Zinke addresses Noxon bridge while stumping in Sanders County

Republican Congressman Ryan Zinke stopped in Sanders County last week to discuss progress on efforts to replace the Noxon bridge.

The county bridge that connects the community to Montana 200 temporarily closed in July after inspections showed two concerning cracks. It reopened a few weeks later with a weight restriction, but engineers determined the bridge needs replacing.

Around 50 people attended the gathering in Noxon and Zinke later spoke about his visit to the more than 100-year-old bridge while visiting with constituents at the Plains Veterans of Foreign Wars post. 

“We spent $200 billion in Ukraine and we can’t fix a $20 million dollar bridge. It is part of my job to get it done,” Zinke said.  

Zinke also spent time on his tour of the region discussing other needs with Sanders County commissioners.  

At the VFW in Plains, Zinke spoke with most of the 20 plus people attending the casual meet and greet.  

Zinke, a former Navy SEAL from Whitefish, is running for reelection against Democrat Monica Tranel, a Missoula attorney. The latest poll conducted Oct. 13-16 shows the Republican ahead by 8 points. Zinke edged Tranel by 4 points in the 2022 election.

Zinke waded into his campaign talking points at the Plains event. 

“This is not my first rodeo,” Zinke told the crowd. “I have been around a while. I haven’t seen anything that is not fixable, but we’re going to have to fix it. We began by not paying attention and all of a sudden local school boards and libraries boards have become controversial.”  

He continued, “There shouldn’t be any pornography in our elementary schools. Boys should play boys sports and girls should play girl sports. Enough is Enough.”  

His words brought cheers from attendees.  

Zinke also addressed the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border and immigrants in the country illegally.  

“We don’t have a border,” he said, pointing to the number of encounters border agents have had with illegal immigrants on the FBI’s terror watch list. 

Zinke pivoted to the economy and advocated for natural resource production.  

“We live in a sea of trees,” he said. “You have billions of dollars in minerals under your feet and you can’t dig a hole, and you can’t cut one tree. This can change and it has to change. We will have to win the election to do it.” 

He rallied people to get out and vote. 

“If you think [former President Donald] Trump is going to save you or I am going to save you or [U.S. Sen. Steve] Daines or Tim Sheehy, you’re mistaken,” Zinke said. “The only person that is going to save us is the front line and that is us. Everyone has got to do their duty. In this election it is closer than it should be. We will win if everyone does their duty. Our duty, your duty is to get out and vote.” 

“If we don’t win this thing, it’s going to be dark days,” he added.  

The meet and greet ended with the ringing of the bar bell and Zinke purchasing a round of drinks for all in attendance.