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.”