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BOZEMAN, Mont. — Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana (PPAMT) has formally endorsed the gubernatorial campaign of Ryan Busse and Raph Graybill, saying both candidates “understand how all Montanans want to be heard and want to have the right to make their own choices.”
Busse, a former firearms executive from Kalispell, and Graybill, a constitutional attorney in Helena, have “emphatically and unapologetically” made the issue of reproductive health care, freedom and privacy a centerpiece of their campaign to unseat unpopular governor Greg Gianforte.
“Gov. Gianforte’s has made it clear that he’ll keep stripping freedom away from Montanans, especially a woman’s Constitutional right to make whatever private decisions are best for her health and her family and her future—including the right to abortion and the right to decide whether or when to have a family,” Busse said.
The board of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana—made up of public policy advocates, development managers, physician assistants, directors of nursing, and university employees—endorsed the Busse/Graybill ticket with a unanimous vote.
“PPAMT proudly supports Ryan Busse and Raph Graybill for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the great state of Montana,” said Sara Hagen Hull, a retired educator and union officer who serves as Board Chair of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana.
Busse and Graybill have also earned endorsements from Montana Conservation Voters, the Montana Federation of Public Employees, the Montana Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), and the Montana Sportsmen’s Alliance.
QUICK FACTS:
- Pronunciation: Ryan BUSS’-ee
- Home: Kalispell, Mont.
- Office Sought: Governor of Montana
- Affiliation: Democrat
- Website: busseformontana.com
- X (Twitter): @ryandbusse
- DOB: 2/23/70 (53)
- Occupation: Writer, Consultant, Firearms Expert and Former Executive (Vice President of Sales, Kimber America: 1995-2020)
- Family: Married to Sara for 24 years; two sons: Lander (18) and Badge (15)
- Alma Mater: Bethany College (Kansas)
- Chevy Odometer: 280,000 miles
- Hunting Dogs: Aldo and Teddy
- Bio: Ryan Busse is an author and former firearms executive who helped build the gun company Kimber from Kalispell between 1995 and 2020. Over his 25-year career Busse directed the sales of nearly three million Kimber firearms. His memoir, Gunfight: My Battle Against the Industry that Radicalized America, was published by PublicAffairs (Hachette) in 2021. Busse was born near the Kansas cattle ranch homesteaded by his great-grandfather. He is an avid hunter, angler and champion of public lands, and has held leadership positions with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers and Montana Conservation Voters. Busse and his wife Sara live in Kalispell and have two teenage sons.