EMILYs List Endorses Three Women Leaders for Montana Down-Ballot Offices

For Immediate Release
May 15, 2020

EMILYs List Endorses Three Women Leaders for Montana Down-Ballot Offices

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed Kim Dudik for Montana attorney general, Monica Tranel for the Montana Public Service Commission, District 4, and Melissa Romano for Montana superintendent of public instruction. Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILYs List, released the following statement: 

“EMILYs List is proud to endorse three women leaders for Montana down-ballot offices in my home state. These women are remarkable advocates fighting to expand the accessibility of democracy, protect working families, and improve public education. In the Montana House of Representatives, Kim Dudik worked to reform the criminal justice system and create safer communities. The owner of her own law firm, Monica Tranel has fought to protect Montana consumers, keeping $10 million out of the hands of monopolies. A nationally recognized educator and 2018 Montana Teacher of the Year, Melissa Romano understands the needs of teachers across the state. Montana has a long history of electing strong women leaders, and I am proud that EMILYs List is supporting their campaigns. With the stakes so high in Montana, these three leaders have the real ability to win in November and then govern by putting Montanans first.” 

Kim Dudik was born and raised in Montana. She graduated from Montana State University and became a practicing nurse, specializing in neonatal intensive care. Kim also volunteered as a domestic violence advocate, helping families escape violent situations. Her experience as a volunteer ignited her passion for protecting communities like hers and inspired her to attend the University of Montana School of Law and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She served as an assistant attorney general before she was elected to represent Montana House District 94. A current state representative, Kim made history as the first sitting Montana legislator to give birth during a legislative session and is now a proud mother of four children. 

Raised on a ranch in eastern Montana, Monica Tranel is a two-time Olympian with the U.S. Women’s Rowing Team. A graduate of Gonzaga University, Monica is an attorney with over two decades of experience working with the Public Service Commission (PSC). She served as a staff attorney for the PSC from 2001 to 2005 and worked for the Consumer Counsel for two years. Currently, Monica runs Tranel Law Firm where she represents clients who are invested in clean energy. Monica is running for PSC in District 4 in order to end partisanship and dysfunction in the Commission.

A certified teacher in Montana, Melissa Romano has served as an educator for more than 15 years. Melissa received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching from the National Science Foundation and was chosen as the 2018 Montana Teacher of the Year for her phenomenal work as a kindergarten and second grade teacher, and instructional K-8 mathematics coach. She served as president of the Montana Council of Teachers of Mathematics and as a board member for the Montana Learning Center. With the National Education Association Common Core Working Group, Melissa helped shape national education standards. Melissa lives in Helena, Montana, with her husband and their four children. 

These endorsements are in addition to five previously endorsed EMILYs List candidates running for reelection to the Montana Legislature: Margie MacDonald (SD-26), Edie McClafferty (SD-38), Jasmine Krotkov (HD-25), Jade Bahr (HD-50), and Mary Ann Dunwell (HD-84).

EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $600 million to elect pro-choice Democratic women candidates. With a grassroots community of over five million members, EMILY's List helps Democratic women win competitive campaigns – across the country and up and down the ballot – by recruiting and training candidates, supporting strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect 150 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 16 governors, and nearly 1,100 women to state and local office. Nearly 40 percent of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. During the historic 2017-2018 cycle, EMILYs List raised a record-breaking $110 million and launched a record independent expenditure campaign. We helped elect 34 new women to the House, including 24 red-to-blue victories; enough seats to have delivered the U.S. House majority alone. Since the 2016 election, more than 50,000 women have reached out to EMILY's List about running for office laying the groundwork for the next decade of candidates for local, state, and national offices.