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Penny Ronning
Penny Ronning (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Montana's 2nd Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Ronning completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Penny Ronning earned a B.A. in media and theatre arts from Montana State University at Bozeman in 2000, an M.B.A. from the University of Mary in 2004, and a J.D. from California School of Law in 2014. Ronning's career experience includes owning Two Chocolates Productions and The House of Fine Art, and working as an independent consultant with Rodan + Fields Dermatologists and an event and programming consultant with Missoula Performing Arts Center. She co-founded and has co-chaired the Yellowstone County Area Human Trafficking Task Force and co-founded Operation: Billings Child.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Montana's 2nd Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House Montana District 2
Incumbent Matt Rosendale defeated Gary Buchanan, Penny Ronning, and Sam Rankin in the general election for U.S. House Montana District 2 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Matt Rosendale (R) | 56.6 | 121,979 |
 | Gary Buchanan (Independent) | 21.9 | 47,195 | |
 | Penny Ronning (D)  | 20.2 | 43,480 | |
 | Sam Rankin (L) | 1.4 | 3,018 | |
| Total votes: 215,672 | |||
| = 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 U.S. House Montana District 2
Penny Ronning defeated Mark Sweeney (Unofficially withdrew) and Skylar Williams in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana District 2 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Penny Ronning | 58.5 | 21,983 |
 | Mark Sweeney (Unofficially withdrew) | 22.8 | 8,586 | |
 | Skylar Williams | 18.7 | 7,029 | |
| Total votes: 37,598 | |||
| = 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Laurie Bishop (D)
- Jack Ballard (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Montana District 2
Incumbent Matt Rosendale defeated Kyle Austin, Charles A. Walking Child, and James Boyette in the Republican primary for U.S. House Montana District 2 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Matt Rosendale | 75.7 | 73,453 |
| Kyle Austin | 12.3 | 11,930 | ||
 | Charles A. Walking Child | 6.1 | 5,909 | |
 | James Boyette | 5.9 | 5,712 | |
| Total votes: 97,004 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for U.S. House Montana District 2
Sam Rankin defeated Samuel Thomas and Roger Roots in the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Montana District 2 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sam Rankin | 47.0 | 958 |
| Samuel Thomas | 27.2 | 554 | ||
 | Roger Roots | 25.8 | 526 | |
| Total votes: 2,038 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Penny Ronning completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ronning's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- Healthcare is a fundamental right, especially for veterans, and needs to be addressed as such. Not only are costs an issue, but so is access for too many Montanans. Updating and improving Medicare reimbursement is a step in the right direction as is lowering the age of qualification for Medicare. The high cost of prescription drug prices must be dealt with also, especially lifesaving drugs like insulin. Additionally, in rural Montana, doctors are few and far between. That’s why I support S 1873, the Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2021.
- In the past year, median household incomes in Montana rose only 4.7 percent, but rentals rose 15 percent, and homes a whopping 29 percent. There are 10,000 fewer homes in Montana than we need, according to Freddie Mac. This gap between wages, housing costs, and housing availability needs to be addressed. Infill development in urban areas helps lower infrastructure costs, preservation of rural housing helps avoid displacement in rural areas, and low income and workforce housing tax credits help incentivize affordable housing development. These are a few areas that can be addressed immediately to begin promoting housing affordability in Montana.
- Climate change is an urgent issue. In Montana and throughout the country, farmers and ranchers have been at the forefront of responsible land stewardship and will continue in that role as we understand more about how to address climate change. I support more funding for public research and development for crops and cropping systems; for methods to maintain healthy soil conditions, develop crops, varieties, and animal breeds that perform in more extreme conditions; and to examine options to combat drought. I also support the United States becoming energy independent. Montana can help lead the way through the opportunities we have for wind and solar power development, biofuels, clean coal technologies, and responsible oil and gas productiom.
