This is an hour. The Montana Television network in partnership with the montana cbs. This is campaign 2014, the house today. Made possible thanks to support from the Greater Montana Foundation, the Greater Montana Foundation on a biased broadcasting pioneer supporting communication on issues, friends and values of importance to all montanans. Debate night here on the Montana Television network. We thank you for tuning in tonight. I am subzero moderating tonight. Look at the house or something republican ryan zinke and republican john lewis. The two candidates met in a radio debate this week in billings, but tonight is the only televised facetoface debate between the two candidates that we know of at this speaking. Would like to welcome our ideas tonight statewide on the Montana Television station. Also statewide on montana pbs stations across the state of montana and also going nationwide on cspan. So wherever viewers tune in we welcome you to montanas u. S. House today. Just a few ground rules to go over. We will have no open daybeds tonight. The candidates will be answering questions from our panelists. 60 seconds for those answers in each candidate will then have a 302nd rebuttal. Two minutes for a closing statement and take a one minute break midway through. Quick ground rules for ideas. We are here for the Riverside Country Club in bozeman with campaign friends, families on both sides of the aisle. We ask everyone to hold their applause to the end we are all adults will not answer her cell phone through this debate as well. Our first introduction first of all for republican nominee ryan zinke. Ryan, nice to see you here. Her generation on tnn. He is a standout athlete at whitefish high school. He was a standout in several sports. He went to the university of oregon on athletic scholarship earning a degree in geology, bacher science degree. Hes had a 23 year career with the military and the u. S. Navy seals. In 2008 was elected to the Montana State senate for each heard the Education Committee in a couple years ago ran for lieutenant governor. He is also ceo of at a Consulting Firm that specializes in advanced technology for aerospace and oil and gas. He and his wife lida had three children. Brian, welcome tonight. Zinke great to be here. Moderator john is a fourthgeneration montana. 10 minutes wife have two children. John was born in billing, magic city boy raised in billions in missoula. Most recently served as state director for max baucus, a position he held for four years, supervising a staff of 20. Hes a graduate of Western Washington University with a degree in Political Committee patients paired his top legislative compos mentis tackling veterans and employment issues and helping montanan communities which are the bureaucratic red tape for Flood Disaster following the 2011th 11 montana. Good to see you tonight. Its my pleasure to introduce you to our panel who will be asking candidate questions. First we welcome someone on this end of our panel questions. John is thrown ktvq. She also worked prior to that for many years at cnn in atlanta and wanted me to tell you she also has several overtures to work or foxes wild during those years. Net and i started our television careers together lets just say many decades ago at a Small Television station in helena montana. Jill valley is from kpax tv. Shes been anchoring the news for 22 years. She is a sixtime montana broadcaster of the year. Good to see you tonight. Last but certainly not least of my coanchor at ktvq in billings. He is welcome Jeanelle Slade. A twotime broadcaster of the year. Went from college cometh in a few years a few years another exciting communications and Public Relations but we welcome her back a couple years ago so that is our panel tonight. I get the first question. Sorry that took as long as they did. John lewis we flipped coins and you get the first question. It comes from me. As we speak, congress has an 8 approval rating. The calling card of congress is partisan group is a donothing congress on steroids this past congress. My question is why the world do you want to join the existing group and what do you bring to the table to change this culture in washington that has our country sat on hold. Lewis sure come a thank you very much come into a few thank you this debate and welcome donna and jill and chanel for being panelists. When i first came to this event i talked about my past experience is and things i learned while working on legislation trying to help veterans another experience i have fighting for montanans. I respect your past your past experiences, but im more interested in the future, ideas you have to get Congress Working for montana. And how are you going to be part of the solution. That was great advice. We have run a campaign on montana ideas. We have really planned for agriculture, energy, public lands and that is what i want to see congress do its work on solutions to move montana forward. Its true. Congress has about 9 approval rating. I read somewhere that crop urges than the canals have a higher standing to 9 . We can do better than not. Im a concerned father. Two young kids and concerned about their future and i want to see Congress Work together again on solutions. That is why i run. Moderator brian are you sure you still want this job . Zinke welcome of 21st century we will have to earn it. I wear the navy still on my chest. In our country, we have to relearn how to earn our liberty in an economy that we cannot jobson obtain the American Dream. Its about the American Dream and families. In montana we struggle. Our nation struggles. Notice the government. Nor does congress or the administration. We have to restore trust. A have to make sure the economy as proper as and the debate will highlight different contrast between candidate and the choice will be clear. Moderator any rebuttal for either one . Lewis like