Trump Jr. makes pitch for Gianforte
Left to right, Sen. Steve Daines, congressional candidate Greg Gianforte, Donald Trump Jr., and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke at a the Eagle Air hangar at Glacier Park International Airport north of Kalispell. View a galley of photos from the event at www.dailyinterlake.com. (Brenda Ahearn photos/Daily Inter Lake)
Greg Gianforte shakes hands with supporters at an event on Friday, April 21, at the Eagle hangar at Glacier Park International Airport north of Kalispell. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
Donald Trump Jr., speaking before more than 400 attendees at a campaign event for Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress Greg Gianforte on Friday, April 21, at the Eagle hangar at Glacier Park International Airport north of Kalispell. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
Attendees at a Greg Gianforte campaign event cheer as Donald Trump Jr., takes the stage on Friday, April 21, in Kalispell.(Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
Secretary Ryan Zinke speaking at a Greg Gianforte campaign event featuring Donald Trump Jr., on Friday, April 21.(Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
More than 400 people were in attendance of a Greg Gianforte campaign event where they got to hear from Senator Steve Daines, Secretary Ryan Zinke, candidate Gianforte and son of U.S. President Trump, Donald Trump Jr. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
Donald Trump Jr., speaking at an event at the Eagle hangar at Glacier Park International Airport north of Kalispell on Friday, April 21. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
An overview of the Republican candidate Greg Pianoforte on Friday, April 21, speaking at an event at the Eagle hangar at Glacier Park International Airport north of Kalispell. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
Senator Steve Daines speaking at a Greg Gianforte campaign event featuring Donald Trump Jr., on Friday, April 21.(Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
Attendees at a campaign event for Greg Gianforte cheer as Donald Trump Jr., addresses the crowd on Friday, April 21, at the Eagle Air hangar at Glacier Park International Airport north of Kalispell.
Donald Trump Jr., speaking before more than 400 attendees at a campaign event for Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress Greg Gianforte on Friday, April 21, at the Eagle hangar at Glacier Park International Airport north of Kalispell. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)
An estimated 500 people gathered at a private hangar at Glacier Park International Airport on Friday to hear President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., rally support for Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte.
Trump Jr., who also made stops in Billings and Hamilton to campaign with Gianforte on Friday, touted the Bozeman businessman as a candidate who would support his father in Washington, D.C.
“The other side, they’re not going to accept my father,” Trump Jr. told the crowd. “If he was the greatest president in the world, they would still vote against him. If he adapted Hillary Clinton’s proposals, the left would still vote against him.”
“It’s going to be viewed as a referendum on Trump,” Trump Jr. said, adding, “... Let’s show him and the rest of the world, and certainly the rest of this country, that this wasn’t a one-time thing in November or some sort of fluke, because it wasn’t.”
Gianforte is vying for Montana’s lone U.S House seat left empty by now-Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. He is being challenged by Democrat Rob Quist in a race that has garnered national attention and millions in campaign contributions.
“This election gives us a really clear choice,” Gianforte said. “Do we want a businessman who’s created jobs, who’s going to work with Donald Trump to preserve our liberties and rein in this reckless federal government that’s grown out of control? Or are we going to send someone back who’s going to side with Nancy Pelosi and the obstructionist tactics of the left? In a sense, this other guy [Quist] is really just Nancy Pelosi in a cowboy hat.”
Telling an anecdotal story of an East Coast reporter who asked him how many guns he owned, Gianforte stated, “The right number of guns is always one more,” followed by a loud applause from the crowd.
During his speech, Gianforte spoke on immigration law, military spending and health care — stating a need for a strong military and emphasizing a need for a health care system that offers “lower premiums and preserves rural access,” describing the Affordable Care Act as being in a “death spiral.”
“I believe that in a dangerous world, we need a strong military,” Gianforte said, claiming that his opponent has “called for massive cuts in military spending.”
Zinke, along with U.S. Sen. Steve Daines also spoke at the rally.
Zinke said that despite the recent victory of electing a Republican president, “Now is not the time to give up. As a former [Navy] SEAL commander, now is the time to finish it.”
“What does finishing it look like?” Zinke added, “It looks like getting a businessman, a patriot” in D.C.
Attendees were required to register for the event in advance, and from the number registered, spokesman Shane Scanlon said there were around 500 people who attended the rally. Tickets were not available at the door.
“I voted for Greg [Gianforte] for governor and he would have made a great governor, but I think he’s going to make a better congressman,” said Bigfork resident Tom Kennedy. “I didn’t come here to see Jr. [Donald Trump Jr.] and I didn’t know that Ryan [Zinke] or Steve [Daines] would be here. I came here to support Greg.”
Kennedy described Gianforte as “philanthropic” and “pro-Montana all the way.”
“Greg’s a jobs guy, and that’s what drew me to him when he was running for governor and it’s the same with this.” Kennedy said. “We’re not wacko right-wing nut jobs. We’re patriots.”
Several protesters lined the road leading to the rally site.
“What’s always gotten us crazy, all these people who have the time to stand on the street corner and protest. I have to go to work.” said Gianforte supporter Leslie Johnston, who attended the event with her husband, Kerry Johnston.
The Johnstons said they were supporting Gianforte because of his support of business in Montana, as well as his support of the Second Amendment.
“I love that he is respecting of our Second Amendment rights,” Leslie Johnston said.
Reporter Alyssa Gray may be reached at 758-4433 or agray@dailyinterlake.com.