They Department Talk about religion at the constitutional religion, in fact, one of the only things they said was is that you didnt have to hold Public Office or you didnt have to believe in the bible or some form of christianity to hold Public Office. This took place during the colorado strike during 1913 and 14. Well visit the steel work center of the museum and talk with the cure rater about the colorado fuel and iron company. This is the shift change whistle for cf and i. The cspan tour of colorado, saturday at noon eastern on cspan2s book tv and sunday afternoon on American History tv on cspan 3 working with the cable affiliates and building cities across the country. Yellow stone public radio and its also being carried live on television on statewide as well as son radio by yellow stone public radio and northern broadcasting. Im Becky Hillier. And its my privilege to be the moderator for tonights debate. Im not here not only to keep time but to ensure each candidate gets an equal shot at the questions theyre asked. Its not the quantity of the questions were concerned about, rather this is the quality of the discussion that matters i think you can all agree. Both candidates have spent time preparing for this debate. It is fair that we allow to do what they came here to do. We asked this large and crowd to go ahead and be supportive of your candidate, however, we are here to hear from the candidate. We ask you refrain from anything that might distract from the candidates. They have a limited amount of time to address the issue that are presented to them. We want some we ask you hold your applause until the end of the debate. Again in order to maximize the amount of time each candidate has to answer the questions that they are being posed this evening. Now, it is time to meet our candidates. [ applause ]. Born and raised in montana. Hes proud of his record and says he continues to working to preserve the states public lands and streams. He and his wife suzanne raised all four of their children in montana started right now technology which grew to employ more than 500 people. Hes a lifetime member of the nra and is endorsed by the nra. The gun owners of america and the montana shooting association. Welcome candidates. Each candidate will be asked to question and well have 90 second to answer once the candidate has completed his answer. The next will answer the same question and there are no rebuttals. Let that sink in for a few seconds. Each will have a 90 second Opening Statement and its time to meet our panelist for this evening. The three who will take turns asking questions this evening, tom ludy. Jackie yamanaca, and greg lamont. Coin flip was done earlier this eveni evening. Thank you panelist and audience. Im running to be your next governor. I am a businessman and a job creator, not a career politician. And im running for one reason, to create more high wage jobs in montana so our kids dont have to leave. Im also running for emily and Devin Vincent who live in coal strip, have a young family and for all the families at home tonight who are wondering about where their jobs are going to come from in their future. Today were 49th in the country in wages and our kids are leaving. In large part because we have a failed administration weve seen layoffs across the state Columbia Falls and elsewhere. Weve seen two consecutive quarters declining economy. Coal is slated to be shutdown and revenues have fallen off a cliff and our surplus is gone. Weve also had a lack of accountability in State Government the Current Governor deleted all of his emails when he was attorney general and the department of commerce recently awarded a contract in a rigged process to an out source firm in wisconsin causing jobs to leave the state. I want to finish the thought. Im calling tonight on the governor to ask for the resignation for department of im sorry mr. Forte, your time is up. Thank you so much for hosting this event. Thanks for choosing us over monday night football. You know, every morning my wife and i drop our kids off at the same Public Schools that we went to. It serves the daily reminder to me as far as why i do what i want what i do each and every day. Montana was a gift for me growing up. I want to make sure that the next generation has every opportunity and more than i did. But i think were on the right path. More people are working in montana than ever before in our states history. Were number one in the nation for new business start ups, entrepreneurial activities four years in a row, just last week we heard that montana leads the nation in median household income. Weve certainly. Your time is up. Timing on the sidelines. There was no timer there when i started. Right. That timer did not start, so are we going by your clock, phil. Okay. I apologize that. I think that was a minute just watching him. I dont think. Why dont we give him 30 more second to finish, okay. 30 more seconds. Well get this timing down appropriately so thank you, phil. But 30 seconds, governor. Im sorry. Fundamental differences between my opponent and i. I dont want to be a state where a small group of people gets to make the rules to benefit them. I think at the end of the day our streams and rivers and public lands ought to be for the benefit for all of us, not just our checkbook who has the largest checkbook and ultimately equality education shouldnt be for the privilege. Weve made great progress, tonight ill be asked for your support for four more years to do so. Thank you gentlemen. Thank you for being forgiving for that and for the audience as well. Becky do i get my 30 seconds . Weve gotten the clock issue ready now. Were ready to go. Asking the first question now that the Opening Statements are finish. Tom will ask the first question. You have spent 1. 