Gianforte offers new hope for Montana reservations

Montana is on the verge of a moment when our state can unite. It’s a chance for Montanans, including Native Americans and non-Indians alike, as well as Montanans of different backgrounds, to come together to make a change for the better.

Greg Gianforte’s candidacy for Congress offers us a unique opportunity to bridge our divides and create better outcomes for all Montana citizens.

I saw Greg in action and paid close attention as he visited all seven Montana Indian reservations over the last two years and I can see that his work of serving Montanans comes from the heart. Greg promoted entrepreneurship and mentorship on three Indian reservations even before he ran for any political office, a testament to his commitment to economic growth in our state and in Indian communities.

I was also with him as he was invited into Native homes and powwow family campsites and sat at ground level playing stick game with everyday tribal people. As individual tribal members across the state have seen firsthand how eager Greg is to hear from them about their concerns, he has become widely supported at the grassroots level.

Montana’s native communities have suffered for decades from a lack of jobs and opportunities where some unemployment rates are over 60 percent. Economic development in Indian country has in the large part failed because federal and tribal governments are not about business development. To this end Greg has advocated for individual tribal member participation in free-market economies separate from tribal governance. Greg is for the success of individual tribal business owners.

Today, Natives and non-Natives alike see that it’s time to continue on the positive trajectory the country is on. As a member of a First Nations Tribe, I can say that all non-Indians are not from Montana. However, one does not have to be from Montana to be for Montana. Greg has demonstrated this by creating a successful business that has provided employment to hundreds of Montanans with high-paying jobs. That’s why I am voting for Greg Gianforte. As a tribal leader, a former state legislator, and a Montana citizen, I hope you will, too.

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G. Bruce Meyers is a former state representative and community volunteer and activist at Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.