House candidate touts business background
Republican U.S. House candidate Steve
Daines made a campaign stop in Whitefish July 29.
Daines has been making stops across the
state shaking hands and talking with folks. The Bozeman businessman
is running on the message of more jobs and less government.
“We need jobs in our state and in our
country,” Daines said during an interview with the Pilot.
“Washington lacks the individuals who have the experience in job
creation.”
Daines is one of four candidates who
have declared their intent to run for the seat held by Rep. Denny
Rehberg, who is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Democrats
Kim Gillan, Dave Strohmaier and Franke Wilmer are also running for
the seat.
Daines is a fifth generation Montanan
who serves as general manager and vice president for RightNow
Technologies, a start-up business in Bozeman. RightNow has grown
from less than 100 employees in 2000 to more than 1,000 today.
He said his experience in business
gives him a unique perspective.
“I’m not a career politician,” he said.
“I have experience creating jobs, not just talking about it.”
Daines said he has visited 51 of the 56
counties in Montana and he sees a reoccurring theme.
“The No. 1 issue out there is jobs,” he
said.
He said there is signs of economic
recovery in Eastern Montana with the oil and gas industry in North
Dakota, but double digit unemployment still plagues much of Western
Montana.
Daines claims that can be fixed by
creating jobs based on technology.
“The experience I have is in
technology,” he said. “Technology removes the geography
factors.”
Daines points to his own position as
vice president of RightNow’s Asia-Pacific business saying he is
able to manage business through his BlackBerry from his pickup
truck anywhere in the state.
The factor that can attract technology
companies to Montana is the lifestyle.
“Quality of life here is the huge
differentiator,” he said. “We have to get entrepreneurs who have
capital here. How do we get them to start their business here in
Whitefish and not Palo Alto?”
Besides advertising the life style, the
answer, for one is to provide tax benefit incentives to business
through capital gains benefits.
On education, Daines said he supports
education that can provide employees for Montana’s companies.
“Without a strong education system it’s
hard to grow jobs,” he said.
RightNow recruits from Montana State
University and Daines said he sees first-hand how that helps
graduates and his company.
He said Montana graduates have the
state culture and friendliness along with the background in
technology — a combination that’s hard to find.
“The best part of what I get to do is
hire Montana kids,” he said. “They’re the best.”