Woods drops from race for U.S. House seat

A Bozeman Democrat dropped from the race for the state’s lone U.S. House of Representatives seat, saying on social media that a couple of other candidates have raised 10 times of the money that he has been able to raise.

“The deeply unfortunate part about a congressional campaign is that it costs about $10,000 a month at the start of a campaign,” Tom Woods wrote Monday afternoon on Facebook.

He cited media costs and the expenses of adding staff as huge fiscal challenges.

“The fact is, if I were to continue any longer, I would have to go into debt,"

he wrote. "I can’t do that.”



"Without money to purchase media you are dead in the water," he said.

Woods, an educator, was among several Democrats running for the seat now held by Republican Greg Gianforte, a multimillionaire and high-tech entrepreneur.

Other Democrats in the race include attorney John Hennan, former state lawmakers Kathleen Williams and Lynda Moss, attorney Jared Pettinato and former land trust director Grant Kier.

Woods said it was difficult to raise funds locally with other candidates also from Bozeman.

Woods said he is withdrawing at this time and is still eligible to file for his state legislative seat representing Bozeman. He said he would make an announcement Jan. 11.

“I will probably do that despite the fact it’s a terrible job,” he wrote.



He said in a telephone interview Tuesday that he calls being a legislator "the worst job I have ever loved. It's long hours and low pay but I enjoy doing it because you get to speak out, you get a voice at the table. I lean toward doing it again."

Woods, 56, told supporters Heenan has similar “progressive” positions to his on health care reform, human rights, raising the minimum wage and fighting corporate money in politics.

“The other candidates are decent people, too,” he wrote. “There are no Democrats in this race that I wouldn’t want to win next November."



The primary is June 5 and the general election is Nov. 6.

