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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Montana Gubernatorial Candidates Square Off In First Debate

Five daily newspapers in Montana are endorsing incumbent Democrat Steve Bullock for a second term as Governor.
Democratic incumbent Steve Bullock and Republican challenger Greg Gianforte squared off Sunday in Big Sky.

Montana’s gubernatorial candidates sparred over several issues, including stream access and Syrian war refugees, during their first debate. Democratic incumbent Steve Bullock and Republican challenger Greg Gianforte squared off Sunday in Big Sky. Watch and listen to the debate below.

The candidates continued their running debate over the state's stream access laws. In 2009 Gianforte sued Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks over a public fishing easement on his Bozeman property. He says the dispute was basically a property boundary issue. Gianforte’s critics say he was trying to strip away public access to a section of the east Gallatin River. Gianforte describes the incident as a government mistake and chalked it up to a "culture of enforcement" in Helena.

"It took us over a year to get FWP to come out to our location and walk on the ground and see what we’re actually talking about. It amounted to a mistake on their part as to the location of an easement. We were on the property literally for an hour, and you know what they said? They said, 'Oh, you’re right, we’re wrong. We’ll update our records.' Access was never blocked. We’ve never sued to block access."

Steve Bullock sees it differently.

"Let’s look at the facts. Ultimately, Mr Gianforte – through his lawyer, Art Wittich – filed a lawsuit that said: 'There are other places to get access, so this is unnecessary. This easement was never properly created.' He filed suit against the state of Montana and all of us. 'This public easement ultimately should be extinguished because it wasn’t properly created.'"

The candidates also have different takes on a controversial proposal to resettle Syrian refugees in Montana. Bullock said fear should not define our values. He added he’d do everything in his power to ensure un-vetted refugees don’t end up in Montana.

"My opponents propose that what we ultimately need to do is shut down the relocation centers. We’ve seen what’s happened in other states because it’s ultimately not the governor that gets to make the call of who comes through the borders. In states like New Jersey that have shut down relocation centers refugees are still coming in but the governor and the state have no idea where those folks are."

Greg Gianforte says his heart goes out to war refugees, but adds he’s opposed the resettlement proposal from day one.

"I have concern for them, but it doesn’t extend so far as to actually move them into our homes and our communities. Even Obama’s own CIA director said ISIS – who we’re currently at war with – is using these refugee programs to bring people into our country. I’ve been very clear it would not happen on my watch."

Sunday’s gubernatorial debate was sponsored by the Montana Broadcasters Association.

Listen/watch the full debate here:

MN-Montana-Governor-Debate-06-26-16.mp3
Montana gubernatorial candidates Steve Bullock and Greg Gianforte debated Sunday, June 26, 2016.

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
(406) 243-4065
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