'Underdog' Hill seeks highest office in comeback

The couple became involved in campaigns for Gov. Marc Racicot and Sen. Conrad Burns. Hill ultimately sold his insurance company to pursue politics full time and, in 1996, he won the congressional seat previously held by longtime Democratic Rep. Pat Williams.

In Congress, Hill pushed for the transfer of ownership of southeastern Montana's Otter Creek coal tracts from federal to state government. The state leased those tracts a couple of years ago to Arch Coal for $86 million up front, and Hill frequently brings up his role in the transfer on the campaign trail.

After two terms, Hill decided not to run again because of eye problems. He had corrective surgery, then experimental treatment in 2002-2003, and his vision has been stable since, he said.

For the last 10 years, Hill has been a member of various health insurance boards of directors, managed his real estate interests, acted as a business consultant and received a law degree from Concord Law School at Kaplan University.

He said he never planned to run for office again. But a group of friends approached his wife in 2009 to persuade her to support Hill in a bid for governor. Hill said he was convinced because of the impact of the financial crisis.

"I came to the conclusion that I had something significant to offer," he said. "I'm not driven by personal ambition at all in this. I really am serious about policy."