Rob Quist has made public lands a major focus of his campaign for Montana’s House seat, citing his own love of the land he grew up camping and hiking and kayaking on as well as the economic importance of public land to the state’s tourism and recreation industries. Public lands are also an issue that has special resonance against Quist’s Republican opponent, Greg Gianforte, who lost last year’s gubernatorial race in part because of his history fighting the public part of public lands:
Gianforte's property abutted the East Gallatin River outside Bozeman and included an easement long used by locals for fishing. (The easement was granted through an agreement with the property's previous owner.) Gianforte argued that the easement was ruining his property and sued the state of Montana to have to have the area closed off. He eventually reached a compromise with the state, but the dispute fed into Bullock's narrative. It was one thing to campaign on the fear that Republicans would try to limit public access to public lands, but it was far easier when Gianforte had actually tried to do it.
"Montanans have been locked in a battle against wealthy out-of-state land owners buying up land and blocking access to places Montanans have literally enjoyed for generations," [Gov. Steve] Bullock said at the time. He hammered Gianforte's river-access suit in speeches and ads.
That issue has not stopped being relevant, as Mother Jones’ Tim Murphy reports. Not only has Quist run an ad (watch it below) in which he walks along the path Gianforte tried to block access to, saying “You shouldn't have to be rich to get outdoors in Montana,” but public lands have been a major issue in the western resistance to Donald Trump:
After President Trump's inauguration, fears grew that public lands would come under threat. In late January, one week after the Helena women's march drew record crowds to the capitol grounds, 1,000 demonstrators, organized by a coalition led by the Montana Wilderness Association, crowded inside the capitol building with luminaries such as Bullock, Tester, and Hilary Hutcheson, a fly-fishing guide who hosts a popular TV show on Trout TV. They had a specific concern in mind: that the Trump administration would sign off on a push by congressional Republicans to sell off public lands.
Similar events, dubbed "Public Lands in Public Hands," were held across the West—500 people in Santa Fe; 200 in Boise. A few days later, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who had sponsored the sell-off proposal, backed down. "I hear you and HR 621 dies tomorrow," he wrote in an Instagram post.
Gianforte is trying to play catch-up, portraying himself as a big fan of public land, but his credibility on this front is low and Quist is making sure to drive the point home.
The election is this Thursday, May 25. Volunteer to help Rob Quist get out the vote!