Voters lose with no governor debate

If you're to believe the latest polling on Montana's gubernatorial election, it's the incumbent's race to lose.  

According to a Public Opinion Strategies poll conducted Aug. 18-20, Gov. Greg Gianforte holds a 19-point advantage over Democratic challenger Ryan Busse. If that margin is accurate and holds, it would outpace the nearly 13-point margin Gianforte secured in his 2020 win over former Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney.  

It should be noted that the poll was sponsored by the Montana Republican Party, and that polls have been known to be wrong before (ahem, 2016).  

Nonetheless, it appears the governor is in the catbird seat with two months to go before Election Day -- and he knows it.  

Last week Gianforte made the tactical move to pull out of any debates with Busse. A press release announcing the governor's decision said Busse wasn't a "serious candidate" worthy of sharing the stage, and that he has "no credibility." He charged Busse with running a campaign based on personal attacks, while calling his opponent "unhinged" no less than eight times.  

Gianforte also called out Busse for breaking precedent by not releasing his tax returns, which the governor did in 2020 and again a few weeks ago.   

Busse fired back with his own media release in which he described Gianforte's excuses as "whiney" [sic] and "wimpy," and blasted the governor for not holding public meetings and only talking to "friendly" media partners.  

In sorting through all their bluster and name-calling -- isn't the decorum refreshing? -- there's some truth to both lines of attack.  

Tax returns can offer voters a meaningful look into whether a candidate pays taxes or how much they pay, whether they contribute to nonprofits and whether there are areas of conflict to be wary of. The precedent is about transparency and Gianforte should be commended for allowing the public to review his personal finances ahead of the next election.   

Of course, the presidential candidate he supports is responsible for lowering the bar for releasing financial statements, and we don't expect to hear Gianforte calling to see Trump's taxes any time soon.  

Busse – a self-proclaimed "gun guy" – is a former firearms executive and published author. What might his tax returns reveal that he doesn't want voters to see? As of now, we're only left to speculate. 

Gianforte's camp blasting Busse for cheap political attacks also has merit.   

All voters should be appalled with the Democrat's inflammatory campaign ad that implied without evidence that Gianforte hired illegal immigrants to repair the roof of his Helena mansion. When pressed for verification, the Busse campaign embarrassingly offered no answers.  

The ad is equally as atrocious as Gianforte's social media post in May that falsely accused the Biden administration of flying illegal immigrants into the Flathead Valley. These types of race-baiting tactics are far beneath the Montana values these two candidates claim to represent.  

For Busse, he's correct in pointing out that Gianforte's refusal to debate let's him off the hook from facing tough questions in a public setting.  Sitting down with partisan talk show hosts doesn't cut it. 

Voters would relish a robust back-and-forth about property tax reform, health care access, natural resources, public education and the multitude of other real issues facing Montanans.  

Gianforte is denying that opportunity, and in the end it's the voters who lose if a gubernatorial debate is lost in the mudslinging.