Daines Fundraising Way Ahead of All Comers.

Montana's Republican Congressman Steve Daines sent a press release today announcing that his campaign for U.S. Senate raised $1.215 million in the first fundraising quarter of 2014 and will report over $2.2 million cash-on-hand.

He said that's the highest amount raised by a U.S. Senate candidate in Montana during the first fundraising quarter of the election year. In 2012, Jon Tester raised $1,214,716 in the first quarter.

Brock Lowrance, Daines campaign spokesman, said in the release, “Steve’s message of more jobs and less government is resonating across Montana, and that’s a strong testament to our fundraising success. Our campaign raised more than has ever been raised in Montana by a candidate for U.S. Senate in the first quarter of an election year. A record-breaking fundraising quarter sends a strong statement -- our campaign is well positioned as we begin the 2014 election.”

John Walsh, one of the three Democrats vying to challenge Daines recently also released fundraising numbers substantially smaller than those Daines announced today. The cash on hand numbers he reported were even farther behind Daines.

Of the other primary candidates seeking to challenge Daines, they have either not yet reported or reported substantially smaller numbers.

A fifth-generation Montanan, sportsman and father of four, Daines currently serves Montana in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the leading candidate for Montana's open U.S. Senate seat.

Daines Backs Sportsmen's Priorities

Montana's Republican Congressman Steve Daines sent a press release today calling on House leadership to prioritize and support programs that encourage outdoor recreation and increase access to public lands for Montana sportsmen.

"Many livelihoods in the West rely on responsible use of our federal lands, including sufficient access for recreational hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities," Daines stated in his release. He added, "Roughly four million acres in the Rocky Mountain West are inaccessible to the public. Almost two million acres of public land in my home state of Montana alone are inaccessible, making resource development, recreation, and other revenue-raising activities difficult."

In the release, Daines also urged strong support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), noting the important role these programs play in protecting Montana's outdoors heritage and supporting Montana's economy.

Montana GOP notes Lewis Hypocrisy

Yesterday the Supreme Court decided that an individual's right to free speech should not be limited by how many different people they want to supreme court. Democrat Congressional candidate had some bad things to say about the ruling. Today the Montana Republican Party e-mailed a statement in response to John Lewis’ criticism of yesterday’s Supreme Court decision.

In their statement, the GOP points out the fact that John Lewis has accepted $68,100 from Political Action Committees and over$40,000 from lobbyists.

The Party goes on to say, “John Lewis hypocritically criticizes money in politics while raking in tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from lobbyists and special interest groups. Montana voters will see right through John Lewis’ faux outrage because he will be nothing more than a rubber stamp for President Obama’s failed agenda.”

In their release, the Montana Republicans also called attention to the irony of Lewis's remarks about money in politics, considering how Lewis responded when asked about all the cash flowing into his campaign war chest from the Washington, D.C. establishment: "I've got friends back there."

MTGOP: Walsh Foolish about Obamacare

The Montana Republican Party e-mailed a statement yesterday, in which they point out that the appointed Senator, Democrat John Walsh, has been attempting to trick Montanans into believing he's not an Obamacare supporter.

The statement notes the obvious contradiction between Walsh's current attempts to claim that "I don't know that you've ever heard me come out and say that I support the Affordable Care Act" and his past statements calling Obamacare "A good move" and saying "We need to move forward" with it.

Timed to coincide with April Fools Day, the statement said that, "The only one looking foolish is John Walsh."

Daines' New Ad: No Balanced Budget, No Pay

Steve Daines sent a press release today about his new ad. He says itt highlights his first bill in Congress, which works to bring accountability to Washington and get the nation’s spending under control by focusing on one simple principle: if you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid.

According to the release, the ad features Daines saying, “The very first bill I introduced was called the Balanced Budget Accountability Act. It says if Congress doesn’t balance the budget, then they shouldn’t get paid. No balanced budget, no paycheck.”


Per the release: Daines, who spent 28 years in business and helped grow RightNow Technologies into Bozeman’s largest commercial employer, adds: “In the real world, if you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid. But that’s not how it works in Washington.”
  
Daines' press release supplied this transcript of the ad:

Steve Daines: I’m Steve Daines. I spent 28 years in business, creating jobs.

In the real world, if you don’t do your job you don’t get paid. But that’s not how it works in Washington.

That’s why the very first bill I introduced was called the Balanced Budget Accountability Act. It says if Congress doesn’t balance the budget, then they shouldn’t get paid.

No balanced budget, no paycheck.

I’m Steve Daines and I approved this message because Washington needs accountability and some Montana commonsense.

Gianforte: High Tech Jobs Are For All Communities

Greg Gianforte, who founded a high-technology business that employs Montanans at excellent wages, today works on a project known as BetterMontanaJobs.com. He e-mailed in a blog post in which he discusses his travels to promote good jobs at high wages in the technology sector. 

"I have met some great folks," said Gianforte in his statement. "My message centered on how to create better jobs in every community and lift Montana out of 49th position in national wages."

In the blog post, Gianforte described how, when he and his wife moved to Bozeman, "People told us that it was not possible to create a global business here." He said sceptics of high tech industry in Montana cited lack of capital, lack of workers, and poor air and Internet service.

Today, Gianforte writes, the skeptics still rely on the same excuses why it can't be done. "My message is clear," he said. "Our success at RightNow is repeatable right here in your community."

Citizens for Balanced Use Urges, "Update the Endangered Species Act."

Citizens for Balanced Use sent a press release with the following statements in support of four bills that will be heard in a Tuesday, April 8th, U.S. House Natural Resources Committee meeting that aim to update the Endangered Species Act.

“These four, straightforward, bills are the beginnings of a much needed update to the Endangered Species Act,” Kerry White of Citizens for Balanced Use said in the release. “Making data available to the public online and allowing state, tribal and local data to be a part of the process of listing a species is common-sense if the real goal is to protect a species. State, local and tribal input is important because it’s the most raw, real-time form of information available from the ‘boots on the ground’ in areas of interest.”

He added, “For too long, the Endangered Species Act has been driven by litigation rather than sound science and management principles. These four bills not only add transparency to the process, but will reduce litigation and the cost of litigation to allow for more accountable and common-sense management.”  

Citizens for Balanced Use is a Montana-based 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting common-sense stewardship and local management of public lands. CBU was founded in 2004 and is a regional resource in educating the public on and advocating against “Wilderness area” designations and other issues that threaten the culture, people and the multiple use heritage of the West. More information can be found at Balanceduse.org.