Wilmot Collins in 2020 MT Senatorial race

On Education: Child's education should be determined by where they grew up

We need to make big investments in our education system and that includes helping rural areas and states provide a quality education to our students today. It includes helping to raise pay for teachers willing to teach in rural areas, it includes having budgets that are healthy enough so that teachers do not have to buy supplies out of their own pockets, and it includes ensuring that the quality of a child's education is not determined by where they grew up. Source: 2020 Montana Senate campaign website WilmotCollins.com Jun 4, 2020

On Free Trade: Fight to keep markets open for family farmers

Together we can make sure that the bedrock of Montana's economy, our farmers and our ranchers, aren't facing economic hardship because of harsher weather conditions or unpredictable markets. We can do this by investing in new partnerships with scientists, innovators and agricultural tech companies, and fight to keep markets for our products open to confront the growing problems that family farms face. Source: 2020 Montana Senate campaign website WilmotCollins.com Jun 4, 2020

On Homeland Security: Make sure service members & first responders are funded

Together we can work vigorously to ensure that the public's safety will always be our top priority. I won't take "no" for an answer when it comes to making sure that our service members, firefighters and law enforcement officers who bear the burden of risking their lives for us, are sufficiently funded, staffed, and given every resource available to help make their jobs easier and our city, state, and nation more safe. Source: 2020 Montana Senate campaign website WilmotCollins.com Jun 4, 2020

On Jobs: Fight to increase minimum wage to $15

A $15 minimum wage isn't just the moral thing to do, it's the pragmatic and economic thing to do. With more purchasing power, more Americans would buy homes, take vacations, go back to school--stimulating the economy from the ground up, not trickle down. Join me in the #FightFor15 and when we win, the Senate will be one seat closer to making a $15 minimum wage the law of the land. Source: 2020 Montana Senate campaign website WilmotCollins.com Jun 4, 2020

On Civil Rights: Go further than Overturning Citizens United decision

We must address the influence special interests have on our laws and economic system, because their interests are not the same as Montanans' interests. We need to go further than overturning the disastrous Citizens United decision that allowed unlimited and unaccountable Dark Money to flow into our elections. We have to push for lobbying and election reform to save our democracy. Source: 2020 Montana Senate campaign website, WilmotCollins.com Jan 12, 2020

On Energy & Oil: Believe in science; save planet from climate catastrophe

We face an imminent environmental crisis, unlike anything we've ever seen. I'm asking you to believe in science and to be a part of the extraordinary efforts it will take to save our planet from climate catastrophe. I'm asking you to help protect the jobs sustained by our climate in agriculture and our State's natural beauty in outdoor recreation. We can make it so that our public lands and our open spaces here in Montana have never been and never will be for sale. Source: 2020 Montana Senate campaign website, WilmotCollins.com Jan 12, 2020

On Health Care: Heathcare is a right for all, not a luxury for a few

I want you to join with me as one collective voice to make it heard loud and clear that no longer is it acceptable for a young mother to have to make the choice between paying the bills and getting to see a doctor. Healthcare is a right for all not a luxury for a few. People should never have to declare bankruptcy because they get sick. Source: 2020 Montana Senate campaign website, WilmotCollins.com Jan 12, 2020

On Homeland Security: Vets should never spend one second sleeping in the streets

The women and men who served this country in the military and fought for our freedoms should never spend one second sleeping on the streets. Because Montana is among the top three states in this country with the most veterans per capita, we need to ensure that the men and women who stood ready to serve, don't have to stand in a line to get care. We have to keep the promises we made to these brave men and women. Source: 2020 Montana Senate campaign website, WilmotCollins.com Jan 12, 2020

On Jobs: End misclassifying employees as independent contractors

It is critical that we take the necessary action to maintain a strong middle class. We can work harder to implement basic labor standards for employees. We can make sure corporations are not gaming our system to benefit shareholders and CEOs rather than the workers trying to make ends meet. We will protect a worker's right to collectively bargain for better wages and employment, as well as fight to end misclassifying employees as independent contractors. Source: 2020 Montana Senate campaign website, WilmotCollins.com Jan 12, 2020

On Civil Rights: I'm an American; I served this country honorably

When Trump tweeted that four Democratic lawmakers of color should "go back to the countries they came from," Collins' possible opponent, Republican Sen. Steve Daines, heartily backed the racist tweet with a pledge of support on his Twitter account. Collins says the men showed their true colors. "He's trying to say because they're black and brown, they need to go back to Africa, where I'm from," Collins said. "But that's wrong. I'm an American. I've served this country honorably." Source: Sand Mountain Reporter on 2020 Montana Senate race Oct 9, 2019

On Energy & Oil: Take bold actions to reduce our carbon footprint

Collins voiced support for climate change action at the Helena rally. Collins said it is the duty of the "temporary inhabitants of this planet" to ensure that younger generations have the same opportunities they have. Collins pledged not to take any money from fossil fuel donors in his campaign for U.S. Senate. He also said he wants to fight for renewable energy and that it is time to take "brave" and "bold" actions to reduce our carbon footprint. Source: Helena Independent Record on 2020 Montana Senate race Oct 9, 2019

On Gun Control: Supports background checks & red flag laws

Background checks keep guns out of dangerous felon's hands, those who have dangerous mental illness, or those folks who may be on a terrorist watch list. 93% of Americans support background checks. It's the right thing to do, and the will of the people. Most mass shootings are perpetrated by those with a history of partner family member violence. We must also ensure survivors of domestic violence are protected. We must have red flag laws to protect families. Source: Billings Gazette OpEd in 2020 Montana Senate race Sep 13, 2019

On Principles & Values: Immigrated from Liberia in 1994; served in US Navy

Collins fled his native Liberia for Helena in 1994, as a refugee from the First Liberian Civil War. He had petitioned for refugee status to join his wife, who had moved to Montana two years before he did. He subsequently became a United States citizen, and worked for the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, specializing in child protection. For over two decades, he was a member of the US Navy Reserve. Collins has two children with his wife, their daughter, Jaymie and their son, Bliss. Source: Ballotpedia.org Connection: 2020 Montana Senate race Sep 9, 2019

The above quotations are from 2020 Montana Senatorial race: debates and news coverage. Click here for other excerpts from 2020 Montana Senatorial race: debates and news coverage. Click here for other excerpts by Wilmot Collins. Click here for a profile of Wilmot Collins.
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Page last updated: Oct 24, 2020