Amanda Curtis

Curtis's parents divorced when she was four years old. She credits her father's union benefits and health insurance for allowing her to obtain health care as a child, including basic vision and dental services. Her family was poor, and her mother struggled with mental illness; the family sometimes relied upon food stamps and endured periods of having their utilities disconnected.{{cite web | url=http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/who-is-amanda-curtis-a-profile-of-democrats-candidate-for/article_0b80c4a2-133d-5e06-9b2e-01644612bf25.html | title=Who is Amanda Curtis?: A profile of Democrats' candidate for Senate | publisher=Billings Gazette | date=August 16, 2014 | accessdate=September 16, 2014}}{{cite news | url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Buzz/2014/0817/Montana-Senate-race-a-lost-cause-for-Democrats-Enter-Amanda-Curtis-video | title=Montana Senate race a lost cause for Democrats? Enter Amanda Curtis (+video) | newspaper=The Christian Science Monitor | date=August 17, 2014 | accessdate=September 16, 2014}} Her support of gun measures such as expanded background checks stems directly from the death of her brother, who killed himself playing Russian roulette when he was 16.{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/08/19/in-new-montana-nominee-democrats-ditch-red-state-pragmatism-for-a-gun-control-supporting-vlogger/ | title=Meet Amanda Curtis. She's a gun control-supporting vlogger. She's also the Democratic Senate nominee in Montana. | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=August 19, 2014 | accessdate=September 16, 2014}}

Curtis valued education as the way out of poverty. After graduating from Montana Tech of the University of Montana in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in biology, she went on to the University of Montana Western, where she received her secondary teaching certificate in biology and mathematics in 2004.[https://web.archive.org/web/20140819090455/http://convergysvotes.com/voter-resources/official/389771/Amanda/Curtis Convergys – State Representative Amanda Curtis][http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/butte-legislator-curtis-being-urged-to-run-for-u-s/article_ac48577e-ee7b-11e2-8362-0019bb2963f4.html Butte legislator Curtis being urged to run for U.S. House] From 2004 to 2006, she worked at Butte Central Catholic High School, teaching math and physics. Between 2006 and 2009, she taught math at Helena Middle School, and since 2009 she has taught math at Butte High School.{{cite web | url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/136932/amanda-curtis#.UTQe-Vf9ykw | title=Representative Amanda G. Curtis's Biography | publisher=votesmart.org | date= | accessdate=April 15, 2013}}

Curtis is working toward a Master of Education in educational leadership at the University of Montana, Missoula.[http://mtstandard.com/news/local/butte-s-curtis-not-seeking-re-election-plethora-of-others/article_e91cd566-79b9-11e3-b4cc-0019bb2963f4.html Butte’s Curtis not seeking re-election; plethora of others file]{{cite web | url=http://curtisforbutte.com/About_Amanda.html | title=About Amanda | publisher=curtisforbutte.com/About_Amanda.html | date= | access-date=April 15, 2013 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616080209/http://curtisforbutte.com/About_Amanda.html | archive-date=June 16, 2013 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}{{Self-published source | date=February 2017}} She resides in Butte with her husband, Kevin.{{cite web |last=Christensen |first=Matt |title=Military helicopter rescues skiers in Highlands |url=http://mtstandard.com/news/local/military-helicopter-rescues-skiers-in-highlands/article_7319d1d4-e502-11e3-b178-001a4bcf887a.html |website=Montana Standard |accessdate=September 21, 2014 |date=May 26, 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://www.amandaformontana.com/about |title=About Amanda Curtis |publisher=AmandaForMontana.com |accessdate=September 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920004028/http://www.amandaformontana.com/about/ |archive-date=September 20, 2014 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/new-lawmakers-learning-ropes-as-legislature-begins/article_ad78f57d-d4b4-5c30-8ed3-415fd3fdc2d8.html | title=New lawmakers learning ropes as 2013 Legislature begins | publisher=billingsgazette.com | date= January 14, 2013| accessdate=April 15, 2013}}

Curtis was elected unopposed to the Montana House of Representatives on November 6, 2012, to succeed fellow Democrat Jon Sesso, who was elected to the Montana Senate. In the 2013 legislative session, she was one of the 39 Democrats in the House.{{cite web | url=http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/2012/2012_General_Leg_Canvass.pdf | title=2012 Legislative General Election Canvass | publisher=sos.mt.gov | date= | accessdate=April 15, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121105947/http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/2012/2012_General_Leg_Canvass.pdf | archive-date=January 21, 2013 | url-status=dead }}

Curtis was sworn in on January 7, 2013. Curtis served on the Business and Labor, Human Services, and Local Government committees.

