Dear John xxxxxx,

In case you missed it, please read and share Jim Gransbery’s letter to the editor!
 
U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) is MIA
By Jim Gransbery
 
Labor Day is nigh and signals the traditional start of the General Election campaign season. Since the June Primary, congressional candidates have put together their final two-month effort to secure public office in 2023.
Part of that preparation is participating in public debates and forums to demarcate where a candidate stands on the issues of the day, distinguishing themselves from their opponents.
For the candidates in Montana’s U.S. House District 2 – the state’s Central and Eastern counties – civic and media organizations have scheduled at least five opportunities for them to make their case for voter support.
There are four House candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot: Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale, the incumbent, Democrat Penny Ronning, Libertarian Sam Rankin, and Independent Gary Buchanan, all of Billings. Buchanan scored a spot on the ballot by gathering more than 13,000 valid, registered- voter signatures on a petition by 31 May.
The latter three candidates have all agreed to appear for the live public events. As of this writing (Aug. 26), Rosendale has not committed to any debates. Apparently, he prefers to be missing-in-action.
His campaign war chest has at least $1.7 million which will allow him to scarf-up ad time on state television broadcasts, to say nothing of what third-party, video hit men come up with on Rosendale’s behalf.
Rosendale has yet to commit to sparring in person with his opponents at a League of Women Voters and Montana Free Press forum on Sept. 28; a MTN television network event on Oct. 1; a Lee Newspapers debate on Oct. 5; a town hall format by the Montana Farmers Union on Oct.15; and a debate hosted by Western Native Voice on Oct. 27.
The other three have confirmed their participation.
It is no surprise that Mr. Rosendale would prefer not to answer questions in public. Most, if not all, his statements to the public are conveyed by full-color, franked mail to local addresses or e-mail/text messages by staff that are nothing more than boiler-plate, press release b.s. that say nothing, but panders to the already converted.
Here are a few examples of questions he would prefer not answer:
Is Joe Biden the legitimate president of the United States? If not, explain specifically why.
Why did you oppose the addition of Sweden and Finland to NATO? How was that good for the people of Montana?
Why, specifically, do you want to end a small excise tax on hunting, and fishing gear and end a program that has provided Montana with millions for conservation programs?
Why were you unwilling to provide moral support for Ukraine
which is defending itself from a brutal, unprovoked aggression ordered by the Moscow dictator?
Why did you fail, specifically, to affirm the Electoral College results on Jan. 6, 2021 even after the insurrection attack on Congress? Sen. Steve Daines, R-MT intended to vote no, but after the riot, recognized his moral, legal obligation to vote yes.
Why did you vote to remove the right to a “clean and healthful environment” from the Montana Constitution?
Why did you vote to overturn I-122, which prohibits the use of cyanide heap leach mining for gold and silver?