Career Politician Mike Cooney is a Phony Outdoorsman

Something is fishy and off target about career politician Mike Cooney.

Despite career politician Mike Cooney’s phony attempts to pose as an outdoorsman in his run for governor, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks records show that career politician Mike Cooney has had zero hunting licenses and only two fishing licenses in the last 20 years.

That won’t stop Cooney from posing as somebody he’s not.


Career politician Mike Cooney doesn’t hunt or fish, but what he has done is spend the last 44 years running for office, collecting taxpayer-funded paychecks, and supporting $850 million in tax and fee increases, including taxes on fishing and hunting licenses.

Yet again, career politician Mike Cooney has proven that he will do and say anything to get elected. In addition to pretending to be a hunter and an angler, career politician Mike Cooney has also:

Lied about his past support for a sales tax.

    • In 2004, Cooney was the sole requestor of legislation to enact a 4% sales tax, the maximum sales tax allowable under the Montana Constitution.

Hypocritically welcomed outside spending in his race.

    • Despite taking a pledge in October 2019 to limit outside spending in the election, Cooney is the greatest recipient of dark money and outside money in the governor’s race.

Violated Montana ethics laws and blamed the pandemic.

  • Cooney received the maximum fine for violating state ethics laws by campaigning on the taxpayer dime. When asked to respond, Cooney said it was a ‘small price to pay for leadership.’

Bottom line: Career politician Mike Cooney is in this race for himself, not Montana.

Sign Up For Updates

By entering your phone number and selecting to opt in, you consent to join a recurring SMS/MMS text messaging program that will provide alerts, updates, and other important information. Messages will be sent and donations may be solicited. By participating, you agree to the terms & privacy policy for auto-dialed messages from Montana Republican State Central Committee to the phone number you provide. Message frequency may vary. Msg&data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help or STOP to opt-out at any time. SMS information is not rented, sold, or shared. View Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Paid for by the Montana Republican State Central Committee. Bill Lussenheide, Treasurer.
PO Box 935, Helena, MT 59624
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions
©2025 All Rights Reserved