7 million, montana family foundation, focus on the family. Groups that oppose abortion, gay marriage as well as nondiscrimination ordinances in local communities. Who did you tell montana worried that the civil rights are at risk if youre elected. Well, tom, suzanne and i raised our four kids. Weve been incredibly blessed and weve prospered here in montana. Im a christian and i believe my faith calls me to share the blessing ive received. Thats why weve been generous with charities we want to help and improve other peoples lives. Thats a lot of reason why im running. Because montana does not have enough high wage jobs. We started a little business in our home and it grew to be the largest commercial employer there. And the message i was sent to all montanians is, too many of our kids had to leave and my sole purpose for running is to create jobs so we can keep our kids back here in montana and they can prosper. Did that answer your question, tom . No. We do to have the candidates clarify the answer. What did you tell civil and Constitutional Rights are at risk if youre elected. Well, i sort of feel like its an attack on our christianity and our core base. I would say that our First Amendment is very clear i will defend that right for every single montana. Thank you mr. Forte. And then the same question to you, governor, what would you tell montanians about their civil and Constitutional Rights if theyre reelected. Where we want every single individual to thrive. Ultimately my opponent when there was nondiscrimination ordinance actually said businesses will be more likely to locate their this isnt a values issue, this is an economic issue. Helped fund the group. 385 million impact to the community of charlotte alone, just last week, ncaa, acc, both decided theyre not coming, ultimately, to north carolina. This is not what we need. From my perspective this is a this is a discussion the values you bring in this office and you can see the values that i hold and bring in this office because youve had eight years to see. At the end of the day, we dont build a greater montana by tearing some people down. Should schools and faculty be allowed to carry fire arms in their classrooms . I think we use protection for public land. In my eight years in public service, our rights have expanded in montana have not been limited. I brought montana to the United StatesSupreme Court in that decision that actually recognized our Second Amendment as an individual right. The nra called me courageous. Ive worked with legislature to make sure that you can protect your home and your property bypassing and if youre concealed weapon permit holder. Make sure eye denty is protected. Ive never abandoned common sense with local Law Enforcement officers to protect our communities, come to me and say a bill or proposed law on my desk might end up causing concerns for them, their safety and their community, i listened. But by the same token, im not going to abandon our local Law Enforcement officers. Thats not what montana needs so those are the veto that i had. I stand by Law Enforcement and nobody is going to take your guns away. Well, i want to say very clearly, im a strong defender of the Second Amendment. But were hearing from a rhetoric no friend of gun owners. Ive been endorsed by the nra. Ive been endorsed by the gun owners of america and ive been endorsed by the montana shooting sports association. My opponent vetoed five gun rights six gun rights bill in the last two sessions i believe the Second Amendment is very clear. It says, our right to bear arms shall not be infringed and i think thats very clear nd i would defend the constitution on that. Your next question is to mr. Forte. You want to travel representing your state. You would agree that you would represent a state where theres a strong sense of family values deep sense of morality. This is ap issue that made its way to the national politics, have you ever been involved in an extramarital affair. I have not and i will say that suzanne and i have been married 28 years while weve raised our four children and those relationships are precious and its for the families all over by montana that im running. I think family is critically important. Its the building. Its just bed route of our society and this is why, you know, support family and, you know, i love my four kids and im working in large part so we can put families back together. This is why i promoted telecom muting as a way to bring our kids back together and many communities when i asked how many of you have kids that no longer live in the state often 7 70 or 80 of the hands go up. We need a stronger economy, jobs and opportunity are only created there and that will be my focus. Well put families back together. Thank you. My wife lisa, we first met when were in high school and just recently celebrated, i think we bumped into each other about 15 years after high sch l school. Thank you governor. Well go back to tom asking a question of mr. Bullock. Governor, in appointing your First Lieutenant governor john walsh to the u. S. Senate in 2014 you said and i quote, i wanted to appoint someone who i believe would represent the values montanas hold important. Plajerrism scandal. Ended the political career. It was the second time you vouched for the character, the first being when you chose him as replacement to run the state. Which of the episode teach montanians about your judgment . I certainly do know everything about that. John walsh has served our state and nation well. I think that probably both many people in the audience, as well as this be blown up by iud. I certainly respect service that he had, ied, you never know. Certainly respect his service variation. But at the end of the day, look. And from my perspective of a team, john walsh served both our state and our nation well, continues to serve our nation well. Im excited about mike, hes doing a lot of work with me on main stream montana project where well bring in about 250 businesses together to continue to