Greg Gianforte Announcement Speech

My wife Susan of 27 years is here with me today. More than anyone, she's the reason I'm standing here today. Thank you, Sweetheart.

You should have seen us when we were just getting started. We had three little boys and Susan was pregnant with Rachel. We all piled into our Ford Bronco and drove across the country and made our home in Bozeman.

I first fell in love with Montana when I hiked the back country 40 years ago. Susan and I came here because it's where we wanted to raise our family. In fact, the house we moved into all those years ago is still our home today. It's where we raised our four children. It's where we started our small business, RightNow Technologies.

You see way back in the 1990s --- we had this idea. That the Internet removes geography as a constraint in where you locate a business. People said, "Greg, you can't start a global technology business in a rural location like Montana." But we looked at each other and said, "we'll give it a try anyway."

That small company grew to more than 1,100 employees. With an average Montana wage of nearly 90-thousand-dollars a year. It was, and now Oracle remains, Bozeman's largest commercial employer. The lesson from this story is clear: When you combine the Montana work ethic with good leadership, anything is possible.

Here's what's so amazing. As we created these high wage jobs in Bozeman, it's undeniable that those jobs created more jobs in construction, real estate, restaurants, and retail. Not to mention more airline flights to more cities. In fact, in 2014, Gallatin County was responsible for 40-percent of all the wage growth in Montana. I'm so proud to be a part of that success, and I want to be clear: these jobs were created through innovation, hard work, and faith, not government programs and handouts.

People have asked me why I have been exploring a run for Governor. It's simple, like other Montana parents I'd love to have my kids around the dinner table on Sunday afternoon, and I want to go to my grandkids ballgames and recitals.

Unfortunately, Montana ranks 49th nationally in wages. And too many kids are leaving to find work elsewhere. I want all Montanans to have opportunities for higher wage jobs, to be able to live and thrive in our great state.

The reality, though, is that Montana is facing some real challenges. In the last year alone, we've lost jobs in the Bakken. We've also lost over 500 timber jobs. We've also lost mining and rail jobs. And this month, nearly 100 Crow Tribe members were furloughed, all because Washington DC is relentlessly assaulting our natural resources and state sovereignty.

You see, in Washington, D.C., they think a prairie chicken is more important than your job. And at least one politician in Helena is too chicken to stand up to them.
Unfortunately, there's more sobering news coming --- from both federal and state environmental extremists. If Barack Obama's Costly Power Plan is implemented, Montanans will lose over 7,000 jobs. And every single Montanan will see their electric bill go up by 16%. Plus, we'll see a $1.5 billion negative hit to our economy. This would be the single largest catastrophic economic event in Montana in 30 years.

Unfortunately, the Bullock Administration takes its cue from Washington. By continuing to deny and delay job creating permits --- like Otter Creek -- and the Bull Mountain mine. Nearly 60 working men and women had to tell their families they were losing their job at Christmas time.

I could go on but here's the point. We need new leadership in Montana.

On top of lost jobs, we've got a Governor who's failed to deliver on essential infrastructure. In Culbertson, the water bill for a single home is already $1,200 per year. Because of the Governor's failure in leadership, it's going up another 18% this year.

But while the Governor has failed to deliver on infrastructure -- he's sure grown government spending. He's increased it by 20% in just three years. Imagine what he would do with another 4?

Here is the legacy of the Bullock Administration: costs for every Montana family are going up, government's getting bigger, and jobs are going away. Working families are hurting, and those on fixed income are getting hammered.

I'll give the Governor credit on one thing though. He's consistent. He has Montana consistently at the bottom of the nation in wages. If it weren't for Mississippi, we'd be dead last. But we are dead last in income for millennials. No wonder our kids have become our most precious export.

You know, I think we've all had enough.

We've had enough of these empty suits --- who're more worried about their job than your job.

We've had enough of these political insiders --- whose policies are driving our kids outside the state for jobs.

And we've had enough of these bureaucratic caretakers --- who have left Montana stuck at the bottom in wages.

I'm here to tell you --- Montana can prosper again.

I'm an optimist --- with confidence in the work-ethic and ingenuity of the people of Montana.

I'm a businessman --- who knows how to create --- attract and retain high wage jobs.

I'm a pragmatist --- who believes that streamlining regulations --- and lowering taxes will energize our economy.

And I'm a Montanan --- who wants Helena to have strong and innovative leadership.

That's why today, I'm announcing my candidacy for Governor of Montana.

In this election, Montanans have a clear choice. Stay with the current administration and expect more of the same. Or change the way we do business in this state.
We'll focus on a positive message and bold ideas. Ours will be a campaign about opportunity and potential. And we owe this to all Montanans. Especially to our veterans, who served our great nation. We'll do it with a firm conviction. That long term high wage jobs and opportunities are only created in the private sector, not by government programs.

AND WE WILL WIN

As Governor, I'll bring a new approach to Helena.

