public policy!
I’m running to be a legislator who votes with integrity. I will listen to the residents of my district to hear about what issues are impacting or most important to you so that I may then carry that knowledge with me to the Montana Legislature. An elected official should not be in office for their own self-interest. Government is about all of us.
My lived experience combined with my political experiences will make me a successful state legislator. I grew up in Bozeman and have called it home for my whole life. I come from a working class family that lived paycheck to paycheck. I currently am working multiple jobs to make sure that I continue to call Bozeman my home. I know what it is like trying to build a life and establish roots in this community.
We need to be making policy decisions that reflect not just what we have learned from the past and our present moment, but also what is possible for the future. I will serve to make a liveable future possible for myself and our community. I will be a legislator who weighs the long term implications of my votes, making decisions not just based on what I have experienced so far in my life but also consider what the policies mean for the future of the state. I will serve with integrity to ensure that we are moving sustainably towards the future. I will approach being a legislator with a critical thinking mindset while trying to remain positive, organized, efficient, and open to expanding my range of understanding through hard work and collaboration.
We need to be making policy decisions that reflect not just what we have learned from the past and our present moment, but also what is possible for the future. I will serve to make a liveable future possible for myself and our community. I will be a legislator who weighs the long term implications of my votes, making decisions not just based on what I have experienced so far in my life but also consider what the policies mean for the future of the state. I will serve with integrity to ensure that we are moving sustainably towards the future. I will approach being a legislator with a critical thinking mindset while trying to remain positive, organized, efficient, and open to expanding my range of understanding through hard work and collaboration.
Government can positively impact our lives, but elected officials must listen to their constituents. I have spent the last two legislative sessions working to make the legislative process accessible and mobilize volunteer networks. As a legislator I will advocate for the residents of House District 65, striving to make sure our state is serving your interests. As a representative I will work to become informed on the possible policy solutions and work on legislation to address the shared concerns of residents of House District 65. I will serve the residents of House District 65 by collaborating with fellow legislators to make sure we are making this state liveable to everyone not just a select few.
Once we unite around shared experiences and values, we can make a government an institution that provides stability for our communities. That hope is why I have stayed engaged and am now running for the legislature. Beyond this race, my overarching goal in life is to have a positive, meaningful impact on the lives of others. I want to live my life with integrity, promoting community.
My first job was as a hostess at a local restaurant in Bozeman called The Garage. I started when I was 16 and stayed with that business for two and a half years.
Our state is evolving. We must ensure that communities across our state continue to be liveable for the people who call it home and support the local economies. We need to make sure that in communities across the state, employees of local businesses and in essential industries can afford to live in the community they work in. Many people are concerned about affordability, especially housing and healthcare costs. Residents want sustainable development that doesn't unnecessarily strain our environment and natural resources. Access to quality public education from pre-k to college is also challenging for many. We need to refocus the work of our state on addressing the day-to-day challenges of local governments, institutions, and individuals with an eye on the future so that we have the appropriate infrastructure in place to be better off than we are now in a decade. Our state has seen a massive spike in property taxes, record numbers of people losing healthcare coverage, healthcare providers not being adequately reimbursed for the services provided, costs of living that outpace income, and some of the lowest paid teachers in the country. These are serious challenges that are threatening the integrity of our state government. There are solutions to all of these that can be found and implemented with collaboration and forward-thinking policy in the state legislature.
Montana's constitution says "A candidate for the legislature shall be a resident of the state for at least one year next preceding the general election." Previous experience in government and politics is certainly helpful for state legislators to have. My experience with the legislative process from school, legislative internships, and community organizing certainly make me more confident in navigating the responsibilities of a legislator. But it is important that legislators represent a variety of lived experiences. The most important part of serving as a state legislator is finding common ground to make policy choices that benefit the largest number of people. So while experience in government and politics may make a legislator more comfortable, experience collaborating productively with others to think critically about the issues, trying to understand comprehensively the impact on stakeholders, and a willingness to learn more about the issues and possible solutions matters most.
Absolutely. Collaboration is a huge piece of the legislative process. Building relationships with other legislators opens the door for conversation and cooperation to reach shared goals. Legislators do not always agree, but building relationships and having conversations with one another is key to finding solutions to the challenges our communities our facing. No one legislator has all of the answers, so the more we are willing to work together the more constructive the solutions can be.
