Rosendale stumps in Chester on campaign tour

Republican Montana Auditor Matt Rosendale spoke to a crowd of more than 35 people at Stricks Ag office in Chester Saturday about his campaign to unseat U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.

"We need your help, we need your prayers, because it is a tough battle out there, and if you are inclined, we need your contributions," Rosendale said.

Others in attendance included Montana Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, who will be facing Democratic challenger Paul Tuss of Havre in his bid to keep the seat in Senate District 14, and Republican House candidate Josh Kassmier, who is facing fellow Fort Benton resident Dan Nelson, Democrat, in the race for the seat in House District 27.

Stricks Ag co-owner Jillien Streit said she was very excited to have Rosendale at the event and to meet him.

Rosendale thanked everyone for coming out to the event and said he appreciated everyone in attendance. He added that agriculture is the number one industry in Montana and that when it comes to the security of the country, people have to look at agriculture and energy.

He said he was raised with the idea that if somebody can do something they have a responsibility to do it, adding that the people of Dawson County had approached him eight years ago asking him to run for Montana Legislature and since then he has been in political offices working for Montanans.

Rosendale said he supports term limits and that if elected he only plans to serve two terms in the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., had approached him, Rosendale said, and asked him to run for the state auditor's office, adding that he believed that office was the best place for him to serve at the time. He said he has spoken many times since then to the House and Senate in Washington, D.C., trying to explain that health care could be better-delivered and better-controlled at the state level than the federal level.

The "one size fits all" federal health care plan, Rosendale said, was not going to work and was driving costs up and denying access to people. He added that while he was in Washington most of the politicians who he met did not know what they were doing.

"The more time that I spent there, the more I recognized that they really, most of the members, didn't have an idea of what they were doing up there," Rosendale said.

He added that that was when he decided to run for U.S. Senate.

"There is a lot of work that still needs to continue to be done," Rosendale said.

He said President Donald Trump's administration had been doing a great job and is improving the country by expanding the economy. Rosendale said the GDP numbers, that had come out last week, show a 4.1 percent growth. That that was the largest amount of growth that the nation has seen in years, he added. The growth is directly tied to the the tax reform legislation that was passed, he said, which he said is adding money to all Montanans' pockets.

Rosendale spoke on justices for the Supreme Court as well as federal circuit courts, saying those justices are in office for life, and it is important who is selected for these positions.

He said he has been receiving a lot of support because he is trying to push big government away from Montana so the people can make the decisions locally.

Rosendale also said that the support he has received put him and his opponent at a tie but what will determine the upcoming election is for his supporters to campaign with him.

"What it will take in order for us to get across the finish line is for folks, like you, to make sure you go out and post signs, that you make some phone calls to your neighbors," Rosendale said. "If you can help with the state party, knocking on some doors and getting some extra folks committed to help us, to vote for the Republican party, myself and (U.S. Rep. Greg) Gianforte, to make sure we continue to get the president's agenda moved forward."

He added the U.S. House is important and that if the nation loses the House the Democratic party will attempt to impeach the president, in order to keep the president from reaching his goals, which are expanding the economy and protecting the nation.

This election will be determined by the truth, he said, and that he has a team that will assure the office is in touch with the people.

"We're there to fight for you," Rosendale said. "I will do this work, and with your help, we will keep the president's agenda going, which I have said, 'It's not only good for America it's great for Montana.' It will be great for Montana."