Election 2014: House District 32: Clarena Brockie

In House District 32, which runs from northeastern Chouteau County through Blaine County and includes part of Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian reservations, Democrat Clarena Brockie of Harlem is running for reelection, facing Republican Gilbert Bruce Meyers of Box Elder.

Brockie was born Oct. 30 1949 in Havre, Montana. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business technology with an American Indian studies minor from Montana State University-Northern in 1996 and a Master of Fine Arts degree in American Indian studies from the University of Arizona in 2013.

Brockie has served as the representative for House District 32 since 2013 and is the dean of student affairs at Aaniiih Nakoda College.

Why should the voters vote for you?

Brockie said that her experience in the Legislature, her education and her dedication to the people make her the best candidate.

"I can represent them well because I am not there to advance myself ... I just want to help people," she said.

Medicaid expansion

Brockie supports Medicaid expansion.

Brockie said that if one does not have any kind of health insurance, and they go to the emergency room, they cannot be turned away.

"The clinics and hospitals are covering those charges," she said.

According to Brockie, this in turn makes the hospitals lose money.

"The most expensive place to go is the emergency room," Brockie said.

Thoughts on Early Edge Montana state-funded pre-kindergarten

Brockie supports Gov. Bullock's proposed plan, "Early Edge Montana."

"I think it is beneficial for children ... I support the early childhood education," she said.

Brockie also added that children who go to preschool are more likely to graduate from high school, attend college, hold a job and have higher earnings.

State taking control of federal land

Brockie said that the state cannot afford taking over federal land. She said that the state has a reserve of around $500 million, but they think it will cost them $400 billion to purchase federal land.

"What a lot of people are worried about, is that if they couldn't afford it, it would bankrupt the state and they would end up going into private hands," she said.

Brockie added that if this happened, places for fishing and hunting would not be available.

"Ranchers run their cattle on federal land, and if the state has that land, their fees are going to go up drastically," Brockie said.

Brockie also said that Indian land is federal land.

"We're on trust land and our treaties are with the federal government, not the state ... We would be fearful at one point that's what they would look at, is terminating tribes."

No texting while driving law

Brockie supports the the state implementing a no texting while driving law.

"I think that is mandatory, really, to avoid accidents. It is just dangerous. How could you possible do that and pay attention to your driving?" she said.

Same-sex marriage

Brockie believes that individuals who are gay have a right to choose their partner.

"Native Americans didn't talk about things like same-sex marriage, but what they talked about was people who were different were special in our culture," she said.

She also said that gays were accepted as special people.