advance this economy and have him working on it on a regular basis. Yeah, sure. 20,000 jobs created in that first four years, we know theres more to do. Jp morgan said, we know that theres more to do through the main streak project, were trying to focus on making sure all the employers have a pipeline of workers along the way. Thank you, gosh minor, i guess we can praise that question to you, what could montana expect from you as far as vetting people for different positions in your administration. Well leadership is critically important and i think its a sign of leadership you have to pick leaders well. Unfortunately my opponent is on his third Lieutenant Governor, unfortunately Lieutenant Governor walsh had to resign and disgrace over the plajerrism and then there was an issue with his second Lieutenant Governor where we havent ever gotten a fall explanation as to what happened. There was a meeting and clearly she was forced out but i dont think weve gotten a clear explanation. Weve had a commerce contract outsourced and give on the a family member. I think its important we bring accountable and fiscal responsibility back to the State Government. Im calling on the governor tonight to call for the department of commerces directors resignation because i think we need to bring accountability to State Government. He talked about being fiscally prudent and well, governor, balancing the budget is your job. Its a constitutional requirement, thats not a miraculous achievement. Youve increased spending at the state level by over 800 million. And our surplus is gone. I think fiscal responsibility and leadership are critically important in montana. [ applause ] thank you mr. Gianforte. The next question from jackie to mr. Gianforte. If the Montana Legislature sent you a bill to allow the citizens of a Montana Community to vote on a local option sales tax or expand the existing resort tax for larger communities, what action would you take . Jackie, ive now driven over 50,000 miles all over the state and one of the great joys has been staying in peoples homes, sitting around the kitchen tables and talking. As i visited with county commissioners, ive learned the way we found local governments is not working. G thats why im thrilled that Leslie Robinson is joining me on my ticket as Lieutenant Governor. Shes a fourth generation montanan and a county commissioner phillips county. We have county courthouses leaking. We have infrastructure, we need to find ways to fund these. Too much local tax has gone to helen helena. We need to find ways to fund local municipalities through infrastructure funding and other mechanisms. I dont think you get there with more taxes, though. [ applause ] so is that a veto . Id have to see the bill but im generally opposed to new taxes. All right, thank you mr. Gianfor gianforte. Governor . Hopefully well get to some of the statements my opponent made in his last statements but if he wants to talk about outsourcing, forbes said his company took outsourcing to a new level. In his own report to the investors he said one of theout. Indeed the cfo said he outsourced 700 jobs to other states, armenia and india. So im more than happy to talk about those contracts. To your specific question, though, about a local option sales tax. Ive been consistent throughout my career that i am against a general state sales tax period and that wont happen on my watch. Now i recognize even last legislative session the Billings Chamber of commerce, that was their numberone priority to say could they get a local option sales tax and allow, then, the citizens of billings to put a vote on that. Ive consistently in my two legislative sessions said, you know, i want to see a bill actually get to my desk, go through the process before ill say for the most part darn it im going to veto it or sign it. That didnt get out of the city. So as i said in the Billings Gazette they have a lot of work to do. But i think a good piece of it is that ultimately it would be the individuals who would be deciding it, not necessarily the legislature, whether there would be a tax. Time, thank you very much, governor. [ applause ] greg, the next question for governor bullock. Why should your opponent not be elected . [ laughter ] look, ultimately, thats up to the voters. I think we offer a fundamental difference in view. Montana was named the most fiscally prudent state in the country. Thats not me talking, thats j. P. Morgan. He would take that, give tax breaks to millionaires and outofstate corporations. Wed end up with youre right, no Rainy Day Fund because not even base infrastructure, education or other things could be paid for. I believe we should be an inclusive state. My opponent as actually said businesses would be more likely to locate here if they could discriminate. We have fundamental difference in values when it comes to our american indians. Almost 10 of our population, you dont build montana up by leaving our first montanans behind. We have fundamental different views on what the role of government can be. I think government can actually work with a private sector and create some real opportunities and i guess im not sure what he thinks the role of government ought to be as hes running to be the states chief executive. So i think there are some real differences across the board. But its up to the voters. Im pleased with many of the things weve been able to get done. Im pleased weve made record investments in education but seen record results. Im pleased were the number one state in the country when it comes to new businesses. Those are some of the things i want to continue working on. Thank you, governor. [ applause ] and the same question for you, mr. Gianforte. Well, honestly this is what you get from a career politician. You get a bunch of lies and unfortunately [ boos ] ive learned this is my first time in politics, running for Public Office. Ive always be