i said focuses on ideas on the future. So far in the campaign i have heard are a little about ideas for my opponent. Ive heard about what he was doing in 1888. This race is not about 1988. Ive heard he loves america and we all love america in montana. And i look forward to hearing his ideas about how we are going to strengthen public lands in this country. If you want to see obamacare affordable character field what is your plan for ensuring millions of americans that dont have insurance in this country including 179000 montanans. What is the plan . Thats out forward to hearing. Moderator rai in. Zinke lets talk about the dead. Your plan about selling used cars and abandoned buildings and cutting rational pay is a joke. Its not even a rounding error. If we want to get serious about restoring america we have to address the debt. If they do support the ryan plan. Theres a lot they dont agree with it. I think we can do it without challenging in eliminating and cutting medicare. We can do about Social Security. We can do without cutting education. I do think we have to address the challenges and not put our head in the sand. Its been too long since we put our head in the sand and i think we can Work Together. Democrats and republicans, independents to carve out a Better Future as everyone knows were in trouble. So are we going to ignore the problems are actually address them . I will talk about addressing the issues. Lets get right to it. Donna kelly with the first question. [inaudible] theres been a firestorm over land him in this book just came out a day in a half ago or so when everybodys talking about a democratic congressman was a former cia director in the Obama Administration, a former secretary of defense and he is lay in the square at the feet of the administration, the Obama Administration for not getting them to negotiations with iraqi Prime Minister maliki so we have to leave. Ill get to that question with you, mr. Lewis. Lets talk about your military background. How long do we say if maliki will not let us stay there. Who is going to pay for . Lewis just question im not. I was electing to enter iraq because my daughter is a navy diver. My soninlaw is a navy seal. No one more luck than to go to war than me. If you go to war you make sure you go to worsen when they get a rule of engagement so our troops in harms way can and will win. In the case of leaving we not only left early. We left without an agreement coming status of forces agreement and that should not be overlooked. That one agreement allows soldiers. They get prosecuted if they are allegedly connected something wrong under our judicial system. Without a status of forces agreement, soldiers, sailors airmen and marines could get prosecuted under islamic law or if a pilot errors in high school auto Damage Committee could be prosecuted perhaps for murder rather than use cmj. Control and status and stability look at what is happening today. We are going to fight isis. I would rather fight in the deserts of iraq in the streets of america and its already here. As the gal from great falls who had her head severed if you could ask a case that is isis. [inaudible] through the negotiations. There were multiple opportunities to stay. There were multiple opportunities for the administration to get involved and they chose not to. There was multiple opportunities to check isis at the beginning we chose not to. This is what happens when you need from the rear and not the front because the United States does not lead, no one else will. Moderator would you have supported when they said we have to pull out, we dont have anything on paper and then its progress to this point. Every playing catchup in the game riding isis with airstrikes in trying to get the territory where he spent a lot of blood and treasure on . Zinke this faith give americans as the number one priority. Isis does not share our values made no regard for human life. We need to learn from the mistakes of the last 12 years of nation building in iraq. When i hear id rather fight a war the deserts of iraq in here at home i think that is a simplistic way of looking at the problem. They estimate 1 billion muslims in this world. They are not all that region. Out of that 1 billion they say about 15 are islamic extremists. 15 is 150 million islamic extremists. The idea we can bomb our way out of this problem is not realistic to me. Or both of you come airstrikes to gain back some of the ground isis is taken, but will there be boots on the ground . Lewis i support doing whatever we need to do to keep americans safe and security is our priority. That is what i said first. We need to be thoughtful about our approach. Number one, Congress Needs to debate this issue and off their ice force, but still the constitutional responsibility. How much will it cost . What is the budget . What is the endgame . I dont think the correct for sponsors to instantly say we need to put troops on the ground. Zinke my opponent called for economic sanctions against isis. Semieconomic sanctions against a nonnation state. Maybe we should perhaps write a word of letter. The issue is isis is a danger. You have to have a threepronged approach. You have to shut down our southern border. Our southern border is no labor and immigration issue. Its a security and immigration threat that can build a panama canal and an 18th century can build the 21st. Unfortunately, it will call for america to lead and you cannot control isis by air alone. In the words of general conway fourstar marine corps there is a snowballs chance in that their operations will work and i agree. Secondly limit our Ground Forces to special forces, to supply and the poor. Make sure coalitions we choose our watched inefficiently trained and limit our involvement, but make sure isis is destroyed. Quick followup because no one answered. You party that to worsen a credit card. Would