EATON, MIKE

Meet the Candidate

Running For:
State House of Representatives
District:
44
Political Affiliation:
Democrat

Survey

Response Legend

  • SSStrongly Supports
  • SSupports
  • OOpposes
  • SOStrongly Opposes
  • *Comment
  • −Declined to respond
  • †Declined to respond, Position based on citation

Question Response Comments/Notes
1. Public School Funding in Montana is at an inadequate level. SS
2. Parents should have greater freedom to choose how and where their children are educated, including options such as education savings accounts, tax credits, vouchers, or other school-choice mechanisms. O
3. Parents should be allowed to homeschool their children without additional state regulation SO
4. Curricula based on Critical Race Theory (CRT) should be prohibited in Montana public schools SO
5. Comprehensive sex education should be taught in public elementary schools, beginning as early as kindergarten. SO* Decades of research show that comprehensive sexual education leads to measurable improvements in public health and family stability. It reduces teen pregnancy, lowers rates of sexually transmitted infections, decreases sexual violence, and improves long?term economic outcomes for young parents and their children. When we fail to educate, we leave kids unprepared and unprotected. When we teach them, we empower them. If our goal is to reduce poverty, strengthen families, and keep Montana’s children safe, then providing accurate, age?appropriate sexual education is not optional — it’s essential.
6. Montana’s income taxes are too high. S
7. Montana’s property taxes are too high SS
8. Montana’s corporate taxes are too high O* Montanans deserve a tax system that protects homeowners, supports working families, and ensures that the largest corporations contribute fairly to the communities they profit from. Property taxes on primary homes have risen faster than wages, and too many families feel squeezed. A person’s home should not be the main source of government revenue, and homeowners should not be punished simply for living in the community they love.Income taxes in Montana are not the core problem. They are manageable for most families and can remain stable as long as the overall system is balanced. The real imbalance comes from the way corporate taxes are structured. Large corporations with national or international footprints often pay proportionally less than the small businesses and local employers who form the backbone of Montana’s economy.A fairer approach is to scale corporate taxes based on size and structure. Companies that are organized as large corporations and generate substantial profits should contribute more, while small and mid?sized Montana businesses should not be treated the same as multinational firms. This kind of graduated structure rewards local entrepreneurship, protects small employers, and ensures that the biggest players—those most able to pay—help fund the infrastructure, schools, and services they rely on.A responsible fiscal policy should lower the burden on primary homeowners, keep income taxes reasonable for working families, and ensure that large corporations contribute their fair share. That balance strengthens communities, supports economic growth, and keeps Montana’s tax system aligned with the values of fairness and responsibility.
9. The Second Amendment protects the right of law-abiding citizens to own firearms for self-defense. SS
10. Montanans should not be discriminated against or treated differently based on their vaccination status. SS* Protecting individual liberties means ensuring that people are not unfairly discriminated against for personal medical decisions, including whether they choose to be vaccinated. No one should lose their job, housing, or basic civil rights because of their vaccination status. Medical information is private, and people deserve to be treated with dignity regardless of their personal health choices.At the same time, certain institutions have a responsibility to protect vulnerable populations. Schools, childcare centers, long?term care facilities, and similar environments manage large groups of people who may not be able to protect themselves. These settings have long relied on vaccination records—not as a form of punishment, but as a public?health safeguard that keeps outbreaks from harming children, seniors, and immunocompromised individuals. This is not new; it has been part of American public health practice for generations.A balanced approach respects both principles. Individuals should not face broad discrimination for their vaccination status. Still, institutions responsible for children’s safety or community health must retain the ability to consider vaccination records when it is necessary to prevent harm. This approach protects personal liberty while also honoring our shared responsibility to keep vulnerable people safe.
11. Climate change is a serious problem that requires increased government regulation. SS
12. Environmental regulations in Montana are currently too restrictive. O* Montana's land, water, and air are among our greatest assets, and protecting them is essential to the health of our communities and the strength of our economy. Responsible environmental regulation is not about burdening people—it’s about ensuring that future generations inherit a state with clean rivers, healthy forests, and safe communities. Strong, predictable standards give families confidence in their environment and give businesses the clarity they need to operate responsibly.Montana has the opportunity to lead in a balanced energy future. Traditional energy sources will continue to play a role, but expanding renewable energy—wind, solar, hydro, and emerging technologies—creates jobs, strengthens energy independence, and reduces long?term costs. Clean energy is not just an environmental priority; it’s an economic one. When Montana invests in modern energy infrastructure, we attract new industries, support rural communities, and keep more energy dollars in our own state.
13. Abortion should be illegal at all stages of pregnancy. SO* very person deserves the freedom to make private medical decisions without government interference. That includes the right of a woman to choose the healthcare that is best for her, her family, and her future—even when that includes the option of abortion. These decisions are often complex, deeply personal, and shaped by medical realities that only the patient and her healthcare team fully understand. Respecting individual liberty means trusting women and trusting medical professionals to make these decisions based on evidence, ethics, and compassion. Healthcare providers take an oath to protect their patients, relieve suffering, and do no harm. They should be able to practice medicine according to established standards of care, not political mandates. When doctors and nurses are allowed to follow their training and ethical obligations, patients receive safer, more humane, and more effective care. Protecting medical freedom ensures that difficult decisions—whether about pregnancy, treatment options, or end‑of‑life care—are guided by expertise and compassion rather than politics.
