Montana strong

Russ Cleveland is a father, coach, small business owner, and rancher who grew up right here in Western Montana. Russ is a U.S. Navy veteran who deeply values the oath he took to defend our constitution. He has dedicated a life in service to others both through career and community, driven most recently by the loss of his oldest daughter Madison to leukemia at the age of thirteen in 2020. It was that loss that redefined the legacy he aims to leave behind to the next generation in her honor.

Russ announced his candidacy as the first Democrat running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Montana’s First Congressional District in April 2025, running a truly grassroots campaign, refusing Corporate PAC and dark money in an effort to revitalize a corrupt political system. After nearly a year on the road listening to tens of thousands of Montanan’s, Russ proudly represents a platform based on the needs of true working class Montanans:

Raised on a farm in Stevensville, Russ knows what it means to work hard, care for your neighbors, and fight for the community you love. “The fight ahead isn’t left versus right, it is top versus bottom. It is time to reclaim our state, protect what is ours, and build a Montana that truly works for our working class.” As a veteran, a successful entrepreneur, and a father who has faced life’s most unforgiving challenges, Russ’s diverse lived experience shows he is the right leader for this moment in Montana.