Substance and style
'Tis the season—the political season that is. In the months ahead we will doubtlessly be bombarded by the hopes, dreams, promises, and commitments of current and aspiring politicians. I am one of the latter—a Republican candidate for Senate District 5. I recognize that it is a tiresome process, but it is made much less so by the knowledge that it is a vital component of the best system history has yet produced under which free people can determine their collective fate.
Substance and style are important components of this process.
As for substance, I am a lifelong Republican committed to private property rights, the Second Amendment, sanctity of life, small government, affordable health care, the belief that economic development benefits us all, and the knowledge that our future is directly tied to the education of our children. Further, "Handshake for Montana," the recently released platform statement of our Legislature's Republican Caucus, best captures legislative initiatives that a Republican majority in both houses will move forward to best meet Montana's needs. Caucus members will introduce legislation to reduce our ballooning property taxes, increase funding for k-12 education and provide a tax credit for teachers, improve Montana's business climate, establish a comprehensive ethics bill, eliminate the water tax and put in place strong and punitive sexual-predator legislation. When you elect me as the next state senator from District 5, I will sponsor and support legislation to accomplish these most worthy goals.
Style too is important as it is a fair bet that successful legislative candidates will bring their campaign style to their legislative office, and it will strongly influence their ability to successfully represent their constituency on matters of substance.
My style will be to represent all Senate District 5 constituents fairly, honestly and with a focus on what is good for our region and State—and that means working with everyone to make it happen. In 2004, my wife Janet and I worked hard to elect a great Republican as our governor. We contributed all the law would allow and along with many others, I spent many hours with our candidate on the campaign trail. It did not work. Brian Schweitzer was elected. When he took the oath of office, he became our governor—mine too. I was disappointed as his solutions to Montana's challenges were different than mine. And though I eagerly await the very first opportunity to replace him with a good Republican, I will not root for his failure nor will I try to engineer it. If he fails our state fails, and none of us win except for those who put their own interest above that of the citizens of this state—and in the end, they lose as well.
Instead, I will work very hard to pursue your interests in Helena. I will do so from a commitment to conservative values and with the firm belief that when the election dust settles, good legislators seek to represent the interests of all their constituents. And perhaps most important, I will do it with great humility recognizing that the democratic process wisely embraces diverse people with diverse views.
So that is my substance, style and my first promise—to represent the interests of Senate District 5 constituents as fairly and honestly as I possibly can. So, as the season progresses, watch for style and substance in all of our races as both are crippling handicaps for those who lack them.
Don Loranger
Bigfork
Loranger is a Republican candidate for Senate District 5