U.S. House candidates for western district debate in Whitefish

Two of the three Montana western district congressional candidates participated in a debate Friday evening at Whitefish City Hall.

Democrat Monica Tranel and Libertarian John Lamb met for the eighth time to discuss the issues and meet the public, while Republican Ryan Zinke chose to not take part in the event held in his hometown.

Approximately 30 citizens attended the event which was organized by Whitefish City Councilor Rebecca Norton.

Zinke has skipped seven debates in a row and, reportedly, refused to respond to multiple requests to attend another debate that was scheduled for Monday, Sept. 26 in Philipsburg.

John Lamb described himself as the owner of multiple businesses and as a family man. He is the eldest of eight brothers and sisters, has 12 children and said his heart is with the wrongly convicted.

Monica Tranel grew up on a ranch in Eastern Montana as the sixth of 10 children. She is a lawyer who has worked as a consumer advocate, has represented ranchers and is knowledgeable about agriculture issues. She says she has also worked for small businesses.

When asked about the three most important issues facing Montana, the candidates had little overlap in their answers.

Tranel cited housing, and the affordability of housing, as the most pressing issue. She said she is the only candidate with a plan to address housing — in her four-point affordability plan.

When asked again about important issues she mentioned democracy, affordability and bringing back a strong, functional middle class.

She cautioned against apathy when it comes to voting and said there is a “direct calculated effort” to make voting seem like it doesn’t work.

Lamb cited housing, abortion, gun rights and voting rights as issues key to Montanans.

“My main concern is … our prisons and our… court systems. I think we need a reform of our prison system and our justice system,” said Lamb. “I believe that affects the little guy, and that’s who I want to represent, the guy who doesn’t have a voice.”

Lamb echoed his response when asked what the first piece of legislation the candidate would introduce, if elected, by saying, “prison reform.” He says innocent people are living in horrendous conditions inside prisons and he has been fighting for them for years.

Tranel said her job is “to serve Montana,” adding this is her home, and is her only home, alluding to Zinke’s additional residence in California.

”What I want to do when I get to congress is to serve you and what that means is addressing all of you… it is mental health, it’s addiction, it’s affordability, it’s housing, it’s labor shortages — all of these issues are real,” said Tranel.

The questions became more intense when the candidates were asked about the apparent instability of U.S. democracy and how that should be addressed.

Tranel began by saying she’s been uplifted about democracy as she has traveled throughout the western district and met people who do care. She said that she believes democracy is alive and well because people are participating in it.

On the other hand, she said that Zinke has identified himself with the Republican party and its platform which holds there should be no exceptions to abortions and that the election in 2020 was stolen.

“Which Republican who got elected in 2020 did not get sworn into office because of that election being stolen? Which one? So why pedal this nonsense across the state?” she said. “It's time to step in, we need our young people to participate, we need all of you to vote. The antidote to despair is action.”

Lamb responded that the U.S. Constitution has been chipped away and citizens are being infringed upon, while he vowed to fight for our constitution.

When asked whether public lands should be protected or privatized, Lamb said he is an advocate for state ownership of all public lands.

“The [Bureau of Land Management] mismanages the public lands horribly,” Lamb said. “I’ve advocated for many years against the federal government owning these lands.”

Tranel said public resources, whether they are public lands, wildlife, fish, or rivers, belong to the people.

“(Our public resources) are one of the greatest treasures of the Treasure State and I will protect them until the day I die, because it defines who I am and it's a big part of why I'm running for this office,” Tranel said.

After Tranel said a big part of representative democracy is showing up and answering questions, in response to being asked about accountability, she seamlessly referenced Zinke.

“And who’s not here? Ryan Zinke, because he is taking every Republican vote for granted. He is assuming you’re going to vote for him because you have nowhere else to go… you have another option in this race,” she said. “And I'm asking for your vote, whether you’re Republican, Democrat or Libertarian… it's about showing up, asking hard questions and being respectful in the process.”

Lamb said he believes in holding elected officials accountable and that he will continue his prison activism ministry. He was brief when stating his stance on abortion as pro-life with a desire to protect all lives.

Tranel pointed out the need for consistent principles and rules of law by which everyone abides and her tone strengthened when she reminded the audience the Republican platform calls for no exceptions to abortion, even in cases where the mother will die.

“That’s what the Republican Party platform calls for and Ryan Zinke is standing with that party and that platform,” she stated. “I absolutely reject that kind of extremism.”

In closing, Tranel reiterated the importance of showing up and having honest conversations while Lamb’s last words of the night were that voting and jury duty are two things people can do to keep politicians responsible.

Montana’s U.S. House District 1, the western district, was reapportioned after population gains were documented by the 2020 census. The district, which is roughly C-shaped, covers 16 counties and two tribal nations across the western third of the state.