Stand up, be bold, demand the truth

If you've seen the attack ads targeting Linda Reksten in the House District 13 race, I want you to know something: they are lying to you.

I've watched Linda serve this community for three terms. She is a proven conservative, endorsed by Governor Gianforte, and she has never – not once – voted for anything that puts our children at risk. In fact, she voted for the Youth Protection Act (SB 99) in 2023, which prohibits gender transition surgeries and treatments for minors. That bill passed and was signed into law.

The bill these ads keep distorting – HB 9 – has nothing to do with transition surgeries or children's health. It funds cultural and arts grants through the Montana Cultural Trust: museums, community arts programs and rural historic preservation.

It uses interest from the Coal Severance Trust, not income or property tax dollars. There are no DEI programs, no explicit materials, no gender transition services. None. The funding is publicly disclosed. Anyone can look it up.

So who is behind these ads? Out-of-state dark money PACs with no stake in Lake County and no accountability to Montana voters. They are spending money to take away your representation – to replace a candidate you know and trust with one they can control.

Don't let them do it. Do your research. Follow the money. And on June 2, re-elect Linda Reksten to House District 13.

“My People Perish for lack of Knowledge.” Stand up, be bold, demand the truth!

– Joe Archibeque, Polson