Beyond Party – Montana First is a citizen-powered, strictly bipartisan organization committed to defending Montana’s constitutional democracy and putting Montana ahead of partisan agendas. We exist to protect the foundational principles of Montana’s republican form of government – where all political power is vested in the people, and government exists solely for the good of the whole.

We acknowledge that political parties have played an important role in American democracy from the outset, and that money has played a similarly important role. But we believe that the role of both parties and money should be kept subordinate to the common good. Because that has not happened, unrestrained partisanship and unlimited money have become the twin challenges of our current political system.  

We exist to protect the foundational principles of Montana’s republican form of government – where all political power is vested in the people, and government exists solely for the good of the whole.

Our purpose is to nurture fundamental republican and democratic principles, clearly articulated in both the United States and Montana constitutions, as effective restraints on the natural tendency of political parties to undermine the common good in their inevitable pursuit of political power.  

Those foundational republican and democratic principles include popular sovereignty, the rule of law, the right to know, the right to participate, and the separation of powers.

But these principles are under constant threat, from efforts to politicize judicial elections and restrict ballot initiatives, to blatant gerrymandering of Public Service Commission districts and the outlawing of proven election reform options like ranked choice voting.  

In recent years, bipartisan coalitions of legislators and citizen groups have successfully pushed back. Still, the challenges persist.  Beyond Party – Montana First differs in a number of ways from other valuable efforts like Friends of the Constitution, Friends of the Third Branch, Big Sky 55+ and various groups now proposing promising ballot issues. One major difference is that, as a 501(c)(4) organization, we intend to build the capacity to engage directly in elections.  We are a citizen-powered democracy lobby that tracks legislation, monitors elected officials, and supports courageous candidates from either party who stand up for democratic values, even when it puts them at political risk. 

Beyond Party – Montana First explicitly aims to support and encourage pragmatic, problem-solving behavior on the part of elected officials.  

We’re here to amplify the voices of everyday Montanans and ensure that our state’s future is shaped by its citizens, not by unlimited money or partisan extremes. If you believe in the power of self-government and the promise of Montana’s Constitution, join us. Let’s protect what makes our state the last best place – and put Montana first, beyond party.