Democratic Congressional candidate Denise Juneau outlined a policy agenda on public lands today, using the event as an opportunity to continue attacking her opponent, Republican Ryan Zinke.
Young parents holding their children on the bank of a clear lake near Helena served as Juneau’s backdrop as she gave a three-minute stump speech on public lands. Juneau says her policy priorities include preventing the sale or transfer of public lands, creating jobs through forest management, and making it easier to get recreation permits.
Juneau says unlike her opponent she won’t jeopardize Montana’s public lands.
"I am 100 percent opposed to any transfer, sale or even transfer of management, especially those times where it’s politically appointed boards that aren’t accountable to the public."
The Democratic candidate has criticized the sitting Republican congressman Ryan Zinke for voting to transfer management and sell off public lands.
The website Ballotpedia, and the Helena Independent Record, recently ran stories saying Juneau’s claims that Zinke has wavered on opposing the transfer and sale of public lands to states in his congressional votes are false.
Juneau says she did not mischaracterize Zinke’s votes, and says she stands by Montana conservation groups that oppose Zinke’s recent voting on public land issues.
Here’s Zinke campaign spokesperson Heather Swift.
"Congressman Zinke does not support selling public lands or transferring ownership of public land."
Both candidates have expressed support for the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, as well as the permanent authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
