For Lewis

The two Montana candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives are as different as day and night, and they have been eagerly telling us so with campaign advertisements.

According to those ads, Ryan Zinke spent his adult life in foreign countries as a member of the U.S. Navy. The U.S. Congress employed John Lewis in Montana working with Montanans to solve problems. We are grateful to both for their service. Which of their experiences would better serve us in the U.S. House?

I count both candidates as friends. Their personalities, according to their ads, are very different.

John Lewis is a bit of a rarity as a political candidate. Calm and curious, Lewis is a good listener. He is essentially a person who cares deeply about the issues. He tempers that with the knowledge that listening and cooperation are essential ingredients in public life, particularly in today’s dangerously dysfunctional Congress.

Ryan Zinke is smart, innovative and friendly but very quick to show his understandable pride in his naval accomplishments — chest medals and all. We take it that his career was dangerous, perhaps remarkable, while also knowing that most veterans, and particularly Navy SEALs, do not promote their military duties.

Without malice toward my former colleagues, I believe the current Congress is replete with presumption, self-importance, and absolutism that have reduced it to impotence. Montanans can help change this problem by electing a person who is thoughtful, cooperative, self-effacing and a good listener — remember Mike Mansfield?

I believe those are the attributes of John Lewis, and so I’m for him.

Pat Williams

Missoula

Nine-time congressman from Montana.