Independent U.S. House candidate holds local meet & greet

U.S. House of Representatives candidate Gary Buchanan visited Fort Benton on Oct. 19, stopping at Fort Benton resident Connie Jenkins’ home for a community meet and greet event.

Buchanan is running as an independent candidate for Montana’s 2nd congressional district, which represents the eastern portion of the state, including Chouteau County. He is running against Republican incumbent Matt Rosendale, Democrat Penny Ronning and Libertarian Sam Rankin.

On the western side of the state, 1st congressional district voters are choosing between Libertarian John Lamb, Democrat Monica Tranel and Republican Ryan Zinke.

With his office based in Billings, Buchanan has been traveling throughout eastern Montana to meet with potential voters and share his campaign platforms with whoever is curious.

Buchanan, 73, was born in Iowa and spent his childhood in multiple states, graduating from high school in Bethesda, Maryland. He completed a bachelor’s degree and some graduate work at the University of Colorado and has lived in Montana since 1975.

He works in finance and served as Montana’s first Department of Commerce director, and is now operating Buchanan Capital with his family. He has served on numerous boards, chairing the Board of Crime Control, the Montana Banking Board and others. He and his wife, Norma, have four grandchildren. His full resume can be found on his website: buchananformontana.com

Buchanan is politically independent and has served both Republican and Democrat governors, building experience working with both parties. He is determined to be the middle ground between the warring political parties.

“People are tired of the excessive partisanship,” Buchanan said. “The two parties have each lost 20% of voters, but the independent party has gained 40%.”

He predicts a wave of independent voters will arise for the Nov. 8 election and future elections, but it will still be a challenge to gain political ground when candidates like Rosendale and Ronning have strong party backing.

“The independent party is growing. People are tired of the extremes and want peace and common sense,” said Gerry Jennings, a Great Falls resident helping with Buchanan’s campaign.

Without the financial backing of a powerhouse party, Buchanan is an underdog in the race, dependent on volunteers for his campaign and contributions from Montanans. It took many volunteers to successfully gather enough signatures to include him in the race, but they succeeded.

The Buchanan campaign was created from scratch with a heavy focus on networking and connecting with community members.

Buchanan makes it his goal to meet with county commissioners, mayors, and local press as he travels the state, refusing to have a media spokesperson speak for him. He wants to build personal connections with the community and speak with people directly.

His casual meet and greet at Jenkins’ home brought good discussions among community members, shared over lemonade, coffee, cookies, and cute Halloween table decor. The gathering allowed Buchanan to talk with inquisitive citizens about the upcoming election and get to know the candidate on a more personal level.

Hot political topics were also addressed at the gathering, such as inflation, firearms, public lands and a person’s right to privacy.

With a career in financing spanning more than four decades, Buchanan’s goal is to reduce unnecessary federal spending and close tax loopholes. He describes himself as pro-Second Amendment, but agrees red flag laws could be improved. He said he does not support transferring federal lands to state or private ownership. He also believes the Montana Constitution provides citizens with a right to privacy and that “a woman’s choice is not the government’s business - it is between her and her doctor.”

Buchanan has support from the Montana Federation of Public Employees, plus health, education, veterans and business groups. He has a close tie with vets, as he and his wife host equestrian sessions on their land for veterans struggling with PTSD.

Buchanan is endorsed by former governor Marc Racicot, a Republican, as well as former Montana State Representative Dorothy Bradley, a Democrat.

“The one thing they could agree on,” Jennings joked.

“We think we have a shot at winning; we’re working on it,” Buchanan said. “But win or lose, to Rosendale it will prove that the independent party is gaining more attention and voters.”