you be blind to support a war tax to support his donna set perpetual war . Lewis is to clearly different approaches on this issue. I am fain would need to be thought all and responsible. A letter will not get the job done. This is somebody who called for invading mexico a few weeks ago because we have an american in deal in tijuana. That is not the kind of judgment i want representing me and congress. The instant reaction to the president s announcement that we would have airstrikes was lets send in more troops. He also said a couple years ago that when the president women should serve in combat roles in this country he said that is nearly certain to cause live, women serving in combat roles. That is not the judgment we need in congress and its a good question. How much is this going to cost . A nice to be debated in congress in authorized. Rebuttal ryan. Had we pay for this . Zinke we pay for it by having a strong economy. A navy cost money. Ridges, schools infrastructure, they all cost money paying for medicare Social Security. We need a robust economy. John i know you didnt serve come in the tiramisu is a marine is a marine that has been languishing in a prison in mexico for over six months. Every man woman and i served both and ive commanded both. Everybody deserves in this country im not sure america has her back. When america doesnt have their back like a dusty, like mexico what happens is this sends a signal to every veteran fighting you know what, america will not be there. I did not advocate invading mexico. Added the president doing his duty by all available means to get together erring that. [applause] the question goes to jill valley. Talking about money a little bit. You criticized mr. Zinke for taking money outside the state. [inaudible] while jon tester got 80 of his money and is also captive. Lewis the reason ive taken over 70 of the money it raised in this race for montanans is because it is unusual and im is unusual and im proud of that very proud. I worked very hard to raise in finance the campaign for montana. [applause] is the difference between the way it done in the way my opponent has done it. He has raised most of his money from california, texas and florida, three states. Those three states combined have 100 xt and representatives in congress. We have one. One representative. I said from the beginning will run a Montana Campaign and financed by montana. I include contributions from all 56 counties. I am very proud of that record and comparing it to the 2012 election is comparing apples and oranges. Imagine 50 million spent in montana in the senate race alone. Thats disgusting to most montanans. We will keep doing what were doing focusing on monday in ideas and focusing on running a montana recently announced by montanans. [applause] zinke im not going to apologize for having a national stage. I wont apologize for having different states and coalitions between different congressmen. The fact is this. I have 18000 donors, most of them are small donors. That 18,000 donors compared to about three represents veterans in seniors they share a common idea that america is exceptional. Do i like the fact you have to reach outofstate . No. Max baucus had about 90 . No one criticizes that. But the fact of the matter is having a National Platform means you can do national things. You can reach in to coalition because we only have one congressmen in the state of montana. One out of 435 is not a lot of votes. Youll need coalitions, friendships, relationships based on american exceptional. Moderator next question goes to Jeanelle Slade. This is for mr. Zinke. Addressbook most of Montana Voters have seen the two of you on television in political ads. Mr. Zinke in one of your ads you repeatedly referenced are milestones in life versus john lewis age. All of your milestones getting through your life as he was growing up. Can you help that with the message you are trying to get across in this bad. Zinke more leadership, less politics. I have an mba ms and finance. Being a naval officer is more than just leaving troops in the economy. Its also looking at challenging complex problems and finding solutions that are real. I sat down with warlords and a great backandforth on solutions. I can certainly sit down between democrats and republicans as they did in the senate to find real solutions. You continually bring up his age. You feel because youre older you make a better leader. The older someone is a better leader they are . Zinke i agree if theres a comparison, theres a positive campaign. Ive had a lot of experience. Ive done a lot of things in my life. Ive been more than a washington staffer. Ive been more than in politics. Ive been a business guy. I understand the private side. Ive been an educator understand education curriculum. Most of our knowhow to solve problems because the conversation in our country are large and daunting, but they are fixable. We created them we can fix them. Moderator john lewis rebuttal. Lewis ages arbitrary. What you stand for and why he went for this position is not. If you run against Teddy Roosevelt and tell them he was too him he was too young to mendicants Ronald Reagan would tell them he was too old. I cant do anything about the fact i was born in 1978. But my experience is very relevant to what were trying to do here. Ive worked on legislation mvc helping veterans. Ive are nonissues right here in montana. Ive been in all 56 counties have six counties up six counties helping seniors get a Social Security check. That experience is very relevant. Go back to what i said in the beginning here. This election is about the future, what ideas you have for the future, not what you are doing in the 80s and 90s. [applause] moderator followup as long as theres talking about the congressional line. Ryan zinke, can we agree that now that john lewis did not break the Affordable Care act