Whether you’re fly fishing the Flathead River in Glacier National Park or hiking the ridge of Bridger Bowl on a powder day, the views you glimpse are a sure indication that Montana is a state packed with adventure.
Montana is home to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. Though he claims he’s seen global warming happening, witnessing glaciers recede while eating lunch in the Park, he doesn’t seem to have carried the need for climate action with him to DC. We can’t afford to have another lawmaker leave Montana for Capitol Hill without climate change in mind.
Right now, the state has implemented a law called the ‘Hoot Owl’ rule, which says it’s illegal– that’s right, illegal– to fish Montana’s rivers after 2 pm. Why? In the summer, the waters are simply too warm, which is bad for fish habitat as warm waters increase the likelihood that a fish will die when you toss it back. Climate change is literally dictating when you can and can’t fish in the Big Sky State.
It’s clear that climate change has had a real impact on the state of Montana. We want to assure whoever heads to DC to represent the state in the Senate will take this duty seriously.
Matt Rosendale (R)
Matt Rosendale is the current State Auditor of Montana. A rancher and a former member of the Montana State Senate, Rosendale is running to be the next Senator of the Big Sky State.
Jon Tester (D)
Jon Tester is the current Senator representing Montana on Capitol Hill and is running to keep his seat. A farmer and former school teacher, Tester was first elected to the Senate in 2007 after serving in the Montana State Senate.