Confident Zinke campaigns in Havre

A confident Ryan Zinke campaigned for Congress in Havre Thursday, predicting victory in Tuesday's five-way race for the Republican nomination for Congress.

Zinke said his campaign's polling showed him 5 percentage points ahead of former state Senate Majority Leader Corey Stapleton. State Sen. Matt Rosendale of Glendive trails in the single digits, he said.

Zinke, a former state senator from Whitefish and ex-Navy SEAL, attended a meeting of supporters at the home of Mike and Gloria Tilleman.

At the session, Zinke once again defined himself as a conservative, but not a hardline conservative.

He said he has been criticized for his quote that he is not a conservative.

"They didn't say the rest of my quote," he said. "I am not a conservative, I am a Montanan first."

He outlined his positions on a host of issues and generally took a conservative approach.

"I have hardened my conservative views in recent years," he said, prompted by the policies of the Obama administration.

A Republican victory in the November midterm elections is essential in curbing the excesses of the Obama administration, he said.

"This rascal we have in office, I think we will put him on the defensive," he said, referring to President Barack Obama. He quickly added that although he called him a rascal, he respected the president and the office he holds.

Zinke stumped Thursday in Fort Benton, Chester and Havre in his campaign bus. He was accompanied by Carl Mattison of Chester, who is opposing state Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, in Senate District 14. Hansen, a supporter of Rosendale, is considered a more hardline conservative.

On issues in the campaign, Zinke said:

• Gun rights: He said he was a strong supporter for Second Amendment rights and would fight to protect them.

"I am a member of the NRA," he said. "But the NRA doesn't own me."

He said the National Rifle Association marked him down when he was a legislator because he opposed a bill that would have stripped Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks of its responsibility to control guns and ammunition of hunters. He said he stands by his opposition.

• Party unity: He said he followed the 11th commandment of Ronald Reagan and didn't speak ill of other Republicans. But he was critical of his opponents, who, he said, have misrepresented his positions.

He said he wanted to unify Montana's fractured Republican Party, but admitted that would be a tough task.

• Business: The biggest drawback to creating jobs in Montana is excessive government regulations, Zinke said. He said the United States should be energy independent and the Bakken region could be important in moving in that direction. He said experts have told him the U.S. could be free of foreign oil within five years.

One of the best ways to attract new industry to Montana, he said, would be to expand cellphone service in areas of the state where it is nearly impossible to connect to people on cellphones. In some cases, even landlines don't have good connections, he said.

Government could rectify some of these problems by requiring cellphone companies to share towers and other facilities.

• Right to life: He said he has received a 100 percent rating from anti-abortion groups. Comments to the contrary from his opponents are inaccurate, he said.

• Constitutional government: He said the Constitution should be protected. "If you mention the constitution in some areas, you are considered a radical," he lamented.

• The Bakken oil development: He said oil boom in North Dakota and eastern Montana can a benefit the economy and help obtain energy independence.

But he said growth should be planned.

He was concerned that a massive "man-camp" is being created near energy-rich Sidney,

Generally, he said, the camp will house men who are working in the oilfields while their families are left behind in Billings or other areas.

Instead of man camps, he would like to see neighborhoods created. Homes could be built for entire families, he said.