- Public Safety and National Security
- Crime Victim Rights
- Campaign Finance Reform
- Making Healthcare Affordable and Accessible
- Economic Development
- Housing Availability and Affordability
- Agriculture
- Energy and Water
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 website
Ronning's campaign website stated the following:
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Agriculture I come from generations of farmers and ranchers so I know how the drought in recent years has hurt us. But drought is not the only problem. For generations, Montana farmers and ranchers have long been the backbone of food source providers for our state, country and abroad. Why is it then that, for too many years, our farmers and ranchers have been hurting because of lower profits? It's not because of the quality of what we produce. Quite simply, our agricultural profits are shifting from the producer to the corporations. Making a living is getting harder and harder for our farmers and ranchers to the point that it is not economically viable to invest in agriculture. If this keeps up our beef will have a "Made in Brazil" label and our wheat will have a "Made in China" label. This should scare all Americans. As a US Congresswoman from Montana, I will work with representatives of other states to stand up for our farmers and ranchers and to make sure that the voices of those that produce our food are heard. What We Can Do
All of us have stories to tell about taking care of our loved ones. For some, we have to make life-changing decisions. In 2008, moved back home to take care of my mom. I gave up my career because my mom needed me. My mom was lucky. She had her family to help. Others are not so fortunate. In 2017, the Montana legislature closed 19 Offices of Public Assistance, of which 18 were in Eastern Montana. By early 2018, the Office of Public Assistance in Billings was receiving over 1,000 calls a day from folks in Eastern Montana needing help with basic services and living expenses. Montana, along with other parts of the United States, has experienced an increase in what is known as "Cost-Burdened Households" which are households that pay more than 40% of the monthly income for shelter. Cost-Burdened households often have to scramble to pay for food, utilities, transportation, healthcare, childcare, and more. This stress can lead to mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness, and crime. Healthcare costs, in particular, are quickly overwhelming our resources, especially for the elderly who rely on Social Security and whatever savings they may have. Skilled nursing facilities cost into the tens of thousands of dollars per month! In regard to prescription drugs, families and individuals of all ages struggle with this cost. Let's look at one example: the prescription drug Insulin. In 2018, the average price of a single dose of Insulin in the US was $98.70. In Canada, this same dose was $12! It's no wonder that families, like mine, have been forced to have difficult conversations about receiving quality healthcare for our senior citizens. It's no wonder that some family members have had to withdraw from the workforce in order to take care of their parents or some family members have had to live in separate states in order to earn enough money to pay for life-saving prescription drugs for their children. And Insulin is only one of many other similar life-saving prescription medicines whose costs have spiraled out of control. Quality healthcare in America should be available to everyone at affordable prices. As we have seen with housing, rising health care costs have not been met with equally rising wages. As a US Congresswoman from Montana, I will work with representatives of other states to stand up for the needs of Montanans by making sure our voices are heard. What We Can Do
In 2021, according to the National Association of Realtors, 98% of all new homes in the United States sold for over $400,000. At the same time, the US Department of Housing & Urban Development reported that the median family income in the United States was $79,900. To make matters worse, housing and rental prices are rising faster than family incomes. When taken together, it's rather obvious that buying a new home in our current situation is going to be difficult, if not impossible for many. As a US Congresswoman from Montana, I will work with representatives of other states to address needs for affordable and workforce housing, and I will stand up for Montanans by making sure our voices are heard. What We Can Do
EARN IT Act People Over Politics is my guiding principle. It’s time to stop squabbling and name-calling in politics. We have to put people first, especially kids who are victims of child pornography, now more appropriately referred to as Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Every day, more and more images of groomed, abused, and exploited children appear on the internet. Reports of these images have increased 10,000 percent since 1998, to over 70 million in 2019. Why is this happening? Because the tech giants who control social media allow it and profit from it. Under current law tech giants aren’t prosecuted for distributing CSAM. They aren’t even required to report it. That’s why I not only support the bipartisan EARN IT Act, I have been actively working with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation