Even before COVID-19 arrived in Montana, Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney was working with Gov. Bullock and medical experts to develop a strategy to protect Montanans. As a result, we are better off than many other states. This is the kind of experience that distinguishes Cooney from his opponent in the governor’s race, Greg Gianforte.
Cooney has dealt with this crisis hands-on while Gianforte flirts with fiction and politics. He downplayed the danger of the virus early on and promotes herd immunity. This is a discredited strategy that would sacrifice 10,000 Montana lives, suggesting that these lives mean little to Gianforte, a multimillionaire whose wealth has isolated him from the hardships and challenges of ordinary Montanans.
Ongoing research shows that COVID-19 is highly contagious and that it can kill even healthy young people as well as the old. We know that wearing masks and maintaining distance can greatly reduce transmission. Yet, Gianforte cannot bring himself to offer leadership that recognizes these facts.
As governor, Mike will continue to consult science and public health experts to make sure Montanans remain healthy while working with Republicans and Democrats to ensure Montana’s economy emerges stronger and more resilient than ever before.
Roger Breeding
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 10/22/20