Bill Fischer's take on the Democratic race for governor is fairly simple: "Whatever individual would give the greatest glory to the name of Jesus and the greatest glory to the people of Montana should be the winner. I'm asking people to vote for the most godly man," he said.

And, not to disparage Gov. Brian Schweitzer or the other Democratic candidates in the field, but Fischer, a self-employed excavator and logger from Lakeside, believes that he is the most godly candidate.

Fischer, 48, and Steve White of Kalispell were among a blitz of last-minute political filers to plunk down their money Thursday at the Montana Secretary of State's office and become official candidates in the 2008 elections.

Fischer and White joined Donald Pogreba and Jason Neiffer, both of Helena, as Democrats to join Schweitzer and Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger on the primary ballot.

Fischer has never held public office before. He is anti-abortion and supports tax credits for private education, positions typically held by Republicans, but said he decided to file as a Democrat because the Democrats are "the party of the people and, really, what I'm about is people."

Fischer, a divorced father of two, holds a forestry degree from the University of Montana and worked for many years in Western Montana offices of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

"I got a revelation of how much God loved me," Fischer said, saying he felt obliged to share it with other people.

Fischer later went to a ministry school in California before returning to Montana to open his own business in logging and excavation.

Fischer is also one of the co-founders of a nonprofit group called Kingdom Power Glory International, which does charity mission work mostly in India and Africa.

Fischer's running mate, Steve White, is a co-founder of the group.

Two months of the year, Fischer travels abroad doing mission work. He said he believes God has "given him favor in other countries" and he believes Montana would expand its international tourism and trade if he were in the governor's office.

Fischer said he believes strongly in prayer and revelations and has received certain revelations about what will happen if he is elected.

Admissions to hospitals will drop 10 percent, he said, as will violent crime, the first year he is in office.

Fischer said God has also given him a revelation about how to make a more fair property taxes system, which includes not raising property taxes above the amount it was when an individual bought a home. Taxes could go up adjusted for inflation.

Fischer said he believes that medical malpractice lawsuits are to blame for the high cost of medicine, but he also said that he believes in miraculous healings through prayer.

As governor, Fischer said he would establish a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week prayer system in which people would be praying for Montana constantly. The prayers would be outside his formal role as governor so as not to violate the separation of church and state.

Fischer was born in California, but moved to Montana as an infant and has lived most of his life in Lakeside and Rollins.

He said he believes in individuals coming together to overcome obstacles and that people achieve their greatest destiny only by embracing the spiritual side of life.