First, I'll focus on removing the barriers to creating jobs. I'll do so in the all sectors of our economy --- starting with natural resources all the way to high technology. Next month, we're kicking off a regulation round-up --- to wrangle all the job killing regulations and practices that are hurting Montana families. If I'm elected Governor, we'll put those regulations out to pasture.

Second, I will fight every day to streamline government and lower taxes. Steve Bullock vetoed three tax-reduction bills last year alone. He did that while sitting on almost half a billion dollars of overpaid taxes. That's your money. He did nothing to eliminate the business equipment tax. It's sad really, because he thinks it's the government's money.

Rest assured, I know it's your hard-earned money.

Third, I'll restore competency, accountability, and a culture of customer service to state government. I'll appoint industry leaders to our state agencies and commissions. We have dedicated, hard-working state employees. But we need a business leader in charge of the DEQ. A landowner in charge of the DNRC. And how about somebody running the Department of Labor who's actually had an employee.

You know Steve Bullock's been a Helena politician his whole life. Which may explain why he looked the other way when the state made 125 accounting errors. It's been called A Billion Dollar Mistake. That should have turned heads. Yet no-one got fired or even reprimanded. It's a stunning combination of incompetence and complacency.
Fourth, I'll lead the charge to prepare our young people for the good paying jobs of the future. A well-rounded education is imperative for all of our students. We have great schools. And even greater teachers. But we can do more, especially for our rural communities.
One example: Montana needs computer science in every high school. That's why I helped start a program called CodeMontana. Because if we don't teach our kids how to author technology, they won't be in control of their future.
We also need to focus more on trade skills, and that's why we started the Gianforte Manufacturing scholarships program. Because not every young person has to have a four- year degree to be successful.
And I believe strongly that parents must have more say in how their kids are educated.

My goal in education is to help every young person reach their full potential. I think that is a goal we can all agree upon. It's a goal that we have a moral obligation to pursue.

Finally, I'll work to find ways to maintain the quality of healthcare in Montana. Especially so in our smaller towns, but also to reduce costs state-wide. The Bullock/Obama one-size-fits-all approach is expensive. Given the double-digit rate hikes in healthcare costs this last year, it's undeniable that it's not working.
I believe that we also have a responsibility to partner with the Tribal communities --- for stronger economies on reservations in Montana.

I'm a sportsman and a lifetime member of the NRA. Last year, Steve Bullock vetoed two gun rights bills that passed both our house and senate; one that would have stood up to the Obama gun grab, and the other would have expanded conceal carry in Montana.

He's clearly no friend to gun owners.

As Governor I will defend our 2nd amendment rights.

Now, you probably know a farm family with three kids. And I think you know how things usually work out. One of them gets the farm, but the other two have to leave. But a concept called telecommuting can allow those other two kids to stay and work over the internet.

In June of last year, I started promoting this concept to bring our kids home. And help our rural communities thrive again. We mailed invitations to Montanans who were forced to work elsewhere, inviting them to come home and bring a job with them. And you know, Montanans do want to come home.

Let me share a story with you that happened on my last trip to Butte. A woman came up and gave me an unexpectedly big hug. Her name was Sue Ueland. And she said, "My daughter Jennifer got one of your invitations. She was living on the West Coast. She sat down --- talked to her husband --- and she said --- honey why can't we do this?"

Sue went on to say with a tear in her eye, "now my grandbabies are back in Montana."

To Sue and all the Montana families who want to see their kids more than once or twice a year, I make this promise: I'll run an all-out campaign to bring families back together.

Susan and I have been so blessed. We're ready to roll up our sleeves --- and go to work serving the people of Montana. When I'm elected Governor, I'm pledging today to donate my entire salary to charity, to a special Governor's Scholarship fund. Because that's one more way that we can serve.

About a month ago, Susan and I also released the last ten years of our tax returns. Some asked why? We did so because we believe the people of Montana deserve transparency. That's why today I want to send a message on behalf of all Montanans: No special interest PAC money in this campaign. I'll tear up the checks, and I'm calling on Governor Bullock to do the same.

I plan to personally deliver my signed "Campaign Integrity Pledge" to the Governor's office today. I'll urge him to sign this pledge to the people of Montana and reject special interest PAC money once and for all. Or ask him to tell the people why he's unwilling to do so.

With all due respect, Governor, It's time to finally bring Helena out of the shadows and into the sunlight.

Now, I have a few questions for all of you gathered here in this room:

Will you join me in creating high wage jobs in Montana so our kids don't have to leave?

Will you join me in rounding up burdensome regulations and lowering taxes to grow our economy?

Will you join me in bringing accountability and a culture of customer service to our state government?

Will you join me in giving Steve Bullock a pink slip?

Thank you. I welcome you and thousands of other Montanans from all walks of life to the campaign. We need all of you out there every day. Talking to your friends and neighbors, ringing doorbells, writing letters, and seeking every single vote.

And I want you to be certain of this:

I will campaign everyday with the same determination that I can see here in your eyes today.

And I will campaign with compassion as big as the Big Sky state.

God Bless you. And God bless the great state of Montana

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