Zinke does little to represent Montana

Editor,

Recently, I saw a political article that reported that Ryan Zinke was holding a lead in the race to represent Montana in the U.S. Congress. I was disappointed to see this report.

Based on Mr. Zinke’s voting record and public statements, it appears that Mr. Zinke does very little to actually represent most of the citizens of Montana. His own actions demonstrate that after less than two years as Montana’s lone member of Congress he does not have much interest in representing Montana. He offered himself up to serve with Donald Trump in a myriad of positions, including vice president.

Mr. Zinke likes to draw attention to his title of commander. A commander conjures up the image of leadership, but “commander” Zinke’s judgment and leadership comes into question when he aligns himself with Donald Trump. Trump has proven himself to be unfit for public office, at any level, in every way imaginable, including protecting our democracy. Trump demeans our military, yet Zinke supports him. Trump threatens to undermine religious freedom, yet Zinke supports him. Trump courts the alt-right and their white supremacy views, yet Zinke supports him. Trump brags about assaulting women, our wives, mothers daughters and sisters, yet Zinke supports him. Where is your sense of honor judgment and leadership “commander” Zinke?

We should ask all of our political candidates, even those at the local level, if they support the same values that Trump and apparently Zinke support. How say you, Gianforte, Daines and others? If they do, they are not fit to represent us. One last observation, in one of Zinke’s political ads, the narrator says that we should support Zinke because “he is one of us.” I am not sure what this refers to, but it sounds like code for bigotry and racism.

Dennis Kuntz

Havre