For the first 87 days of the session, Curtis uploaded a daily vlog to the video-sharing website YouTube, discussing what had gone on that day in the Montana Legislature.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/user/curtisforbutte | title=Amanda Curtis YouTube | publisher=youtube.com | date= | accessdate=April 15, 2013}} In April 2013, Curtis gained media attention after calling out Republican members for opposing the repeal of Montana's anti-sodomy law.{{cite news | url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/09/amanda-curtis-montana_n_3046636.html | title=Amanda Curtis, Montana Democrat, Calls Out GOP Colleagues For Opposing Repeal Of Anti-Gay Law | publisher=Huffingtonpost.com | date= April 9, 2013 | accessdate=April 15, 2013 | first=Preston | last=Maddock}}

During a rally sponsored by Mayors Against Illegal Guns outside of the Montana State Capitol in August 2013, Curtis urged Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus to rethink his opposition to expanded background checks. She spoke about how gun violence has affected her own family and called for more action to be taken.{{cite web | url=http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/background-check-supporters-rally-at-montana-capitol/article_e0a15cfc-55b9-55ae-8104-dbabb10f345b.html | title=Background check supporters rally at Montana Capitol | publisher=billingsgazette.com/ | date= July 23, 2013| accessdate=August 11, 2013}}

During the 2013 session, Curtis was the primary sponsor for six bills that were not enacted. She was the primary sponsor of two bills that were passed and signed into law, HB 92 to remove public defender from certain court definitions, and HB 164, to revise when county commissioner district boundaries can be modified.{{cite web | url=http://laws.leg.mt.gov/legprd/law0203w$.startup?P_SESS=20131 | title=Montana Legislative Services Online Search Tool, 2013 | publisher=laws.leg.mt.gov/ | date= | accessdate=August 7, 2014}}

She did not run for reelection in 2014, instead running for the United States Senate, but she was reelected to the Montana House in 2016.{{cite web |date= October 6, 2013|title=1 Democrat, 5 Republicans say they are running for Montana's U.S. House seat so far |url=http://missoulian.com/news/local/democrat-republicans-say-they-are-running-for-montana-s-u/article_105904e4-2e31-11e3-8caf-0019bb2963f4.html |accessdate=October 8, 2013 |publisher=missoulian.com/}}{{cite web |date= January 10, 2014|title=Butte's Curtis not seeking re-election; plethora of others file |url=http://mtstandard.com/news/local/butte-s-curtis-not-seeking-re-election-plethora-of-others/article_e91cd566-79b9-11e3-b4cc-0019bb2963f4.html |accessdate=January 10, 2014 |publisher=mtstandard.com/}}

{{Main|2014 United States Senate election in Montana}}

Incumbent Senator John Walsh won the Democratic primary in June 2014. In July, The New York Times ran an article claiming that Walsh had plagiarized a term paper that was a requirement for his Master's thesis at the Army War College.{{Citation| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/us/politics/montana-senator-john-walsh-plagiarized-thesis.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSumSmallMediaHigh&module=photo-spot-region®ion=photo-spot&WT.nav=photo-spot&_r=0| title = Senator's Thesis Turns Out to Be Remix of Others' Works, Uncited| work = The New York Times| date = August 23, 2014| accessdate = August 16, 2014}} On August 7, 2014, Walsh announced that he was leaving the 2014 race. The Montana state Democratic Central Committee had until August 20 to select a replacement candidate to appear on the November ballot.{{cite news|author1=Press release | title=Walsh drops out of race for U.S. Senate | url=http://missoulian.com/news/local/walsh-drops-out-of-race-for-u-s-senate/article_4963ce38-1e6b-11e4-9ba0-001a4bcf887a.html | newspaper=Missoulian | accessdate=August 7, 2014 | date=August 7, 2014}} The Montana Democratic Party set a nominating convention for August 16.{{cite web | url=http://www.montanademocrats.org/node/522 | title=Montana Democratic Party Releases Process and Procedures for Special Nominating Convention | publisher=Montana Democratic Party | date= | access-date=August 12, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813090642/http://www.montanademocrats.org/node/522 | archive-date=August 13, 2014 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}

