Montana GOP Must Hold Rosendale and Candidates Accountable

MDP calls on Montana Republican Party to answer for recent leadership failures and commit to a respectable slate

Helena, MT — As the Montana Republican Party hosts its statewide convention this weekend, the Montana Democratic Party calls on opposition leadership to commit to integrity and accountability for its elected officials and prospective candidates.

The demand comes in the wake of incendiary votes recently cast by Representative Matt Rosendale, including a Tuesday vote against honoring members of the Capitol Police and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department with the Congressional Gold Medal for their work in defending the U.S. Capitol from violent insurrectionists, and a Thursday vote against recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Rep. Rosendale voted against these initiatives despite widespread bipartisan support for both measures in both chambers, citing questionable understandings of the values and histories behind each bill.

“Shame on Republicans for using ‘Back the Blue’ as a campaign slogan,” said Sandi Luckey, Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party. “Officers lost their lives on and around the events of January 6th, while Rep. Rosendale has pointedly refused to honor the sacrifices of those in uniform who fought for our country on American soil. When the Republican delegation in Washington, D.C. votes against an investigation, and our own representative votes against recognizing the brave policing done in defense of our democracy, citizens have to ask — who does the Republican party serve?”

As fringe behavior has become more widespread in the national Republican party, local conservative leadership is being looked toward to prevent further Montanans from falling victim to these baseless beliefs. Rep. Rosendale has been documented meeting with extremist groups, and candidate for the second congressional district in Montana, former Congressmember and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, has demonstrated a history of collaborations with conspiracy theorists, including retired Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely. It remains the responsibility of the Montana Republican Party to correct the derisive attitudes shown by their representatives towards men and women in uniform, and towards the civilians those individuals protect.

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