(EDITOR'S NOTE: Catie Henderson did not respond to calls and messages. All information used comes from her primary election campaign in May.)

The candidates for Montana’s House District 7 are different in just about every sense of the word.

One is a Republican former police chief with several adult children and ideas to expand jobs in Montana. The other, a Democrat, is a recent high school graduate whose campaign centers around improving education in the state.

Frank Garner and Catherine “Catie” Henderson, are competing to represent House District 7, a district which contains most of downtown Kalispell.

Garner generally follows the party line with regards to the major issues facing the Montana Legislature. Among those is the issue of expanding Medicaid.

“I’m not a fan of expanding it, but I am a fan of finding ways for people to buy their own insurance,” he said. “Like premium support. That’s a good way of providing coverage to people who need it.”

Likewise, for the state’s budget surplus, Garner toes the Republican line in giving much of the money back to the people.

“If we aren’t going to do it during a surplus, when can we?” he asked. “We should cut the tax rate if there is that much money to go around.”

Henderson has gone on record as saying improving education and technology infrastructure would be a couple of her key goals, should she make it to Helena. She also wants to improve downtown Kalispell and make it a safer, friendlier place to live.

Garner has other things on his mind, including the possibility of forest lands coming under state supervision.

“In general, I think everything is managed better at a local level,” he said. “I grew up hunting and fishing and I need to secure that as an asset of the people.”

But Garner wants to localize his race as well. Taxes, jobs and education are high on his list of priorities.

He wants to cut taxes, promote a diverse work force and keep Montana’s “robust” education system healthy.

Part of the last point is helping students decide what they want to do.

“We should be telling them early on what skills kids are going to need,” Garner said. “The ability to get a job is a vital skill.”

Regarding the proposed water compact with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Garner said he likes the progress that has been made, but more work needs to be done to protect the rights of all parties involved.

But more than anything, Garner wants to keep Montana the state he grew up in and fell in love with.

“I want my kids to have the same opportunities I had,” he said. “I’m worried that as times change, they aren’t going to. We need quality education and a tax structure that makes businesses want to do business here.”

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.