Fox, Gianforte, Olszewski square off in GOP governor primary: Greg Gianforte

U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte is facing Montana Attorney General Tim Fox, who is termed out of that position, and state Sen. Al Olszewski, M.D., of Kalispell in the Republican primary for governor.

"I am running to create more good-paying jobs in Montana," Gianforte said. "Unfortunately, Montana ranks near the bottom nationally in terms of wages and as a consequence we've been exporting our kids for decades. My wife and I have raised our four kids in Bozeman and three of them don't live in the state anymore, and I know an awful lot of families who are in that position, and we've demonstrated that we need to combine the Montana work ethic with good leadership, we can help people prosper. I'd like to help all Montanans prosper."

He said in this race he is the only candidate, Republican or Democrat, that has a business background that has created good-paying jobs in Montana.

The business that was started in Bozeman, he said, grew to be one of the state's largest employers and the average wage was almost $90,000 a year.

"We've demonstrated that Montanans can prosper," he added.

Gianforte and his partners sold a computer programming business they started in New

Jersey, then he moved to Montana.

He started the programming company RightNow Technologies in Bozeman a few years later.

Oracle bought the company in 2011, paying $1.8 billion.

As commander on the front lines, Gianforte said, no two people would do things identical in terms of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

He said his focus in Congress has been making sure that programs are in place to help individuals, families and small businesses open back up. 

"Once we get through this public health crisis, and we're making good progress, we need to make sure this economic crisis doesn't persist," he said. 

Making more good paying jobs would be his top priority as governor, he said, adding that he has a four-point plan to do that:

1. Recognize that government does not create jobs; government creates an environment where small business owners, entrepreneurs, farmers and ranchers can prosper, and as consequent create jobs.

"No. One, I think we take a page out of the national book. We need to work to slow the growth of state government. We have seen over a 60 percent increase in spending at the state level in the last 10 years," Gianforte said. "I would hold the line on that and then use any surplus in state tax revenue that results to lower property taxes and income taxes to what people keep at the fruit to their labor."

2. Bring accountability to the state government.

"I think we have good state workers. I don't think they've been led well. I think we need new leadership to most of the state agencies and then we need to bring clarity to mission, and then hold them accountable to deliver it against that mission," he said. 

He added that the business he ran focused on helping organizations adopt cultures of customer services and that more customer service is needed in the state agencies.

3. The drug epidemic that is in the state.

"I think we need to be shifting, and it's tearing our communities apart, it's ripping our families apart, it's filling up our jails and it's filling up our foster care system," he said. "I want to attack this head on. I think at first, we need to be focusing more on rehabilitation of non-violent people that are addicted to substances."

There needs to be a focus on mental health for these individuals, he added, as well an expansion of treatment courts.

4. To protect Montanan's way of life.

"It's our First Amendment right; freedom of speech, freedom of religion, it's our Second Amendment rights - I'm a staunch Second Amendment advocate - it's also our public lands," Gianforte said, "We need to keep public lands in public hands, and we need to be working to increase access to those lands and we need to manage them better. We need to be better stewards of those lands."

There are tools in the state's tool box, he said, that allows the state to be more active in the stewardship of both state lands and the federal lands.

He said he would pursue that to create better habitat, more wildlife recreation and less wildfires.

He said he doesn't know what the state's financial outlook will be, but he is optimistic the state is going to get through this virus and get small businesses and individuals back on their feet.

"But, if we find ourselves in a hole, this is a collaborative effort, I would work with the Legislature and the leadership of the agencies to make sure we fund essential services, and I'm confident we'll get through it together," he said.

He said he thinks there is a silver lining in the COVID crisis, that if people have a desk job they don't have to go out of their home to work and Montana has been exporting Montanans for decades, adding that, most of them want to come home.

He would encourage Montanans that went away to come home and bring their jobs with them, he said.

"I have a whole business plan for Montana that looks at value-added ag for agriculture, so that Montana producers can capture more of the value they create," Gianforte said. "I think we should be preserving the Montana brand through the supply chain, so that discerning consumers can pay a  premium for Montana products. I think we should be doing more trades education, so that we can get people working in our manufacturing sector, construction trades; high tech is a growing area and there's no reason why it can't be spread across Montana."

Travel and tourism is also important, he said, adding that he wants to work with the leaders of each of these industries to understand where the government is adding friction and partner with the Legislature to remove that friction.

"We have the bed tax, I would like to see more targeted use of the dollars that are allocated for promotion, and let's go sell Montana," he said.

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Greg Gianforte

Born April 17, 1961, San Diego

Bachelor of Science, engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J., 1983, Master of Science, electrical engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, 1983

Engineer, entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist, and public servant

Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives 2017, 2018

Married to Susan 32 years. Four children, recently became grandparents.