Rosendale shares spotlight with president at Great Falls Trump rally

Phil Drake
Great Falls Tribune

For Matt Rosendale, who turns 58 on Saturday, Thursday’s rally must have come across as an early birthday present.

President Donald J. Trump, along with son Donald Jr., flew into Great Falls to campaign for the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Democrat Sen. Jon Tester.

Thousands gathered at the Four Seasons Arena at Montana ExpoPark to see the president try to spark enthusiasm for Republican candidates Rosendale and House incumbent Rep. Greg Gianforte, in the Nov. 6 election.

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Donald Trump Jr. spoke to the audience about his love of Montana, where he comes to hunt and fish.

"When they ask you to come out to Montana, how do you say 'No?'" he asked.

Rosendale made brief remarks at Thursday's rally.

“Do we have an incredible president or what?” he shouted to the crowd.

He said this president “fights each and every single day for this great nation.”

Rosendale said Trump is fighting for seniors, people in the timber industry, farmers and ranchers.

“And you know he is fighting for our miners down in Butte and our workers in … Colstrip,” he said.

“He’s fighting for people across state who feel their voices are not being heard, including the unborn,” Rosendale said.

“I will be that voice for you if you elect me to the United States senate,” he said, adding he would stand with the president to make America great again.

Rosendale said what is good for America is “great for Montana.”

Trump said it was time to retire Tester and called Rosendale “a tough cookie.” He said Tester sides with his party rather than Montana.

“A vote for Jon Tester is a vote for Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and the new leader of the Democratic Party, Maxine Waters,” Trump said.

Chris Meagher, spokesman for the Tester campaign, said Tester works with either party to get things done.

"East Coast developer Matt Rosendale is only looking out for himself and whatever out-of-state special interest group that is propping up his campaign with cash," Meagher said. "We can't trust him to defend Montana.”

Trump's visit to Great Falls came hours after Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned amid ethics investigations.

”How about that — to have a president in the state of Montana?" Rosendale said Thursday at the Roadhouse Diner in Great Falls. “But to campaign for me is incredible.”

Rosendale drove up from Helena on Wednesday, then had lunch Thursday at the diner, which offered a "Commander in Beef" burger just for the presidential visit and to play off  Trump's fondness for burgers.

”I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy,” Rosendale said. “I appreciate a good burger.”

Senate candidate Matt Rosendale dives into the "Commander In Beef" burger at the Roadhouse Diner prior to President Trump's visit Thursday.

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From there he went to Great Falls International Airport to welcome Air Force One and the president to Montana. He was part of the motorcade to the arena.

Gravis Marketing released a poll in June that put Tester 9 points ahead of Rosendale.

Col. Buel Dickson greets Jean and Matt Rosendale before President Donald Trump steps off of Air Force One at the Great Falls International Airport on Thursday.

Rosendale said Thursday that there is a "stark difference" between him and Tester.

Rosendale said he favored the recent tax reform pushed by the president and noted Tester voted against it. He also noted Tester's support for the Affordable Care Act, known commonly as "Obamacare," which Rosendale, like the president, opposes,

Montana Democrats noted Thursday that during the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Rosendale backed Sen. Ted Cruz.

Rosendale has lived in Montana since June 2002, having moved from Maryland where he was in real estate, real estate development and land management. He studied at Chesapeake College, Maryland, 1985.

He served as a member of the Montana Legislature from 2011 to 2017, representing the Glendive area. He served in the House from 2011-2013 and then was elected to the state Senate for the 2013 and 2015 sessions and served one session as majority leader.

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In July 2017, Rosendale announced that he would seek the Republican nomination to challenge Tester in the 2018 U.S. Senate election. Tester has played up his accomplishments as a senator who is effective for Montana, noting the Republican president has signed 16 of his bills.

On June 5, Rosendale won Montana's 2018 Republican U.S. Senate primary over candidates former Judge Russell Fagg, businessman and veteran Troy Downing and Dr. Albert Olszewski, who also serves as a member of the state senate.

Rosendale has listed supporters as Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah, and Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton.

He and wife Jean have three sons, Matthew Jr., Brien and Adam. The family has a ranch north of Glendive.

Gianforte, a high-tech entrepreneur, is seeking re-election to what will be his first full term. He won a special election in 2017 to fill a seat vacated by GOP Rep. Ryan Zinke, who is now serving as Trump's secretary of the interior. Gianforte faces Democrat Kathleen Williams, a former state lawmaker.

"I am proud to serve with this great president but have more work to do," Gianforte said Thursday. "This great president has given this country hope again."

He said he flew in on Air Force One and talked to the president about issues important to Montana.

"President Trump is doing a great job getting our economy going," Gianforte said, adding the  president has massive support from Montanans.

"I stand with the president and I am honored with him standing with me," he said.

The Gravis Marketing poll gave Williams a 6-point lead over Gianforte.

Reach Phil Drake at 406-422-0772 or pdrake@greatfallstribune.com.