Russell Cleveland Joins the Transparent Election Initiative

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Russell Cleveland Joins the Transparent Election Initiative as Executive Director of Partnerships

Former Congressional Candidate to Lead National Coalition-Building Effort for The Montana Plan, Beginning with Montana’s 2026 Ballot Initiative

SAINT REGIS, Mont. — The Transparent Election Initiative (TEI) announced that Russell Cleveland, entrepreneur, business leader, rancher, Navy veteran, and former congressional candidate, has joined the organization as Executive Director of Partnerships.

In this national role, Cleveland will build partnerships across the country with business leaders, civic organizations, community stakeholders, and reform-minded advocates in support of The Montana Plan, TEI’s flagship effort to reduce the influence of corporate and dark money in American elections.

“We are thrilled to welcome Russell to the Transparent Election Initiative,” said Jeff Mangan, founder of TEI. “Russell connects with political independents, small business owners, rural communities, veterans, and people who feel disconnected from politics as usual. He will be an extraordinary partner in building the broad, cross-partisan coalition this work demands.”

Cleveland’s initial focus will be leading small business outreach in support of Montana’s 2026 ballot initiative, working to recruit bipartisan endorsements and build a broad coalition of business owners who believe Montana’s elections should be decided by Montanans, not by out-of-state special interests and wealthy donors.

“Montana is built by small businesses,” said Cleveland. “From family-owned ranches and farms to local retailers, childcare providers, contractors, restaurants, and main street entrepreneurs, these are the people who create jobs, sponsor little league teams, and keep our communities alive. Yet too often, their voices are drowned out by large corporations and powerful interests spending millions of dollars to influence our elections.”

Cleveland grew up in Stevensville, Montana, to parents Russ and Gayla Cleveland, former owner operators of Three Mile Trading Company, a country store nestled in the heart of the Bitterroot. Like so many business owners in Montana, Cleveland believes small businesses have been underrepresented in the political conversation, particularly by organizations that frequently advocate on behalf of larger corporate interests.

“While groups like the Montana Chamber of Commerce often claim to speak for Montana businesses, many of their policy positions primarily reflect the interests of large corporations," Cleveland said. “Meanwhile, many of those same corporations and their affiliated political organizations are spending enormous sums to influence the outcomes of Montana elections. The Montana Plan is about restoring balance and ensuring everyday Montanans have a stronger voice than outside money.”

Cleveland brings a unique combination of entrepreneurial, agricultural, and public service experience to the role. He is the founder and former CEO of Rocky Mountain Kids, a childcare organization he grew from a startup to serve thousands of families across over 40 locations in multiple communities. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Rocky Mountain Kids became nationally recognized for helping working families access childcare and educational support during a period of unprecedented disruption for school-age children.

Today, Cleveland remains active in agriculture and rural community development efforts in the town of Saint Regis, Montana, where he and his family operate Madison Ranch, named in honor of his late daughter, Madison, who passed away in 2020 at the age of thirteen after losing her battle to leukemia.

Cleveland also recently concluded his campaign for Montana’s First Congressional District. Running on a platform centered on reducing corruption, ending the influence of dark money in politics, and restoring trust in government, he earned support from thousands of Montanans before ultimately falling short in the 2026 Democratic primary.

“Traveling tens of thousands of miles across Montana, I heard the same concern again and again: people feel shut out by a political system that listens more closely to money and special interests than to them,” Cleveland said. “The Montana Plan gives citizens an opportunity to do something about it. This is not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. It’s a Montana issue.”

Over the coming months, Cleveland will focus on building a coalition of thousands of Montana small businesses in support of The Montana Plan. Organizers hope to establish one of the largest business-led grassroots coalitions in recent state history and demonstrate widespread support for greater transparency and accountability in Montana elections.

“The goal is simple,” Cleveland said. “By the fall of 2026, we want thousands of Montana business owners standing together to say that our elections belong to the people of Montana… not to dark money groups, not to outside corporations, and not to the highest bidder.”

The Montana Plan for Main Street | Supporting Montana Small Businesses

The Montana Plan levels the playing field for Montana's Main Street small businesses by ending corporate dominance in our politics.