AFP–Montana Endorses Caleb Hinkle for SD34

Mar 5, 2026 by AFP

HELENA, MT — Americans for Prosperity–Montana (AFP–MT) today endorsed Rep. Caleb Hinkle in his bid to represent Senate District 34. Rep. Caleb Hinkle has shown a commitment to reversing the growth of government and advancing policies rooted in freedom, responsibility, and limited government. He is a policy champion with a 95% lifetime voting score over his three terms in the Montana House.

Despite strong expectations for conservative reform, recent legislative outcomes expanded the size, cost, and scope of government. Montanans saw a 13.5% biennium-over-biennium increase in the state budget, the passage of a major tiered property tax overhaul, the continuation of Obama’s Medicaid expansion program, new taxpayer-funded child care programs, and government-backed housing subsidies.

“Montanans didn’t vote for bigger government — they voted for freedom, accountability, and common-sense policy,” said Jesse Ramos, AFP–Montana State Director. “Instead, we’ve seen a series of policies that grow government’s role in people’s lives and increase long-term taxpayer obligations.” 

“We are endorsing Caleb Hinkle for Senate District 34 because he is a fearless advocate for limited government and greater opportunity for all Montanans. We know this not just in words but by his votes on key bills before the legislature,” said Henry Kriegel, AFP-Montana Deputy State Director.

AFP–MT emphasized that the divide voters are feeling is about the direction of Montana’s future — not party labels.

In several cases this session, some Republicans joined the Democrat caucus to pass major spending and program expansions, underscoring that the core issue is governing philosophy, not partisan identity.

In fact, Hinkle’s Republican primary opponent, Sen. Shelley Vance, teamed up with Democrats in voting for:

A left-leaning, progressive-style property tax overhaul that builds structural revenue growth into local government 
An extension of Medicaid expansion, continuing a key pillar of Obama’s health care legacy at the state level 
A 13.5% biennium-over-biennium increase in total appropriated funds  
The creation of permanent taxpayer-funded childcare subsidies, expanding government into family and labor decisions, and locking in new ongoing spending commitments. 
The expansion of state-backed housing subsidies distorts market incentives and ultimately pushes prices higher instead of fixing the underlying issues that caused the affordability crisis in the first place. 
The creation of automatic, ongoing trust-fund spending streams that entrench new government programs.