HELENA — Incumbent Republican Greg Gianforte, Democrat Ryan Busse and Libertarian Kaiser Leib will appear on the ballot for Montana’s Governor this year. MTN talked with Gianforte in Helena and asked where he stands on certain key issues and discussed his time in the Governor’s Office.
In his first term as Governor, Gianforte prioritized making Montana more “business-friendly” and cut back what he believes are unnecessary regulations. The former tech-industry entrepreneur from Bozeman has touted hundreds of millions of dollars in tax rebates and longer-term tax reductions passed during the 2023 Montana legislative session. Gianforte’s running mate is lawyer Kristen Juras.
Watch MTN's full 30-minute interview with Greg Gianforte
“I ran for two reasons. One, to create an environment where entrepreneurs can create more good-paying jobs and secondly to protect our way of life. We are making great progress,” Gianforte told MTN.
Greg Gianforte grew up in Pennsylvania and got his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a Master’s in Computer Science from Stevens Institute, the same school his father attended. He met his wife Susan, who is also an engineer, at the donut table of a Red Cross blood drive when they both worked for Bell laboratories. In 1995 the Gianfortes moved to Bozeman and raised their four children there. They started five companies while in Montana, including RightNow Technologies which was later sold for $1.5 billion.
Montana elected Gianforte to Congress in 2017 and then as Governor in 2020.
“I think he is really good at managing people, motivating them, encouraging them and celebrating their successes. He just is really good about putting a team together that’s very highly functioning and the results follow with good people,” said Susan Gianforte.
CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS
- Interview: Ryan Busse
- Interview: Greg Gianforte
- Interview: Kaiser Leib
A top issue for many Montanans is property taxes. Many homeowners across the state saw sharp increases in what they owed following the last legislative session.
Critics have accused Governor Gianforte and the Legislature of not reducing the state tax multiplier as previous administrations had done to curb the increase in property taxes, pointing to a November 17, 2022 memo from the Department of Revenue to the Revenue Interim Committee.
“That is not accurate, that is not the proposal that came to me from the Department of Revenue,” said Gianforte.
According to Gianforte if he had done what those critics suggested it would have defunded schools and increased property taxes on farms and ranches.
Gianfote also drew attention when his property taxes on his Helena property went down while all of his neighbors saw an increase, and his Bozeman property saw a smaller increase compared to neighboring lots.
“The professionals at the Department of Revenue go out and assess property. They did a good job and when they sent out the bills I paid my bill,” Gianforte said. “But I would agree that property taxes are too high and this is why we made it a priority and delivered, really, the largest property tax rebate in state history.”
Gianfote says those rebates, a combined $1,350 over the past two years, were a one-time fix and more work needs to be done. If re-elected, he aims to work with the 2025 Legislature to address the issue.
Housing has been a top priority for the Gianforte administration, with the Governor creating the Housing Task Force to study the issue and present recommendations.
“Housing affordability is probably the biggest issue facing working families in Montana,” noted Gianforte. “This is why we formed the Housing Task Force and it’s why and I’m proud of the leadership we’ve had nationwide on this topic.”
This fall Montanans will be voting on access to abortion through CI-128, which would enshrine abortion rights in the state’s constitution. While Governor, Gianforte has signed several laws that would limit abortion in the state. MTN asked Gianforte what he would do as governor if abortion rights were codified this November.
“Yes. I think the will of the people is preeminent,” Gianforte explained. “I personally am pro-life. I believe life is precious… This is a very sensitive issue that gets into a very intimate relationship between women and their doctors and I think we need to approach this with compassion and consensus.”
Gianforte is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. MTN joined the Governor to tour Olympus Arms, a Helena firearms manufacturer, and saw him demonstrate their Vulcan rifle. As Governor, Gianforte signed a law prohibiting local and state law enforcement from enforcing federal firearm bans. He’s received favorable ratings from firearms lobbying organizations like the NRA.
“I’m pro 2nd Amendment. Montana is a 2nd Amendment state,” Gianforte said. “I’m proud that we have 150 firearms and manufacturers here, more per capita than any state in the country.”
The 2023 Legislature saw a Republican supermajority and a record amount of bills passed. Of the 804 bills sent to the Governor’s desk, Gianforte signed 767 into law. If re-elected, Gianforte says one of his first priorities will be to work with legislative leadership from both parties.
“I think everyone needs to have a voice at the table. I’m about building consensus and finding a path forward that’s right for Montana. And I truly believe that as Montanans, regardless of party affiliation, we have more in common than separates us. We just need to be able to listen well, and understand where someone is coming from,” said Gianforte.
The general election is Tuesday, November 5. More information about voting locations and voter status can be found on the Secretary of State's website.