14. Abortion should be legal only in the early stages of pregnancy and restricted after a specific point, except when necessary to save the life of the mother. O
15. Abortion should remain legal at all stages of pregnancy, without restriction. S
16. Individuals and organizations should be allowed to opt out of abortion-related mandates, if those mandates violate their religious or moral convictions. SO
17. Physician-assisted suicide should be legal in Montana. SS* Adults facing terminal illness or irreversible conditions deserve the right to make decisions about their own bodies and their own suffering. When a person, in consultation with medical professionals, determines that their condition cannot improve and their quality of life has deteriorated beyond what they can bear, they should have the option to choose a peaceful, dignified end. This is not about encouraging death—it is about respecting autonomy, reducing suffering, and honoring the deeply personal nature of end‑of‑life choices. Across all of these issues, the core belief is the same: people deserve the freedom to make informed, ethical decisions about their own bodies, supported by medical professionals they trust, without government intrusion. Protecting individual liberty means respecting the complexity of real‑world medical situations and ensuring that compassion, not politics, guides the most personal decisions a person can face.
18. Biological males who identify as transgender should be allowed to compete in women’s and girl's athletic competitions. SO* Every person deserves to live with dignity, safety, and respect. That includes people who are transgender, people who are not transgender but may not fit traditional gender expectations, and families of every structure. Discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation is harmful, and it opens the door to the mistreatment of anyone who simply looks or acts differently. No one should face harassment or exclusion because of who they are or how they present themselves. At the same time, fairness in sports is an important issue, and it is reasonable to maintain sex‑based categories in competitive athletics to ensure safety and competitive balance. Protecting women’s sports does not require denying anyone’s humanity. People who are transitioning should still have access to appropriate healthcare, and those decisions should be made privately between the individual and their medical team—not by politicians. Respecting medical privacy and professional judgment is essential to good policy.
19. Medical procedures intended to change a minor’s sex or gender should be prohibited. SO
20. Same-sex couples should be permitted to adopt children. SS* Family is defined by love, commitment, and the willingness to support one another. Children thrive in homes where they are cared for, valued, and safe. A child being raised by a loving gay or lesbian couple is far better off than remaining in the foster system without stability or permanency. Same‑sex marriage is marriage—two adults choosing to build a life together, support one another, and contribute to their community. Love strengthens families, and strong families strengthen Montana.
21. State and local nondiscrimination laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity in the same manner as race, religion, and national origin. SS
22. Montana’s marriage laws should be revised to reflect the U.S. Supreme Court’s legalization of same-sex marriage. SS* Treat people with fairness, protect children, respect medical expertise, and ensure that every family—regardless of its structure—has the opportunity to succeed. Discrimination divides communities and harms people who have done nothing wrong. Compassion, respect, and common sense bring people together.
23. Objective moral truths exist and should inform laws and public policy, rather than shifting cultural preferences. SO
24. Government should be limited in scope, with most decisions best made by individuals, families, and local communities rather than centralized authorities. S
25. Homosexuals and transgender people should be allowed to adopt children: SS
26. Personal responsibility and self-governance are more effective at solving social problems than expanded government programs: O
27. Parents—not government institutions—are the primary authority responsible for the education and moral formation of their children: SS* My answers reflect a belief in personal liberty, human dignity, and the idea that people and families should be trusted to make decisions about their own lives. I do not believe in enforcing a single, universal “objective moral truth” through government policy. People come from different backgrounds, faiths, and experiences, and in a free society, laws should respect that diversity rather than impose one group’s moral framework on everyone else.I support strong communities, but I also recognize that government has an important role in protecting rights, ensuring fairness, and preventing discrimination. That’s why I oppose the idea that nearly all decisions should be pushed down to individuals or families without broader support. Some challenges—public health, education standards, child welfare, and civil rights—require shared responsibility and clear protections.I strongly support the right of gay and transgender people to adopt children. What matters most is that a child is raised in a loving, stable home, not the sexual orientation or gender identity of the parents. A safe, supportive family is far better for a child than remaining in the foster system without permanency.I also believe that personal responsibility matters, but it cannot replace the need for effective public programs. Many social problems—poverty, healthcare access, child welfare—are too large and too complex to be solved by individuals alone. Government should be a partner in strengthening communities, not an obstacle or an absentee.Parents are central to a child’s upbringing, and I support their role as primary educators in values and family culture. At the same time, schools exist to ensure that every child—regardless of their home situation—has access to accurate information, safety, and opportunity. Parents and schools should work together, not in opposition, to give children the best possible foundation.