A political misstep to remember

Over the course of a career, you get to interview and meet thousands of interesting people. Some of their stories will haunt you for the rest of your life. Others will make you smile.

And once in awhile, you meet one of those people that you genuinely like. A person with a strong message that makes sense. A person that has a keen sense of community.

And yes, once in a blue moon, that person also turns out to be a politician. In the course of this humble career, I've met dozens of politicians. More than a few are less than impressive. Others are worse - simply mediocre humans with thinly-veiled agendas, they look to gain office to pass laws that help themselves or, at best, a select few.

But that's not always the case. When I met Ryan Zinke a few years back, he struck me as genuine and, more importantly, unique in a sea of voices that too often wallow in rancor without really accomplishing anything.

When he ran for the state senate in 2008, he described himself as a "Teddy Roosevelt Republican" - a Republican with conservative fiscal values, but also one who appreciated Montana's vast and wild open spaces. It was a refreshing take that made Zinke stand out from the crowd.

When he got to Helena, he made some promises and kept his word. He said he wouldn't allow secondary school funding to be slashed, and while it didn't see any great increases, it wasn't cut to the bone either.

When members of his own party wanted to privatize the Montana Veterans Home, Zinke, a decorated Navy SEAL Commander, said over his dead body.

This spring, Zinke gained the national spotlight when Osama bin Laden was taken out by Navy SEALS - the same unit he once led.

Political campaigns are all about momentum, and I thought for sure Zinke, with his success at the legislative level, his statewide exposure over the bin Laden capture and his ability to reach across party lines and get things done, would run for governor.

But he didn't. He teamed up with Neil Livingstone and will run on the ticket as lieutenant governor.

Lieutenant governor? Huh? Zinke's career hasn't been defined by backup rolls. A lieutenant governor goes to luncheons and bake sales. It just seems out of character.

Livingstone also seems like a far more conservative candidate than Zinke. While they both tout cutting taxes, I'm not sure eliminating the corporate income tax in Montana is the right move. Does Wal-Mart really need a tax break?

This campaign might be interesting to watch, but it will forever make me wonder what could have been ... rather than what will be.