BILLINGS — Michael Black Wolf, a first-time political candidate running as a Democrat for one of Montana's U.S. Senate seats, says he entered the race to protect the rights of women, minorities, and Native Americans.
Black Wolf recently joined Montana This Morning to discuss his campaign.
Watch the full interview here:
Question: Have you ever been involved in politics before?
Answer: "No, I've never been involved in politics before. First time, so yeah, always though have been a political junky, since I've been a teenager. So I've always been cognizant and aware of you know, kind of what entails in politics, but never ran for any kind of public office before."
Why now?
"Sitting at home last year, let's think back what happened last January. This new administration came in, they did that rash of executive orders in January of 2025, and then obviously the pushing and passage of the big beautiful bill, and then obviously now they're trying to push the SAVE Act. If you follow politics in any way, shape, or form, you could quickly realize last year what they were doing is they were implementing Project 2025... if the implementation of Project 2025 happens, there's no room in that world for women, there's no room in that world for minorities, and there are certainly no room in that world for Native Americans. And for me that personally affected me, and not like my own person, but my wife and I, we have three children and we have six grandchildren, and four of our grandchildren are granddaughters. And so they check all three of those boxes, and I just couldn't, you know, in good conscience sit by and not really do anything and know that what a potential MAGA future would entail for my granddaughters. And so I was compelled to get into this race quite honestly because I've worried about the welfare and the future of our granddaughters, but again, not only our granddaughters, but all Native women and all women in Montana is why I'm actually really running for this race. It's what got me into it."
You're one of five Democrats running. What makes you different than the rest of them?
"So, like I said, you know, I've never, you know, really been in politics before. And I think that what I also have to offer is that I come as a clean slate. You know, I'm not beholden to anybody or anyone or any political powers that, you know, perceived perception of power in Washington, D.C. Speaking specifically about, you know, you know, organizations, political action committees, you know, I'm running a grassroots campaign. I know a lot of folks are using that, but I truly am running a grassroots campaign. I'm not beholden to anybody, and I also say that whenever I get out into the community and meet people is that, you know, I am, I am here for the people of Montana. I'm running as a Democrat, but first and foremost I'm a Montanan, and I'm going to represent all Montanans to the best of my ability."
What are some of your political priorities?
"So, obviously one of the things I would love to do is end Citizens United. I think Citizens United has a direct impact on our current political environment both in Montana and the nation, so I'd love to really see an end to Citizens United. I think that supporting our agricultural industry in Montana is huge. I know that that's going to be a hard sell for me quite honestly because I know that the vast majority of our Ag producers have been our traditionally Republicans, you know, but my message to them is that, you know, hey, like I said earlier, I'm a Montanan first, you know, I may have a Democrat behind my name on this ticket, but you know, we have to do what we have to do to, you know, our core beliefs, you know, and so my core beliefs tend to more align with the Democratic side of the aisle, but that doesn't mean that, you know, I'm turning my back on Republicans. We need to put a stop to that in Montana, you know. That is the, the just the divide has become so wide that it's just hurting this country, it's hurting this state, and I will guarantee that I would be a person who would reach across that aisle and work with all of our Montanans regardless if you're a Democrat or Republican or independent. And so agriculture is huge for me. I know that, you know, they need a lot of support right now. I know that what this administration has done a few things that have been detrimental to our Ag industry, and I would work really hard to get those situations rectified."
What are your thoughts on data centers coming to Montana?
"Absolutely I am opposed to data centers. I don't believe that they have any purpose or need in Montana. I know the proponents of this will say they create jobs, and that's true. That's a true statement, can't argue with that. However, they create short-term construction jobs, and in the long term, each data center may have only two, three, four full-time employees. And so we have to factor and weigh that cost of financial gain for a couple of, handful of Montanans at the detriment of all that water loss, the pollution of water, the loss of resources, the cost of energy going up for not Americans, for Montanans across the board. And so we have to really weigh that, and quite honestly, two, three full-time jobs per data center just isn't justifiable with all the potential environmental effects and all the hazards, and then Montanans, all Montanans having to foot the electric bill at the end of the day."