and Senators Graham’s and Blumenthal’s policy staff on the legislation. The Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act, also known as the EARN IT Act, holds tech giants accountable for distributing CSAM (child pornography), creates a commission to better monitor it, and gives law enforcement new tools to battle it. As your representative in Congress, I will always fight hard to keep children safe online. Children are our future. Protecting them is how we put People Over Politics. What We Can Do Call Senator Jon Tester to request he support the EARN IT Act Office of Senator Jon Tester 311 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510-2604 Phone: (202) 224-2644 Fax: (202) 224-8594 Call Senator Steve Daines to request he support the EARN IT Act Office of Senator Steve Daines 320 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 p: (202) 224-2651
The world has watched in horror as Russia invaded Ukraine and continues to bomb cities and kill innocent civilians including children. Like many in Montana and throughout the world, my heart continues to break for the Ukrainian people as they bravely defend their country and their democracy. Representative Rosendale believes that the United States does not have a moral obligation to come to the aid of a “small Eastern European country halfway across the world”. I do not agree. Thankfully, neither does the majority of a bi-partisan Congress, nor President Biden, nor our NATO Allies, nor the rest of the democratic world. Aid comes in different forms. Currently, the United States is joining our Allies in placing heavy sanctions on Russia and its leadership. In alignment with our Allies, the United States is also sending aid in the form of weapons to Ukraine. I stand in solidarity with our NATO Allies and Ukraine. American values side with democracy and freedom. American patriotism has a long history of coming to the aid of democracy throughout the world and aligns with countries that do the same. We absolutely have a moral obligation to our American values. Sadly, Representative Rosendale is also misleading the American public on the economic impact Ukraine has to the United States and our European Allies. The United States Trade Representative reported that the latest figures available, from 2019, show a $3.7 billion dollar total in trade between Ukraine and the United States. Over the past 24 years, U.S. exports to Ukraine have increased nearly 11 percent every year. Ukraine is important to Europe too. In 2020, trade between the European Union and Ukraine totaled nearly $49 billion. It may be far away to some, but Ukraine means dollars and cents to our economy and to the economy of our allies. And its democracy means freedom and survival to its people. I stand in solidarity with our NATO Allies and Ukraine. I believe Montanans do also. We must put People Over Politics and work to bring unity back to our country and peace back to democracies throughout the world, and I believe Montanans feel the same.
We have to put people first, just like the bipartisan infrastructure bill does by targeting $100 million for sorely need repairs to the Milk River Project across the hi-line. The funds will improve irrigation along the 720 miles of the Milk, refurbish the St Mary’s diversion dam, and provide good-paying jobs. Improvements to Montana roads, highways, and bridges; development of broadband services; refurbishment of municipal water systems—all are provided by the infrastructure bill. As your representative in Congress, I will make sure that Montana gets its fair share from the infrastructure bill and that our infrastructure needs are not ignored. Safer roads, high-speed internet, better drinking water all put people first. Included benefits for Montana in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: New Initiatives using the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (which Penny can cite)
Postal reform Ag/Cattle Bills
We have to put people first, especially in rural Montana, where doctors are few and far between. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, 46 of Montana’s 56 counties are underserved by primary care doctors. Almost a third of Montana’s primary care doctors will retire by 2030, according to the Robert Graham Center. WWAMI, the University of Washington program to train doctors in western states helps some, but more needs to be done to encourage rural hospitals to open their doors to doctors in training. That’s why I support S 1873, the Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2021. This bipartisan bill would cut the red tape and the costs that burden rural hospitals that want to train more doctors. As your representative in Congress, I will place a priority on rural health care. We need more doctors, therapists, and clinical care in rural Montana. Making sure that rural Montanans can enjoy the medical care they deserve puts People Over Politics. What We Can Do
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| —Penny Ronning's campaign website (2022)[3] | ||
See also
2022 Elections
External links
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Candidate U.S. House Montana District 2 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Penny Ronning," accessed April 8, 2022
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Penny Ronning for US Congress, “Home,” accessed April 8, 2022