Possibly, but right now there is so much at stake in our state that I care first and foremost about serving the community and finding solutions to some of the challenges our communities and residents are facing now.
Leaders We Deserve, Gallatin Valley Sunrise Movement, Montana National Organization for Women, State Representative Kelly Kortum (D), Dr. Cora Neumann, Bozeman Deputy Mayor Joey Morrison, Becky Edwards
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Montana House of Representatives District 65 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 6, 2024
Current members of the Montana House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Brandon Ler
Majority Leader:Steve Fitzpatrick
Minority Leader:Katie Sullivan
Representatives
District 1
Neil Duram (R)
District 2
Tom Millett (R)
District 3
Debo Powers (D)
District 4
Lyn Bennett (R)
District 5
Braxton Mitchell (R)
District 6
Amy Regier (R)
District 7
District 8
Lukas Schubert (R)
District 9
Steven Kelly (R)
District 10
Terry Falk (R)
District 11
Ed Byrne (R)
District 12
Tracy Sharp (R)
District 13
Linda Reksten (R)
District 14
Paul Fielder (R)
District 15
Thedis Crowe (D)
District 16
District 17
Zachary Wirth (R)
District 18
Llew Jones (R)
District 19
Jane Weber (D)
District 20
District 21
Edward Buttrey (R)
District 22
District 23
Eric Tilleman (R)
District 24
District 25
Steve Gist (R)
District 26
Russ Miner (R)
District 27
Paul Tuss (D)
District 28
Eric Albus (R)
District 29
Valerie Moore (R)
District 30
Morgan Thiel (R)
District 31
Frank Smith (D)
District 32
Mike Fox (D)
District 33
Brandon Ler (R)
District 34
District 35
Gary Parry (R)
District 36
Greg Kmetz (R)
District 37
Shane Klakken (R)
District 38
Greg Oblander (R)
District 39
District 40
Mike Vinton (R)
District 41
Jade Sooktis (D)
District 42
District 43
Larry Brewster (R)
District 44
Katie Zolnikov (R)
District 45
Denise Baum (D)
District 46
Denise Joy (D)
District 47
James Reavis (D)
District 48
Curtis Schomer (R)
District 49
Sherry Essmann (R)
District 50
Anthony Nicastro (R)
District 51
Jodee Etchart (R)
District 52
Bill Mercer (R)
District 53
Nelly Nicol (R)
District 54
Lee Deming (R)
District 55
Brad Barker (R)
District 56
Fiona Nave (R)
District 57
Scott Rosenzweig (D)
District 58
Jamie Isaly (D)
District 59
Ed Stafman (D)
District 60
Alanah Griffith (D)
District 61
Becky Edwards (D)
District 62
Josh Seckinger (D)
District 63
Peter Strand (D)
District 64
Kelly Kortum (D)
District 65
Brian Close (D)
District 66
Eric Matthews (D)
District 67
Jedediah Hinkle (R)
District 68
Caleb Hinkle (R)
District 69
Kenneth Walsh (R)
District 70
Shannon Maness (R)
District 71
Scott DeMarois (D)
District 72
Donavon Hawk (D)
District 73
Jennifer Lynch (D)
District 74
Marc Lee (D)
District 75
Mark Reinschmidt (R)
District 76
John Fitzpatrick (R)
District 77
Jane Gillette (R)
District 78
Randyn Gregg (R)
District 79
Luke Muszkiewicz (D)
District 80
Melissa Romano (D)
District 81
Mary Caferro (D)
District 82
Pete Elverum (D)
District 83
Jill Cohenour (D)
District 84
Julie Darling (R)
District 85
Kathy Love (R)
District 86
David Bedey (R)
District 87
Terry Nelson (R)
District 88
Greg Overstreet (R)
District 89
Mark Thane (D)
District 90
Curtis Cochran (R)
District 91
Shelly Fyant (D)
District 92
Connie Keogh (D)
District 93
Katie Sullivan (D)
District 94
Marilyn Marler (D)
District 95
Zooey Zephyr (D)
District 96
Bob Carter (D)
District 97
District 98
Jonathan Karlen (D)
District 99
Tom France (D)
District 100
SJ Howell (D)
Republican Party (58)
Democratic Party (42)
