Braxton Mitchell

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Braxton Mitchell
Member of the Montana House of Representatives
from the 3rd district
Assumed office
January 4, 2021
Preceded byDebo Powers
Personal details
Born (2000-05-20) May 20, 2000 (age 24) [1]
Whitefish, Montana, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceColumbia Falls, Montana
EducationFlathead Valley Community College

Braxton Mitchell (born May 20, 2000) is an American politician serving as a Republican member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 3rd district. Elected in 2020, he assumed office on January 4, 2021.[2][3]

Early life and education

Mitchell was born in Columbia Falls, Montana.[4] While attending Columbia Falls High School,[5] he organized a pro-gun march.[6]

He attended Flathead Valley Community College for two years.[4][7] As of September 2020, he was working at his family's businesses, Montana Jerky Company and Vandevanter Meats.[7]

Career

Mitchell's involvement in politics began in 2017 during a special election for Montana's lone congressional district, where Republican Greg Gianforte defeated Democrat Rob Quist. Mitchell saw many of his own beliefs reflected in Gianforte, and helped with his campaign as a high school student.[8]

In 2020, he ran for the 3rd district of the Montana House of Representatives. Mitchell did not face an opponent in the Republican primary and defeated incumbent Democrat Debo Powers in the November general election by 20 points.[8] Upon assuming office on January 4, 2021, Mitchell became one of the youngest members of the Montana House of Representatives.[9][10]

In June 2022, Mitchell easily defeated Republican primary challenger Lorena Wood with over 73% of the vote.[11]

In September of 2022, Mitchell was 1 of 53 Republican Legislators to call for a special session of the Montana Legislature to discuss returning over $1.8 billion in excess tax revenue to resident homeowners who paid property taxes in the past two years, and up to $1,250 to people who paid income taxes during that time.[12] Mitchell stated "This is not a stimulus check or us printing money like we see Biden and the Democrats doing at the federal level — it’s a true returning of funds. I am sure professional politicians and Helena insiders could think of 1.8 billion reasons to spend this money elsewhere but, the fact is, it is yours. It also can help force the hand of the legislature to finally rewrite our tax system we currently have in place which is hurting our citizens and businesses. Things worth doing are hard, and voters expect us to serve them, so I’m calling on my fellow legislators to support a special session."[13]

Mitchell serves as a member on the House Taxation Committee, the House Education Committee, and the House Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Committee.[14]

High school transgender athletes

Mitchell supported a bill in the Montana Legislature that sought to ban transgender athletes from competing on teams that do not align with their sex at birth. He stated that "Someone gender fluid can wake up one morning and say, 'I'm a man today,' or 'I'm a woman today,' as a tactic to win in sports."[15][16] The bill was signed into law by Republican Governor Greg Gianforte on May 7, 2021.[17]

Coal power

Mitchell sponsored a measure that would have made it more difficult for a private utility company in Montana to shutter a power plant, a move aimed at blocking the closing of the Colstrip coal-fired power plant in eastern Montana.[18] The measure was tabled in March 2021.[18][19] The Colstrip plant's owners, Puget Sound Energy, closed two of the four units at the plant in January 2021, and announced that the remaining two units would close within five years.[20]

Domestic terror resolution

In February 2021, Mitchell introduced a resolution designating antifa as a domestic terrorism group.[21][22] Antifa-affiliated groups are not known to be active in Montana, and there were no riots in Montana during the George Floyd protests of 2020.[21] Mitchell stated "I just don’t want to go into a future where political violence becomes the norm, and I hope as a country, we can start moving away from political violence on both sides."[23]

Mitchell was asked by Montana Democrats to also designate other groups including that which stormed the United States Capitol in January 2021, but Mitchell stated that the resolution was aimed at offenses committed by antifa.[23] The resolution originally had 53 co-sponsors, but following his explanation that additional groups couldn't be added, 31 Republicans removed their names.[23] The resolution did not pass out of the House.[24]

Political positions

Mitchell has served as an ambassador for Turning Point USA, a right-wing organization that advocates conservative values on high school, college, and university campuses.[6]

Affordable housing

Mitchell believes the private sector should be responsible for affordable housing rather than the government.[25]

Tuition

Mitchell supports state-funded financial aid availability for lower and middle-class students.[25]

Electoral history

2020 primary election

Montana’s 3rd District House of Representatives election, 2020[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Braxton Mitchell 1,815 100
Total votes 1,815 100

2020 election

Montana’s 3rd District House of Representatives election, 2020[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Braxton Mitchell 3,586 60.0
Democratic Debo Powers 2,393 40.0
Total votes 5,979 100

2022 primary election

Montana’s 3rd District House of Representatives election, 2020[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Braxton Mitchell 1,348 73.1
Republican Lorena Wood 495 26.9
Total votes 1,843 100

References

  1. ^ https://www.facebook.com/BraxtonMT/videos/2951533765066898/[user-generated source]
  2. ^ "Copper Book: Lawmakers of Montana, Legislative Session of 2021". Montana State Legislature. Montana Legislative Services Division. p. 52. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  3. ^ "Braxton Mitchell".
  4. ^ a b "Braxton Mitchell". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  5. ^ https://www.facebook.com/BraxtonMT/about[user-generated source]
  6. ^ a b Drake, Phil (April 24, 2021). "Montana Human Rights Network raises concerns about Turning Point USA". KULR-8 Local News. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Election 2020: Braxton Mitchell House District 3". Hungry Horse News. September 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Amestoy, Austin (January 25, 2021). "Montana's youngest legislators: Under 25, diverse, Republican with 'a libertarian streak'". Missoula Current. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  9. ^ "Flathead Memo: Rep-Elect Braxton Mitchell wants Montana's primaries to be closed and all its ballots hand counted". www.flatheadmemo.com. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  10. ^ "House District 3 candidate Q&A: Braxton Mitchell". missoulian.com. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  11. ^ "Incumbent legislators fend off primary challenges across Montana". Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  12. ^ "Call Fails for Montana Special Session on Budget Surplus". Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  13. ^ "Mitchell wants special session". Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  14. ^ "House of Representatives Committees 2021" (PDF). Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  15. ^ "Untitled". Facebook.com. Montana House Judiciary Committee. August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  16. ^ Loose, Cindy (February 15, 2021). "Flurry of bills aim to limit accommodating transgender athletes in public schools". UnionLeader.com. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  17. ^ Samuels, Iris (May 7, 2021). "Montana governor signs bill targeting transgender athletes". apnews.com. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  18. ^ a b Wade, Will (March 29, 2021). "Coal Country Races to Shield Itself From Biden's Climate Plan". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  19. ^ "Montana HB314 - Regular Session". LegiScan. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  20. ^ Gordon, Phillip (January 6, 2020). "US 2020 coal closures start with a bang with two units closed in Montana". Smart Energy International. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Montana bill would designate antifa as domestic terrorism". AP NEWS. February 16, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  22. ^ Mitchell, Braxton. "House Joint Resolution No. 11" (PDF). Montana Legislature. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  23. ^ a b c McFall, Caitlin (February 19, 2021). "Make Antifa a domestic terror group, Montana GOP state lawmaker, 20, says". Fox News. Archived from the original on March 27, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  24. ^ Murray, David (June 16, 2021). "Cascade County sheriff switches parties, calls out Democrats for supporting 'terrorist' groups". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  25. ^ a b "House District 3 candidate Q&A: Braxton Mitchell". missoulian.com. May 1, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  26. ^ "Braxton Mitchell". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  27. ^ "Braxton Mitchell". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  28. ^ "Braxton Mitchell". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 5, 2022.

External links

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