You've spoken out about Senator Tim Sheehy signing on to a brief challenging birthright citizenship. You called it a 'sick attempt to use the Supreme Court to erase the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act.' Can you explain your thoughts on this a little bit more?
"Native Americans were not considered or not even allowed to become Americans until 1924, and the reasoning behind that is there are some Supreme Court cases that happened in the late 1800s that basically said that because tribal people belong to a tribal nation, that the fear was that we would have our allegiances to the tribal nation above and beyond the United States, and that was their justification for not allowing us to be, you know, the first peoples of this continent to become citizens of the United States. But a lot of hard work and effort on a lot of people, you know, pushed and finally got that right that needed to be there from the get-go when the United States was implemented. I think that also this goes back to what I was saying beginning in the beginning, you know, this, the what I had signed on to or the letter that I had written basically was my statement saying that, you know, you know, Project 2025 is not, you know, is not going to come into Montana and not do what they are wanting to achieve without me putting up a fight or making a statement on that. And I think that that's hugely detrimental because what they will do is they're going to use the SAVE Act to essentially limit many, many people, not just Montanans, but everybody across America, especially women, especially women who are married and have taken their husband's name, you know. That's an American tradition for whatever reason or another, I don't know the whole thing behind it, but you know, women tend to take their husband's names, and if you can't prove on your ID or your, you know, all the hoops that they wanted to have women jump through alone just to vote this coming election cycle. And you see our current senators and representatives both really pushing and encouraging the SAVE Act, and I think it's shameful on their part to deliberately discriminate against the women of Montana."
What are your thoughts on President Trump's term this time?
"Well, I think it goes without saying that I'm not pleased. I'm alarmed with what this president has done to this country, the divisiveness that he has instilled into the very fabric and everyday grain of just being what is an American and perversing it to his personal benefit. I'm not a big fan of his, and I freely say that. And quite honestly, I think that one of the things that I had said early on was reactionary, but I will say it again because it's, I'm on record for it, and basically was it would be an absolute honor and pleasure of mine to lead the charge in impeaching and removing this president because this man is unbecoming of the president's title and the office in my eyes, and I know in many, many Americans' eyes. So, I'm not a fan of his. I don't like what he does. I don't agree everything that he does. He has no morals, he has no values, and he even admittedly said it on several interviews that he doesn't think he's going to heaven and if there is an afterlife. That is a huge statement right there coming from someone right there, basically that coming from someone who has no morals and no values. And I know for a fact on the ground working and meeting with Montanans that we have morals and we have values. And so I think that we need to really step back and reassess as Montanans that is it all about making the dollar or is all about caring and loving and sharing with all of our fellow neighbors and our fellow Montanans."
Montana is clearly a very red state. Do you worry at all coming out with statements like that?
"You know, I don't, because one thing I told people when I got into this race is that, you know, I'm not going to lie, I'm not going to candy-coat, I'm not going to sugarcoat things, and I'm going to tell people the way that I feel, the way that I feel, and that what I'm going to do when I get to the Senate, and that's what I'm going to do. Because I don't want to tell them that I'm going to give them all a big box of oranges and get to the Senate and give everybody a big box of apples, right? Because then that just proves that I'm one of them. And so what I'm going to do is I tell people the truth, and the truth often hurts sometimes. The truth often offends some people sometimes, but they're going to know what they get should I become senator, and they know that this administration is absolutely detrimental to this country at this point in time."
You have kids and grandkids. What would an ideal future for them look like in this state?
"I think, you know, we hear people talk about it all the time. We see it in public forums, we see it on television, you know, we talk about the Montana values, you know. And over and over those Montana values are, you know, respect, treating each other with respect, honesty, you know, loving compassion, and all of those things are glaringly absent right now in the Montana politics and the national politics. And those are one things I would love to see us get back to is loving and caring and sharing and helping each other out as Montanans. We all know those are Montana values. We just need to get back to embracing them and putting them to use."
