With elections over it leaves the candidates who ran for office and lost contemplating, “What’s next”? Diane Magone ran for House District 14 as a Democrat against incumbent Rep. Denley Loge and wasn’t surprised when she didn’t win.

“Most of the counties in Montana are predominately Republican and the Democrats that did run received around 20 to 35 percent of the vote on average,” she said. “So I wasn’t really surprised that I didn’t win, but I enjoyed running. I met a lot of great people and feel I raised awareness about some of the issues facing this area.”

One of those issues was to help Initiative 185 pass. This initiative would have raised taxes on tobacco products, which would dedicate a percentage of those funds to health-related programs, including the renewal of Medicaid Expansion. With the sunset date for expanded Medicaid services for certain low-income adults ending on June 30, 2019, Magone worries about the impact that will have on residents in rural counties like Mineral and Sanders.

Magone is no stranger to issues facing these counties. She was raised in Superior and still lives in her childhood home with her father, Joe Magone. She graduated from the University of Montana and spent her career working in the area of social services, including the Montana Department of Corrections; the Missoula Poverello Center; Hospice and The Child; and Family Resource Council.

She said the state cut the office of Health and Human Services in Sanders County as a result of the budget cuts made from the special session. Other cuts can be seen by the closing of the IRS office in St. Regis and Magone wonders where the state will come up with funds to continue to run many of its social service programs.

“Raising revenue is important to help fund our rural hospitals and Medicaid Expansion. Cuts in social services hurts our most vulnerable people, those who are the working poor” she said.

Her fight to keep Medicaid Expansion isn’t over. Magone is considering, among other actions, to become a volunteer lobbyists in Helena.

“There’s a number of groups out there working on this and I’ll have to wait and see where they want to go from here,” she said.

In the meantime, Magone will continue to work on local committees, including one which may bring additional tourism into the county.

“Overall, it (running for office) was a good experience. I have always said that if you’re not happy with the way things are being done, at least try to do something about it. This was a good education for me,” she said.