A political newcomer and Democrat running for governor outlined policy goals Tuesday at the state Capitol.
Democrat Ryan Busse of Kalispell said he’s optimistic about his chances of overcoming Republicans’ dominance in recent elections and beating incumbent Gov. Greg Gianforte.
“I have a lot of hope that the state is about ready to stand up and say, ‘we may have reflexively voted R, but we didn’t vote for this.’ This radicalized brand of anti-freedom,” Busse said.
Busse is a former firearms executive who gained recognition for his book criticizing the gun industry.
Busse criticized Gianforte while highlighting his own policy stances. He said the wealthy and corporations should be paying more in taxes and the governor has allowed property levies for the average resident to rise too high.
On health care, Busse said he’d add staff to support state health department programs. He pointed to the Gianforte Administration’s handling of Medicaid unwinding, which has resulted in 120,000 Montanans losing health coverage in nine months.
Busse said he would invest more state dollars into both public education and affordable housing.
And finally, he drew a stark contrast with Gianforte on abortion. The governor has pushed to restrict access, which Busse said is an infringement on personal freedoms.
Busse is the only Democrat to have announced a bid for governor.
Gianforte announced his re-election campaign last week, saying he plans to build on the work he started in his first term.
-
State Attorney General Austin Knudsen is making headlines — but not the kind you want when you're seeking reelection. Two state Supreme Court candidates are hoping to get voters' attention. -
Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s disciplinary hearing for charges of professional misconduct concluded Thursday. A special counsel says Knudsen undermined the integrity of the judiciary through defiant language and rejection of a court order. -
The Montana Legislature has a new, interactive model to forecast impacts of a hypothetical sales tax in the state. -
The Montana Supreme Court upheld a temporary block Wednesday on laws that would restrict access to abortion while a lawsuit continues to play out in district court. -
As reporters at Montana Public Radio talked with potential voters this year, "trust," or the lack of it, came up a lot. Some Montanans don’t feel like it’s worth casting a ballot. They don’t feel heard by the people campaigning to represent them in government. -
Montana’s attorney general appeared before an oversight commission on Wednesday to face charges of professional misconduct. Attorney General Austin Knudsen was asked about several statements he or attorneys in his office made about the Montana Supreme Court in 2021.
