Seth Bodnar
Politics are heating up as the midterms approach. The most interesting and important candidate in the country might be Seth Bodnar.
Who the heck is Seth Bodnar and why is he so pivotal? He is the former President of the University of Montana who in February stepped down to run for U.S. Senate as an Independent.
“As a father, I just couldn’t sit by and watch our country become more divided and dysfunctional. I believe we deserve better leadership than we’re getting. So I decided to run for Senate.”
This sounds like something lots of candidates might say, but Seth has demonstrated his patriotism over decades of service. He went to West Point and graduated first in his class (!!) on the way to becoming a Rhodes Scholar. He commanded an Airborne Special Forces squadron in Iraq, jumping out of planes in hostile territory over multiple deployments. He was basically a superhero. Seth remains in the National Guard Reserve to this day.
“Watching our members of Congress go on vacation while TSA workers weren’t getting paid is an example of subpar leadership. At West Point, we were taught that leaders eat last, and if there’s not enough food you don’t eat. Unfortunately, our current leaders often think they should eat first.” I bet many Americans would agree with that sentiment.
After returning from war, Seth became an executive at GE before becoming President of the University of Montana. “My wife is from Montana, and we have 3 kids together.” He served very successfully for 8 years before stepping away to run for the Senate in February.
In his first month, his campaign raised almost $1.4 million, more than every other candidate in the race, Republicans and Democrats combined(!!!). His endorsers include Jon Tester, who represented Montana in the Senate for years, as well as the former head of the state Republican party. He is building bridges in a state that has an enormous independent streak.
“When I talk to Montanans, they don’t think about politics day-to-day as much as they do how to keep their car working, getting food on the table for their kids, making sure their crop will make it to market this year, and that their kids will stay in the state instead of going away. They’re tired of people heading to Washington and then just putting on a jersey once they get there.”
You can see why Seth is such a compelling figure. The U.S. Senate could essentially be deadlocked in January, which means that an Independent Senator could be profoundly influential as a tiebreaking vote or a figure who could work with either side. The fact that he could come out of Montana - no one’s idea of a battleground – is also groundbreaking. Even though Montana only has 1.1 million people, every Senate vote is equal. I’ve donated to support Seth and I hope you consider doing so as well.
“Your money goes farther in a place like Montana where we can effectively reach out and talk to voters. When I get to the Senate, I’m not going to have a ‘D’ or an ‘R’ on my jacket, but instead an ‘M’ for the people of Montana. I’ve already pledged not to caucus with either party, but I’m excited to work with other Senators who want to solve problems for the people.”
For my interview of Seth Bodnar on the podcast, click here and for his website click here. For a limited time only you can get 6 months off your mobile bill through April 30. You read that right. Email matt@nobilemobile.com and use my name to collect what is objectively an absolutely boffo value that will help you save for your family and your future. Look up.