House

He thinks nuclear power could find a home in Colstrip. Small modular reactors have attracted some interest in Montana while at the time losing support in neighboring Idaho as the cost of power proved uneconomical.

Downing advocates for keeping fossil fuels, including coal, in play while creating new energy sources, including for freight.

“We need to continue to support reliable and affordable energy, not to say that we don’t continue to innovate and look for, you know, other things, but let’s also make sure that we are being honest about the language that we use,” Downing said.

Both candidates talked about the need to recognize the environmental costs of battery storage and renewable generation sources that don’t burn fuel but do have impacts related to manufacturing.

Downing identified the importance of water to agriculture in eastern Montana. He’s one of five members of the Montana Land Board, which makes management decisions about stateowned land including leases for grazing, recreational cabins and fossil fuels.

“On agriculture, food security is national security, and it concerns me that we continue to be able to feed ourselves as a nation,” Downing said. “I mean, this is not just the economy in Montana. This

is a nationwide issue. If we start to see production agriculture dwindle away, and we don’t continue to support our farmers, ranchers, we’ll get to the point where we’re not feeding ourselves.”

Downing, like Driscoll, is a military veteran. He served in the Air Force and Air National Guard from 2001 through 2009. He was twice deployed to Afghanistan. Both men draw on their military experience to form positions on the current wars in Israel and Ukraine. Standing with Israel is part of Downing’s message. Driscoll is concerned about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the threats it poses to the United States’ allies in Europe.