Governor - Greg Gianforte

GREG GIANFORTE (R)

• Montana's At-Large Congressman
• Unsuccessful bid for Governor in 2016
• Businessman

Why did you decide to run for governor? 

My wife, Susan, and I have been blessed to enjoy the American dream. We raised our four kids in our home in Bozeman. In a bedroom in that same home, we started a small business, RightNow Technologies. It grew to become the largest commercial employer in Bozeman, creating over 500 high-paying Montana jobs and helping to launch the high-tech sector in our state.

I’ve spent my life creating jobs, solving problems, and serving others. It’s what I know how to do. And it’s what I want to do for Montana as governor.

After talking with hundreds of people across our state, I heard a clear message: Montana needs a governor with strong business leadership experience who has created high-paying jobs here in our state.

Too many Montanans across our state have told me their kids and grandkids moved away for better opportunities – better jobs for better pay.

It’s something Susan and I know too well. Three of our four kids left Montana because they found better opportunities elsewhere.

Sadly, our state’s most valuable export is our kids and grandkids. We must reverse that trend.

We must create greater opportunities and more good-paying jobs for Montanans to thrive here. When we do, our kids and grandkids will stay here or return, and the American dream will be within greater reach to more Montanans.

Why should MSU students vote for you? 

We face serious challenges that require serious solutions. While COVID-19 has threatened our health and safety, it’s also threatened our livelihood. Too many folks find themselves out of work and without a paycheck. Too many businesses have had to shut down.

As your next governor, my top priority is to get our economy going again, get Montana open for business, and get Montanans back to work in good-paying jobs.

When you graduate, you deserve to have good opportunities here in Montana. That’s why I’m committed to developing an environment where businesses can thrive, grow, and create good Montana jobs.

I’ve built a business and created more than 500 high-paying jobs in Montana. I know what it takes, and I’ll roll up my sleeves and start working on it immediately. We must reform our tax code and reduce unnecessary regulations to boost our key industries – ag, energy, mining, timber, natural resources, high tech, and travel, tourism, and hospitality.

Unfortunately, my opponent doesn’t get it. A 44-year career politician, he thinks businesses can thrive and create Montana jobs with higher taxes, bigger government, and more regulations. It’s why he earned a 0.0 rating from the Montana Chamber of Commerce when he served in the state legislature.

What would your top priority as a governor be concerning higher education? 

Students and parents across Montana make substantial investments in higher education, and they worry about skyrocketing costs. Year after year, they have seen relentless hikes in tuition and fees, and they’re concerned about the value of those investments. We owe them results. As governor, I will work to make higher education more affordable, ensure students and parents receive a good value for their investments, and make sure graduates are well prepared for the modern workforce.

A four-year college degree, though, isn’t the right solution for every young person. There are many jobs where specialized skills are required. We should encourage interested students to pursue those jobs, and ensure they have access to education opportunities. As governor, I’ll promote trades education and apprenticeship programs to empower Montana workers, expand their lifetime earning potential, and ensure Montana employers have a more highly-skilled workforce.

Are you in favor of the proposition to legalize marijuana and why? 

The question is on the ballot, and Montanans will decide it.

In the previous legislative session, Medicaid was expansion was reauthorized, as governor would you work with both parties to reauthorize Montana’s Medicaid expansion program again?

We must ensure services, resources, and support are available to the most vulnerable among us. Medicaid provides a safety net for those who can’t afford health care, and it must be preserved.

Montana currently does not verify eligibility, and about 1 in 5 Montanans have signed up for these benefits. If all are allowed to climb on the safety net, it will collapse under its own weight. To ensure Medicaid is there for those who need it, I’ll insist that Montana checks the eligibility of all enrollees.

Ultimately, I’ll work with Democrats and Republicans in the legislature to ensure our safety net helps those who need it most.

What plans and policies do you have to help the Montana economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?

The coronavirus crisis has left too many Montanans out of work and without a paycheck. We must get our economy going again and get Montana open for business so we can get Montanans back to work.

Before the crisis, however, Montana remained near the bottom nationally in terms of wages – 46th in the nation in August and September – and too many Montanans struggled to make ends meet. While we must recover from the economic catastrophe of the virus shutdown, we must have a long-term plan to bring sustainable, good-paying jobs to Montana.

My top priority as governor is to get our economy going again, get Montana open for business, and get Montanans back to work in good-paying jobs. As the only candidate who has built a business and created good-paying jobs here in Montana, I know what it takes, and I’m prepared to roll up my sleeves and start working on it immediately.

I’m committed to creating an environment where businesses can thrive, grow, and create good-paying jobs. We must peel back burdensome, unnecessary regulations that hold back the pistons that drive our Montana economy – agriculture, energy, mining, timber, natural resources, high tech, and travel, tourism, and hospitality.

We must reform our anti-jobs, anti-competitive tax code, and we must review, roll back, and repeal unnecessary, burdensome regulations. We must encourage entrepreneurship, recruit new businesses, and improve our infrastructure, particularly broadband.

To learn more about my priorities and ideas, please check out my Montana Comeback Plan at gregformontana.com.

With the polarizing political climate that we currently are experiencing how do you plan to work across the aisle to get bills passed?

Reaching across the aisle is how I’ve delivered results for Montana in Congress. I’ve worked with Republicans and Democrats on measures to expand access to health care, to lower prescription drug prices, and to end surprise medical billing. I’ve also worked with Republicans and Democrats to protect our public lands, including permanently reauthorizing and funding the LWCF. I’m proud my first bill signed into law was a bipartisan measure designating a portion of the East Rosebud near Red Lodge as a “wild and scenic river” – the first such designation in Montana in more than 40 years.

Bringing people together, across party lines, is how I’ve delivered results for Montana in

Congress. It’s how I’ll deliver results in the governor’s office.

In regards to the Black Lives Matter and Defund the police movements, how would you help to improve the relationship between law enforcement and minority communities?

Racism has no place in America or Montana. We owe it to our cherished ideals of individual freedom and liberty to honor and live by “that all men are created equal,” as described in our Declaration of Independence.

Ultimately, this is about listening. We must be willing to listen and seek to understand the frustration and pain so many Americans feel. It is then that we can begin the process of ending racism and healing our nation’s wounds.

We must also listen to law enforcement officers in Montana who every day put their lives on the line to keep us safe. They dedicate their lives to upholding our laws and protecting our communities. I stand with them, and I oppose efforts to defund the police – at any level of government.