Zinke, Juneau reach out to rural voters in first debate

FRAZER — It didn’t take long for U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau to spar over who is a bigger advocate for Indian Country in a debate held here Monday night.

In what tribal leaders said was the first debate between candidates for Montana’s lone seat in Congress held on the Fort Peck reservation, Juneau worked to characterize Zinke as out of touch with Montana’s tribes and the state as a whole, while Zinke said Juneau has lied about him and his record during this election cycle.

Rural focus

In the elementary school gym packed with about 200 people, the candidates fielded questions with a decidedly tribal and rural Montana flavor — health care and veterans affairs were key topics, but moderators and the audience also asked about management of bison herds, sage grouse, rural water compacts and the meth epidemic on Montana’s reservations.

Juneau, who grew up in Browning and is an enrolled member of the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes, played to what felt like a home field advantage. She said the Fort Peck tribe has given her its full support.

Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/zinke-juneau-reach-out-to-rural-voters-in-first-debate/article_b6a690a4-89d6-5753-aaa7-472c6bef7f34.html