The day prior to the nomination convention, Curtis was considered the front-runner to replace Walsh.{{cite news|author1=Press release | title=Butte's Curtis may be the Front-runner | url=http://mtstandard.com/butte-s-curtis-may-be-the-front-runner-to-replace/image_11436f8e-243a-11e4-92fe-0019bb2963f4.html | newspaper=Montana Standard | accessdate=August 16, 2014 | date=August 15, 2014}} She had gained several key endorsements, including the MEA-MFT.{{cite web | url=http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/adams-curtis-wanzenried-vying-to-replace-walsh-in-senate-race/article_9a523d7a-f28b-5b01-9d04-cd0c7b24861e.html | title=Adams, Curtis, Wanzenried vying to replace Walsh in Senate race – and maybe Bohlinger | work=Billings Gazette | date=August 11, 2014 | accessdate=August 12, 2014}} The week leading up to the nominating convention, several people who had expressed interest in the nomination dropped out, leaving Curtis and Dirk Adams as the remaining candidates.{{cite news | title=Curtis gets the nod from Montana Democrats | url=http://www.krtv.com/news/curtis-gets-the-nod-from-montana-democrats/ | first=Sanjay | last=Alwani | work=KRTV | date=August 17, 2014 | access-date=August 17, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822072018/http://www.krtv.com/news/curtis-gets-the-nod-from-montana-democrats/ | archive-date=August 22, 2014 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news|title=Franke Wilmer drops out of race for U.S. Senate |url=http://www.kbzk.com/news/franke-wilmer-drops-out-of-race-for-u-s-senate/ |first=Beth |last=Saboe |work=7 KBZK |date=August 11, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812223352/http://www.kbzk.com/news/franke-wilmer-drops-out-of-race-for-u-s-senate/ |archive-date=August 12, 2014 }}{{cite web | url=http://missoulian.com/news/local/wanzenried-ends-effort-for-democratic-nomination-in-u-s-senate/article_f30d1f68-23e6-11e4-ba09-0019bb2963f4.html | title=Wanzenried ends effort for Democratic nomination in U.S. Senate race | work=Billings Gazette | date=August 14, 2014 | accessdate=August 14, 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/two-democrats-vie-for-senate-candidate-nomination/27515790 | title=2 Democrats vie for Senate candidate nomination | work=NBC Montana | date=August 15, 2014 | accessdate=August 16, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818170008/http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/two-democrats-vie-for-senate-candidate-nomination/27515790 | archive-date=August 18, 2014 | url-status=dead }} During the convention, Curtis received 82 votes to Adams's 46 (with one delegate abstaining), winning the nomination with 64% of the vote.{{cite news | url=http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/amanda-curtis-wins-montana-democratic-nomination-to-u-s-senate/article_d7da4810-2558-11e4-9265-0019bb2963f4.html | title=Amanda Curtis wins Montana Democratic nomination to U.S. Senate | newspaper=The Missoulian | accessdate=August 16, 2014}} Curtis was able to accept only the maximum legally allowable contribution of $2,000 from funds that Walsh had left over in his campaign account; Walsh also distributed funds to other candidates and to party organizations.{{cite news | url=http://mtstandard.com/news/local/amanda-curtis-getting-only-from-leftover-campaign-money/article_70559292-2717-11e4-b64d-0019bb2963f4.html | title=Amanda Curtis getting only $2,000 from leftover campaign money | newspaper=Montana Standard | accessdate=August 19, 2014}} On August 21, Curtis announced that she had raised $110,000 in four days and had named Clayton Elliott, director of the League of Rural Voters and lead lobbyist/community organizer of the Northern Plains Resource Council, as her campaign manager.{{cite web | url=http://www.ktvq.com/news/amanda-curtis-taps-nprc-staffer-to-run-senate-campaign/ | title=Amanda Curtis taps NPRC staffer to run Senate Campaign | publisher=KTVQ | access-date=August 21, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822052548/http://www.ktvq.com/news/amanda-curtis-taps-nprc-staffer-to-run-senate-campaign/ | archive-date=August 22, 2014 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}{{cite news | url=http://mtstandard.com/news/local/curtis-names-campaign-manager-for-u-s-senate-race/article_d079a05a-28d9-11e4-9ee0-001a4bcf887a.html | title=Curtis names campaign manager for U.S. Senate race | newspaper=Montana Standard | accessdate=August 21, 2014}} By mid-October, Curtis had raised $723,000 and had begun airing television ads.{{cite web | url=http://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/tester-bullock-lend-star-power-in-final-push/article_6a42f9f9-6475-51cc-b5f4-d9f0704e8e91.html | title=Tester, Bullock lend star power in final push | accessdate=November 2, 2014 | archive-date=November 16, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141116041445/http://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/tester-bullock-lend-star-power-in-final-push/article_6a42f9f9-6475-51cc-b5f4-d9f0704e8e91.html | url-status=dead }}

