HELENA — The chair of the Montana Republican Party says he hasn’t noticed significantly different security at the Republican National Convention this year, in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Trump – but he feels there is a greater feeling of unity than in previous conventions.

“There’s really zero division,” said “Don K” Kaltschmidt. “Everybody is on board with President Trump, everybody is unifying. We have different sections of America that are now coming on to the Republican Party and the Republican movement, the conservative movement, and it’s really refreshing to see.”

Montana has 31 voting delegates at the convention in Milwaukee. Kaltschmidt said they also have roughly 30 alternates and another 10 or so delegation guests.

The delegation is staying at a hotel in Racine, about 45 minutes away from Milwaukee. Kaltschmidt said his members have all felt very safe, both at the hotel and at the main event.

“When we went through the line, they were very thorough of checking everything we have,” he said. “Everybody’s going in with clear bags, etc., if you’re wearing a suit jacket, they go through the whole thing – they went through my little wallet and everything. So they’re very, very protective of what’s going on inside that convention center.”

Kaltschmidt, an auto dealer from Flathead County, has been chair of the Montana GOP since 2019. In that capacity, he attended the 2020 RNC – a small-scale event largely held remotely during COVID – and he had previously gone to the 2012 convention. He said the atmosphere this year is much more “fired up.”

“We feel very, very confident going into the fall elections,” he said.

Kaltschmidt praised Trump’s selection of Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate, saying he saw parallels between the 39-year-old Marine veteran Vance and Montana U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy – a 38-year-old Navy veteran.

Crypto

A strong tech sector has put Montana on the crypto pulse, says state auditor

MILWAUKEE, July 16, 2024 – Troy Downing, Montana’s state auditor who is running for the U.S. House of Representatives, credited Montana’s leading role in cryptocurrency legislation to the surge in investment in the state’s tech sector.

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“We’ve got money coming into the state to fund talent… I think that’s been a real driver in Montana,” said Downing, a tech industry veteran, during a visit to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. 

Montana has been one state at the forefront of crypto-friendly legislation. Last May, Montana passed a law that enshrined an individual right to mine crypto, as well as prevented taxation on crypto when used as a method of payment.

Downing said Montana’s pulse on crypto and early passage of legislation were downstream from the state’s strong tech sector. Downing said Montana has fostered a tech-friendly environment, bolstered by strong universities, that has made the state fertile ground for venture money investment.

That talent investment has been pipelined into strong legislative work from Republican Sen. Steve Daines and Gov. Greg Gianforte and other policymakers, according to Downing. 

Downing, who sold his web calendar company to Yahoo decades ago, recently won the primary for Montana’s second Congressional district as the Republican nominee. Downing will face off against Democratic nominee John Driscoll in the Nov. 5 general election.

If elected, Downing said he would work to continue pushing Montana’s position at the forefront of the evolving industry.

“What I see is opportunity. If we’re not innovating here, someone is going to leave us in the dust,” said Downing.

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During the Trump era, GOP lawmakers emerged as vocal advocates for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

Although advocating to unlock crypto’s potential, Downing also recognized the necessity of restrictions to prevent consumer exploitation by bad actors.

As state auditor, Downing said he dealt with the ramifications of the FTX lawsuit, the crypto exchange company that stole billions of dollars from customers.

Aware of both the threats and benefits, Downing said it is important to build a regulatory framework that protects consumers while allowing innovation.

MISSOULA — Wildfire season is here and with that comes all the smoke that often accumulates in the Missoula Valley.

Smoke presents numerous health risks, especially for those who are part of vulnerable populations with chronic health conditions, are elderly, or have asthma.

But even if you’re not in a more vulnerable population, smoke can still have adverse health effects, especially if you’re recreating outside and exerting a fair amount of energy.
Small smoke particles get into the lungs and then the bloodstream impacting overall health, mood, and even sleep. So what are some ways that you can help protect yourself from the smoke especially when you’re trying to escape it indoors?

“If you have a portable air cleaner that has a HEPA filter, those can clean out smoke particles from the air inside. And you can also build a DIY box fan filter with a MERV 13 or higher rating furnace filter and just attach it to your box van. And those filters also remove smoke from the air” explained Missoula Public Health Air Quality Specialist Kerri Mueller.

Besides creating these filters for your home, you can also wear an N95 mask or respirator if you’re headed outside for an extended period of time. But be sure you watch how hot you’re getting as heat-related illnesses oftentimes pose a greater risk than the smoke itself.

Visit https://www.montanawildfiresmoke.org/ for more information on how to keep yourself safe and stay up to date on smoke conditions.