Shared State
Montana Lowdown
From what it means to be a “real Montanan,” to voter access, to public land, to rugged individualism, Shared State will bridge history, politics, and the daily reality of Montanans as we approach a landmark election.
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Uphill Part 2: “This is like dust in the air. We all breathe it.”
Montana Lowdown
In part 2 of Uphill, reporter Mara Silvers examines how community groups in various towns across Montana are pushing local governments to invest in social programs rather than policing, how organizers are calling on businesses to implement anti-racist policies and practices, and how some are even collecting bail funds for people in county jails and detention centers.
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Uphill Part 1: “Does anyone know who’s watching us right now?”
Montana Lowdown
In the wake of George Floyd’s killing by police in Minneapolis, Black Lives Matter protests have surged across the country.
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2020 primary results, and a preview of the path to November
Montana Lowdown
Our panel of elections reporters looks at the results of the 2020 primary election, and offer a preview of the nominees’ path to November.
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Republican factions battle for control of the state legislature
Montana Lowdown
Montana Free Press reporters Mara Silvers and Eric Dietrich and freelance reporter Alex Sakariassen join Editor-in-Chief John S. Adams to discuss Montana's June 2 primary election and what the results could mean for the 2021 Montana Legislature.
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Republican candidate for governor Greg Gianforte
Montana Lowdown
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte discusses his vision for rebooting the Montana economy, his record in the U.S. Congress, and addresses notable criticisms.
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Democratic Senate candidate John Mues
Montana Lowdown
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Mues makes a progressive pitch to voters on energy and the economy, and criticizes his primary opponent — and presumptive Democratic nominee — Gov. Steve Bullock for a lack of details on his own political positions.
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Republican U.S. House candidate Matt Rosendale
Montana Lowdown
Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Matt Rosendale talks about his response to the coronavirus pandemic, his opposition to the ACA, his support for President Donald Trump, and why he believes he’s the best Republican candidate for Montana’s sole seat in the U.S. House. Rosendale also responds to past criticisms he’s received from both Republicans and Democrats.
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Unpacking the polling on pandemic recovery and Montana’s senate race
Montana Lowdown
We unpack the results of recent polling on the pandemic, the recovery, and their implications for Montana’s senate race, with Dr. David Parker of Montana State University and Mike Dennison, Chief Political Reporter for the Montana Television Network.
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Democratic candidate for governor Mike Cooney
Montana Lowdown
Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney points to prior victory over Greg Gianforte and the need for experienced leadership during pandemic recovery in presenting his case for the Democratic nomination for governor of Montana.
info_outline“Don’t hold the fact that I’m doing a great job in Congress against me. I mean, for me, this is about, ‘Where can I have the most positive impact, with the skills I’ve been given, for the most folks?’” says Greg Gianforte, he presumptive frontrunner in the Republican primary for governor.
Gianforte’s pursuit of the highest office in Montana rather than a second term in the U.S. House of Representatives has rankled some fellow Montana Republicans, including primary opponents Attorney General Tim Fox and state Sen. Al Olszewski. Fox in particular has indicated he doesn’t think Gianforte can win against the Democratic nominee in November’s general election.
As Montanans confront fears of a recession, Gianforte, an entrepreneur who sold his Bozeman-based tech company RightNow Technologies to Oracle for $1.8 billion in 2011, seeks to convince voters that his business acumen will translate to a strong economic recovery.
“Even before this crisis occurred, we didn’t have the strongest economy, we weren’t providing opportunities that allowed Montanans to stay here,” Gianforte tells Montana Free Press editor-in-chief John S. Adams. “And that’s got to be the focus of the next governor.”
Gianforte says that, if elected, his immediate recovery plans would include a broad lowering of taxes, a housecleaning of leadership at many state agencies, and a “top-to-bottom regulatory review across all state agencies.”
Both Fox and Olszewski, in separate prior interviews, have chided Gianforte for what they call his lack of conservative credentials. Both criticized his voting record in Congress, with Olszewski pointing to Gianforte’s lifetime score of 70% from the American Conservative Union.
Answering the criticism, Gianforte points to several House bills he’s carried that he says advance the interests of Montanans, and notes that his campaign funding comes from all corners of the state. Gianforte has outraised Fox, his closest fundraising competitor, by more than 4 to 1.
While Gianforte has high name recognition statewide, he’s often associated with an assault he committed on a Guardian reporter on election night in 2017. The incident became a national flashpoint at a time when Americans were watching President Donald Trump launch verbal attacks on the media on a near-daily basis. For some, the wound was reopened when Gianforte stood next to Trump at a 2018 campaign rally.
Asked how he envisions a gubernatorial relationship with the Montana press corps, Gianforte tells Adams, “My administration will certainly make ourselves available to the media, and we’re not going to shy away from hard questions, because I think the people have a right to know.” He adds, “The ultimate goal is to shine a light on government to make sure people have enough knowledge to pick the leaders they want.”
Questioned about his initial statement after the assault, when he indicated that the reporter, not Gianforte, had instigated the assault — an allegation he later walked back — Gianforte says, “Just like everybody else, I’m not perfect … The people of Montana have moved on, and I think you should judge me by my actions since then.”
Gianforte is featured on the latest episode of the Montana Lowdown podcast, a weekly publication of Montana Free Press.