REPLACING:

Matt Rosendale (R) [i]

WORK HISTORY:

New York University (Research Scientist, Instructor); WebCal, Inc (Founder); Waterside Productions (Author); Yahoo! Inc (Technical Yahoo!); U.S. Air Force (Aviator, Combat Search and Rescue); ARI Financial Services; SAGE Insurance Servicing (Manager / Founder); Cardiff Craft (Partner); DeFeet International (Co-Owner and Advisor); AC Self Storage Solutions (Chief Executive Officer); WildRye Distilling (Partner); Office of the Montana State Auditor (Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance) [ii]

EDUCATION:

New York University; Goethe Institute [iii]

CAMPAIGNED ON:

Lowering Taxes; Reducing Inflation; Support for Veterans

ON THE ISSUES

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

During the campaign, Downing said that he is in favor of a federal ban on abortion, arguing, “A fundamental right we all have is life.” [iv]

IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY:

As a candidate, Downing argued, “we need to restructure our asylum rules,” contending, “If we don’t have the manpower nor facilities to timely process asylum requests, we must stop seekers at the border.” He supports reinstating “Title 42 type laws,” ensuring “our system is not overrun,” and allocating resources through Congress “for the construction of physical barriers where necessary, [to] deploy advanced surveillance technology, and increase the number of border patrol agents to effectively secure our borders.” [v]

ECONOMY & JOBS:

To combat inflation, Downing called for Congress to “stop printing money,” arguing, “We will feel the pain from the tremendous amount of money printed, loaned, and forgiven during the Covid pandemic.” To further exhibit “fiscal restraint,” he advocated for “cut[ting] spending, cap[ping] borrowing, and eliminate[ing] inefficient government programs.” He also supports promoting “domestic production of essential goods,” energy independence, and other policies that “stimulate economic growth.” [vi]

TAXES:

Downing advocates for “reducing tax burdens on job-creating businesses” and against forgiving debt. He has called for “Empowering individuals and families through targeted tax relief and incentivizing workforce participation will provide much-needed relief and support to Montana residents.” [vii]

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY:

When asked during the campaign about how to reduce crime, Downing said it can be “drastically” reduced by “stopping cartels, drug-runners, and human traffickers from crossing our porous Southern border and setting up operations in tribal communities.” He called for increased funding for “law enforcement, training, and resources to improve public safety and combat crime in tribal communities.” [viii]

CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT:

During the campaign, when asked how Congress should address climate change, Downing contended, “Congress should get out of the way and allow the private sector to innovate and find market-based solutions.” He is in favor of American energy independence and domestic energy production to ensure “affordable and reliable energy for American families.” [ix]

FOREIGN POLICY:

Downing has called for the elimination of Hamas and for the U.S. to “continue to stand with Israel.” [x]

HEALTHCARE & SOCIAL SAFETY NET:

Downing believes that Congress should “take steps to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of Social Security and Medicare” by promoting “fiscal responsibility and address[ing] the underlying factors contributing to financial challenges facing Social Security and Medicare.” He called on Congress to “prioritize policies that encourage personal responsibility and empower individuals to save and plan for their retirement healthcare needs,” such as Health Savings Accounts and 401(k) plans. He is also in favor of exploring healthcare solutions such as “telemedicine and value-based care models.” [xi] He has previously called for repealing the Affordable Care Act and letting “the free market work.” [xii]

DEMOCRACY:

Regarding campaign funding and transparency, Downing said he believes in “upholding the integrity of our electoral process while ensuring transparency and fairness in campaign funding.” He called for prioritizing “efforts to enforce existing campaign finance laws effectively.” He also expressed support for legislation to “strengthen ethics rules, improve campaign finance disclosure, and reduce the influence of special interests in policy making.” [xiii]

SOCIAL ISSUES:

In a campaign video, Downing stated, “We must keep the radical transgender agenda out of our classrooms, out of our military and out of women’s sports and bathrooms.” [xiv]