Every election cycle, politicians flaunt their Montana roots—or attack their opponents for their lack of them. This focus on so-called "authenticity" might make voters laugh or roll their eyes, but it's just the surface layer of a complicated dynamic. For some, it's supposedly a way to figure out who's trustworthy, who's acting in the public interest, and who doesn't belong.

Montana Free Press's Brad Tyer explores this popular trope in Montana politics, and asks: when we say "We the people of Montana," who do we really mean?