Hot race running in campaigns for Montana's U.S. senator: Daniel Larson

Daniel Larson said he is running for the U.S. Senate because he wants to make Congress work for the people.

"I am running for this office because I think that where our politics is heading is dangerous and so as a father I want to create a new conversation that focuses more on the long-term and the future addresses some of our political divisiveness and creates more unity within the state," Larson said. "For me, the impeachment of Donald J. Trump was kind of the last straw where I thought somebody needed to challenge all of the incumbents to make sure that they at least sit there and explain some of the decisions they've been making."

He said what makes him the best candidate is his independence of some of the political voices, his willingness to listen to people and propose solutions that are directed at the root cause of the problem.

"We have a lot of opportunity to do a lot of good work, that is in the middle of the issues. So it's not really far left far right; it's a lot of the work in the center - so just fundamental economics, fundamental legislation as far as regulations and developments of our school infrastructure, local cities, towns, things like that - a lot of good work to get done," he said.

He said his primary critique of how the federal government is handling COVID-19 is the amount of misinformation or the lack of clarity from the top down.

He added that he remembers going through several different crises as a country and what he was most proud of was the unity in these moments of crisis and turmoil.

"I think the lack of clarity and clear direction has allowed us to be divided when we should all be focused on the same goal," Larson said.

The COVID-19 relief also  has  driven up the federal deficit and debt, and he said, he would address it in fundamental ways such as with the deficit and debt there needs to be responsible fiscal policies, "we'll probably have to go back and change federal reserve requirements."

Right now, it is at zero, he said, adding that the money supply would have to be regulated and improve those ways to prevent some of the "inflation, air pressures of the market."

"We can also tackle inflation in housing and health care at the same time to control some of those offsets, so the deficit spending with monetary policy I think we've ballooned some of what we're doing and I think we need to take substantial action to control the effects of this level of spending over time," Larson said.

"One of the bigger ideas I'm championing is an idea of universal basic income, so I think that it is a right solution in this time as far as regular payment structure to the people as far as the deficiency of the money if we're going to be stimulating the economy. That is one thing I am advocating for very substantially and then the other thing is within our cattle ranchers itself things country of origin labeling and then dealing with price fixing of the meat packers."

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Born in Missoula

B.S., business administration, University of Montana, 2004; M.S. business administration, UM, 2006

General manager, Eastside Ace Hardware, Florence Ace Hardware; production manager, American Eagle Instruments, Missoula; value stream manager, Mars Chocolate North America, Henderson, Nev.

Wife, Aura, four children