Zinke defends his conservative credentials

I have been a Republican my entire life. But I am growing increasingly concerned about the future of our Grand Old Party.

Recently, several prominent party members and former leaders have taken it upon themselves to apparently develop a purity or litmus test for our party. In doing so, they have begun to cast aspersions at anyone whom they feel does not meet their test of “Republicanism.” This is unfortunate because they have resorted to attacking with rumor, innuendo and unsubstantiated accusations.

While I have never violated any campaign law, I find it ironic that election officials have ruled that these “purity party” members have violated several campaign laws. They have been forced to return donations, fined for improper financial reporting and chastised for making illegal “robocalls.” This is not the Republican Party I grew up in, or the Republican Party that Ronald Reagan restored to greatness.

I want to make it clear that I publicly supported Rick Hill in his unsuccessful race for governor, and I would have supported Ken Miller had he won the Republican primary for governor. So it is disappointing to have to endure these sorts of attacks from people I know and respect.

My record is clear, and I believe I am the candidate that will best serve Montana. I am the candidate with the education, credentials and experience to best represent all the interests of this great state in Washington, D.C.

I have a bachelor’s degree in geology, an MBA in finance and a master’s degree in global leadership. I have served as dean of the Naval Special Warfare graduate school, with a staff of more than 250 educators that provided 43 college-level courses to more than 2,500 students at 15 locations worldwide. I have led men in hundreds of combat operations and was awarded two bronze stars for combat. I fully understand how the world works, in all its complexities.

I believe America is a great and grand land. I believe America can regain the exceptionalism that made her so great and grand. My family values are derived as a third-generation Montanan whose grandmother taught in a one-room schoolhouse near Richey.

I am proud to be pro-life and am the only candidate in this race that has carried right-to-life legislation. I support the Second Amendment. I serve as a director of the Montana Firearms Institute.

I support jobs and economic development in Montana by supporting energy development and the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, because I know America’s security depends on energy independence. I am the chief executive officer of a consulting firm that specializes in advanced technology for the industries of aerospace, oil and gas, and national security.

And finally, after reviewing and vetting all the candidates in this race for Montana’s lone congressional member, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has given me their endorsement as the candidate best suited to represent main street Montana business.

It is my hope that we can move beyond petty party bickering and all the nastiness that comes with that. I offer and pledge to Montana that I will provide less politics and more leadership, to move us all forward in this great state to a more secure and prosperous future.

Ryan Zinke, of Whitefish, a former Montana state senator, is running in the Republican primary for Montana’s lone U.S. House seat.