After the 2014 Senate election, Curtis served the rest of her term in the Montana House of Representatives and left office in 2015. She returned to teaching math and physics at Butte High School. She remained active in MEA-MFT, serving as the NEA Director as of 2015. Curtis endorsed Bernie Sanders for 2016 United States presidential election and helped organize a rally for Sanders in Missoula in June 2015.{{cite web | url=https://www.science.org/content/article/loser-montana-senate-race-returns-math-classroom-advice-fellow-democrats | title=Loser in Montana Senate race returns to math classroom, with advice to fellow Democrats | accessdate=November 12, 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.mea-mft.org/about_mea_-_mft/governance/officers_board.aspx | title=MEA-MFT Board of Directors | access-date=September 18, 2015 | archive-date=September 10, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910173051/http://mea-mft.org/about_mea_-_mft/governance/officers_board.aspx | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://newstalkkgvo.com/missoula-for-bernie-rally-held-sunday-in-missoula-youtube/ | title=Missoula For Bernie Rally Held Sunday in Missoula | date=June 8, 2015 | accessdate=June 8, 2015}}

In October 2015, Curtis announced that she would be running for Montana House of Representatives District 74.{{cite web | url=http://billingsgazette.com/news/government-and-politics/butte-s-amanda-curtis-running-for-state-legislature/article_b7840b04-5ccf-50df-b58b-1219bdc98314.html | title=Butte's Amanda Curtis running for state Legislature | date=October 29, 2015 | accessdate=October 29, 2015}} Curtis was reelected and returned to the Montana House of Representatives in January 2017.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/montana-state-house-district-74 | title=Montana 74th District State House Results: Amanda Curtis Wins | website=The New York Times | accessdate=December 16, 2016}} Her term ended in 2019.

{{Main|2017 Montana's at-large congressional district special election}}

Following her reelection to the state house, Curtis expressed interest in running for departing U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke's seat in Montana's at-large congressional district special election in 2017.{{cite web | url=http://mtstandard.com/news/local/experience-of-senate-run-could-help-curtis-in-a-race/article_f28950c5-37b2-587b-9636-c4be42f47b25.html | title=Experience of Senate run could help Curtis in a race for Zinke seat | date=December 24, 2016 | accessdate=January 10, 2017}}{{cite web | url=http://missoulian.com/news/government-and-politics/democrat-amanda-curtis-interested-in-u-s-house-fagg-graf/article_4abdba53-240e-5949-801b-a51ac3ae6813.html | title=Democrat Amanda Curtis interested in U.S. House; Fagg, Graf join Republican list | date=December 21, 2016 | accessdate=January 10, 2017}}{{cite web | url=http://www.kpax.com/story/34168060/political-wild-card-at-mt-legislature-six-lawmakers-considering-run-for-us-house-seat | title=Political wild card at MT Legislature: Six lawmakers considering run for U.S. House seat | accessdate=January 10, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112181448/http://www.kpax.com/story/34168060/political-wild-card-at-mt-legislature-six-lawmakers-considering-run-for-us-house-seat | archive-date=January 12, 2017 | url-status=dead }} She was not selected as the Democratic nominee, losing to Rob Quist.{{cite web | url=http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2017/03/05/montana-democrats-picking-candidate-congressional-seat/98776790 | title=Rob Quist wins Democratic nomination for congressional seat | date=March 5, 2017}}

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Category:1979 births

Category:21st-century American educators

Category:21st-century American women politicians

Category:American video bloggers

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the Montana House of Representatives

Category:Montana Technological University alumni

Category:Politicians from Butte, Montana

Category:Schoolteachers from Montana

Category:21st-century American women educators

Category:University of Montana Western alumni

Category:American women video bloggers

Category:Women state legislators in Montana

Category:21st-century members of the Montana Legislature