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Gianforte spews false claims

Greg Gianforte has complained that when we campaigned for governor, he was subjected to a lot of false claims and innuendos. Now in his present campaign for Congress, he has done nothing but spew distorted false claims and innuendos at Rob Quist.

Only three times have I heard Gianforte address a political issue and not muckraking comments about Rob Quist. On the other hand, much to his credit, I have never heard Mr. Quist indulge in a single negative remark about his opponent. In the first place I don’t think Gianforte is the person I would look to for an honest, objective, evaluation of Mr. Quist. Secondly, I would not vote for a person that feels it necessary to step on someone else to make yourself look better.

I urge everyone to vote for Rob Quist, one of our own good, honest, wholesome citizens. —Phillip Iversen, Kalispell

Gianforte out of touch with state

Perhaps Mr. Gianforte didn’t realize how disparaging his remarks were when he referred to Democratic candidate Rob Quist, saying, “We don’t need to send Nancy Pelosi a court musician ...”

What Greg Gianforte clearly doesn’t understand is how everyday Montanans will hear that message. People of all stripes in Montana know just how hard it is to turn a passion into a successful career. The music business is especially tough with horrible hours and long days and nights of travel between distant cities. Gianforte doesn’t seem to get that Montanans take pride in the kind of career Quist has built.

This kind of off-hand disrespect for working men and women of Montana is what we’ve come to expect from Mr. Gianforte. Time and time again you’ll find the Republican candidate supporting legislation that would mostly benefit the wealthy at the expense of people working hard to just put food on the table every night.

Gianforte has a record of supporting dark money groups, opposing transparency in government, cutting taxes on corporations and the wealthy while ending programs that help everyday Montanans. This record is not only a rubber-stamp of what Washington Republicans would like to do nationwide, it is the political expression of the kind of snide attitude that led Gianforte to unthinkingly insult any Montanan who has worked their hands to the bone building a business in a field that is long on tradition, but short on compensation.

What Montana needs in our elected officials is a reflection of the values we all share. We value hard work, care and respect for our communities, neighbor helping neighbor. Mr. Gianforte’s comments are a clear signal that he’s out of step with these values. —Jay Cummings, Kalispell

Gianforte is best qualified for job

Montana has one person representing our state in the U.S. House of Representatives; therefore, the most qualified candidate must be elected to this important position. The two leading candidates for the job offer voters a clear choice: one is a model of Bernie Sanders’ liberalism; the other is a successful entrepreneur who exemplifies Montana values of hard work and personal responsibility.

Democrat candidate Rob Quist is a personable, talented musician who has devoted his life to entertainment. He also has a long history of personal financial troubles. He supports sanctuary cities, a national gun registry, a government-run health-care system, higher taxes to offer more entitlements, and defends Obama’s Clean Power Plan, which would have closed the Colstrip mines, resulting in the ripple effect of losing 7,000 good paying jobs and $145 million in Montana tax revenues.

Republican candidate Greg Gianforte’s history exemplifies the American dream: the opportunity to achieve one’s goals through hard work and persistence. He started a successful software company while in high school, ran a team of developers for an outside company while in college, and after graduation worked for Bell Labs. He then formed his own software development company, the sale of which allowed him to move to Bozeman, where he created, in a spare bedroom, Right Now Technologies. It grew into an international company with 11,000 employees; 500 of those jobs, with salaries averaging near $90,000 annually, were right here in Montana.

Following the sale of that company, he continued giving back to Montana by starting and financing several university-level computer science programs, establishing successful programs in entrepreneurship, and giving significant support to charitable causes.

His positions on national issues reflect Montana values: defense of the Second Amendment, importance of access to public land, protecting farmers and ranchers from burdensome regulations, protecting Social Security and Medicare for Montana’s seniors, defending our borders, deporting criminal illegal aliens, banning sanctuary cities, and a balanced budget.

When I mark my ballot, I will think of the serious issues facing our nation and vote for the best qualified candidate to represent me and Montana in Congress: Greg Gianforte. —Penny Jarecki, Polson

Look at who’s behind Gianforte

A Super Political Action Committee calling itself “Congressional Leadership Fund” is flooding our airwaves with shadowy propaganda criticizing Rob Quist for having a “big hat” and being “out of tune” with Montana. They’re pouring big bucks into the assumption that these allegations will shock Montanans into voting against Quist. Alternately, they give no rationale supporting his multi-millionaire opponent.

Quist, a homegrown Montanan, has earned the right to wear the hat. Interloper and failed gubernatorial candidate, Greg Gianforte, is as phony-baloney as creationist museums and jackalopes.

This Super PAC is a conglomerate of slippery out-of-state tricksters led by failed politician Norm Coleman (Minnesota) and whose largest donor is billionaire Sheldon Adelson (Nevada). Throw in some Texan oil tycoons and you have yourselves a super-duper super gang. These goons don’t care one iota about Montana or our citizens. They seek absolute power to rape and plunder Montana’s resources. The more science-denying, flimflamming charlatans they can push into Congress, the more they can pillage the land and its people for personal gain.

Quist genuinely represents Montana and strives to keep it “the last best place.” Ask yourself who embodies traditional Montanan principles of independent, strong-minded individuals in communities of resourceful, friendly folks. Then ask who epitomizes mudslinging, money-grubbing robber barons.

Malicious factions within and outside of Montana are doing everything possible to subdue your vote, so it’s important to get it done on May 25. Raise your voice against rapacious outside interests and stand up for Montana, her resources and her citizens. Vote for Rob Quist to represent our true values in the U.S. House of Representatives. —Wanda LaCroix, Arlee