Democrats come to Havre

Montana Democratic candidates vying for state and federal office were in Havre Thursday to rally the party faithful and assail their Republican opponents during a campaign rally in the front lobby of The 305 Building on Fourth Avenue.

The visit was part of what Gov. Steve Bullock, who is on the ballot, said was an 1,800-mile jaunt that began Wednesday. The tour will take Bullock, Democratic congressional candidate Denise Juneau and other candidates on the ballot to 10 cities and all seven of Montana's Indian reservations, to mobilize supporters to vote.

The group later traveled to Fort Belknap Indian Reservation for a feed at the Red Whip Center Gym. They will return to the area Sunday night for a feed at the Rocky Boy Senior Center on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation at 5 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Big Sandy native who is not up for re-election this year, said the contrast between the slate of candidates on both sides of the partisan divide is stark.

"There is only one thing that scares me more than Trump and that is ... Bullock's opponent," Tester said, referring to Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte.

Gianforte, founder of RightNow Technologies, and his running mate, Phillips County Commissioner Lesley Robinson, are running to deny Bullock and Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney a second term.

Bullock said Gianforte wants to implement tax cuts for millionaires and out-of-state corporations.

"And how would he fill that hole? Only with a state sales tax. Our tax system is not for sale," he said.

Though Gianforte said in his 406 tax plan released earlier this year that he would not support a state sales tax, his past advocacy for replacing the state's income and capital gains taxes with one has become a frequent line of attack by Democrats.

Bullock also criticized Gianforte for past remarks in which he called public schools "a monopoly" and immoral and for donating money to groups that support the sale of public lands.

"That is not going to happen on my watch, because Montana is not for sale," he said.

Candidates further down the ticket were given the chance to speak, each one standing on the lobby staircase and addressing the crowd.

Jesse Laslovich, the Democratic candidate for state auditor said he sees similarities between his own opponent, Montana Senate Majority Leader Matt Rosendale, R-Glendive, and Gianforte.

"Both of our opponents come from the East Coast, both are interested in developing and selling off our state lands and both of them have a fair amount of personal money," Laslovich said.

Laslovich, a legal counsel to the Office of the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, said he has the knowledge necessary to head the office which regulates the insurance market.

In his seven years as legal counsel, he said he has worked in the office to get $3 million to $6 million annually in claims denied to consumers by insurance companies and prosecute financial fraud.

"It's not just continuing to do the work, it's about knowing how to do the work," Laslovich said. "You have to elect people to this position who know how to do the work and who share our values."

Laslovich also recognized past local Democratic state legislators at the rally such as former state Rep. John Musgrove of Havre and former state Sen. Greg Jergeson, D-Chinook, but lamented Hill County's recent drift toward Republicans in legislative elections.

"There is no reason why Hill County should have Republicans representing it," he said.

Having been elected to the Montana House of Representatives and later the Montana Senate, Laslovich had words of praise for Democratic candidate Jacob Bachmeier, the Hill County Democratic Party vice-chair who is hoping to unseat freshman state Rep. Stephanie Hess, R-Havre.

"Boy, what he has in front of him, He told me this morning that he has knocked on 19,000 doors," Laslovich said.

Monica Lindeen, the current state auditor who is running for Secretary of State against Republican Corey Stapleton, and Melissa Romano, a fourth-grade teacher from Helena and political newcomer running against state Sen. Elsie Arntzen, R-Billings, also spoke.

Denise Juneau, Montana's Superintendent of Public Instruction who is seeking to unseat Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., received the loudest applause.

If elected, Juneau, a member of the Mandan Hidatsa Tribes and descendant of the Blackfeet Tribe, would be the first American Indian woman elected to Congress,

Juneau said Zinke is at odds with the interests of Montanans for votes. She criticized his vote against country of origin labeling on agriculture products and for a vote he took last year against funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which she said would put security along the northern border at risk and for voting to cut Pell grants.

She had glowing words for her fellow Democratic candidates.

"We should be so proud to circle that oval next to all of our names and hold our heads high as Montanans," Juneau said.