Kobi Craddock for State House District 70

05/23/2026

I’ve spoken with several ranchers and producers throughout Southwest Montana recently, and many are expressing real concern about grass and water conditions heading into summer.

Some operations have already begun reducing herd numbers, with others telling me they may have to if conditions don’t improve.

For ranching families, these aren’t just business decisions. These are animals they’ve spent years building programs around — years of hard work, stewardship, sacrifice, and investment.

It’s important we remember that behind every pasture and every herd are families carrying a tremendous amount of stress right now. This could be a very challenging season for many producers, filled with difficult decisions about herd sizes, feed costs, water availability, and the future of their operations.

Agriculture remains the backbone of Montana, and difficult seasons like this remind us just how important our farmers and ranchers truly are.

Please keep them in your thoughts, support local producers when possible, and never forget the role they play in feeding our communities and preserving our Montana way of life.

05/21/2026

Public lands decisions should never be rushed through without meaningful public input. Montana’s State Trust Lands belong to all Montanans — not just the wealthy, well-connected, or politically influential.

I strongly disagree with the recent decision by the Montana Land Board to overhaul land exchange policy with such limited public review and little opportunity for citizens to be heard. Changes of this magnitude deserve transparency, accountability, and open discussion from the people who live, work, ranch, hunt, fish, and recreate on these lands every day.

Public input is not “red tape.” It is a necessary part of good government and responsible stewardship. Montanans deserve a real seat at the table when decisions affecting public access, land management, and the future of our state are being made.

Montana’s public lands are not a private asset to be negotiated behind closed doors by wealthy interests and handpicked consultants. They are a public resource, and the people of Montana deserve transparency, accountability, and a meaningful voice in every major decision affecting them.

As a lifelong Montanan, rancher, and sportsman, I believe we must protect both our working lands and our public lands heritage. Decisions impacting either should be made openly, carefully, and with the voices of Montanans leading the conversation — not after the fact.

Public lands must remain in public hands, and the people of Montana deserve to be heard.

05/14/2026

I get asked “why” frequently- here it is

05/07/2026

I know this is a touchy subject for many people, and I respect that there are good people on both sides of the conversation. But after looking at the issue, I agree with the decision to cancel the American Prairie grazing leases.

I also believe many Montanans have legitimate concerns that the American Prairie initiative is not as good-faith or community-focused as it presents itself to be. When large outside-funded organizations continue expanding influence over land, grazing, and the future direction of rural Montana, people have every right to ask hard questions about who ultimately benefits and whether local voices are truly being prioritized.

Montana’s public lands and grazing systems should prioritize the people and communities who live, work, and raise families here — not outside interests writing outside checks and reshaping rural Montana from a distance.

That said, supporting working ranches does not mean opposing conservation.

As a 5th generation Montanan and cattle producer, I believe some of the best conservation in this state has happened because of the families who have stewarded this land for generations. Ranchers understand water, grass, wildlife, and open space because our livelihoods depend on it.

We can protect wildlife, maintain public access, and preserve Montana’s natural beauty without pushing out the very people who helped care for it in the first place.

05/02/2026

May is National Beef Month—and for folks here in Montana, that’s not just something we recognize, it’s something we live every day.

I’ve seen firsthand the work, the early mornings, the late nights, and everything in between that goes into raising beef the right way. It’s not easy, but it’s something families take pride in.

Strong agriculture is what built this state, and it’s what will keep it strong moving forward.

04/28/2026

If a policy lowers wages for Montana workers, I’m against it. It’s that simple.

I’m a 5th generation Montanan, a working plumber, and a proud member of Local 41 Plumbers and Pipefitters. I’ve worked shoulder to shoulder with both union and non-union trades my whole life—and I’ll say this straight:

I will never support so-called “Right to Work.”

This isn’t union vs non-union. It’s not Democrat vs Republican. This is Montana vs policies that drive Montana wages down.

I didn’t get where I am by accident. I applied, tested, interviewed, and put in the years through apprenticeship to earn my trade. Nothing about that was forced—it was earned the hard way, just like most folks in this state.

And I’ll say this just as clearly—I’ve got friends on both sides. Good hands, hard workers, people I trust. Union and non-union. I don’t look at a man different because of what shop he works out of. If you’re putting in an honest day’s work to provide for your family, you’ve got my respect. That’s the Montana way.

But here’s the part that matters:

In many states that adopt “Right to Work,” wages trend lower—often in that 5–10% range.
That doesn’t just affect union workers—it puts downward pressure on every trade and every paycheck, especially here at home.

Prevailing wage jobs help keep pay competitive across the board. Those wages are based on what trades are actually earning in a region—and in many places, strong union wages help set that standard. That lifts all boats—union and non-union alike.

So when people try to sell “Right to Work” as freedom, I call it what it is:

Right to work for less.

Montana workers don’t need outside ideas that undercut our wages and our way of life. We need policies that respect the people actually doing the work.

Strong workers build a strong Montana.

04/17/2026

As it should be!

When you see this label, it means exactly what it says.

Born here. Raised here. Harvested here. Processed here. 🇺🇸

No shortcuts. No exceptions. No confusion.

That’s Product of USA.

🔗 www.productofusa.gov