HELENA — For now, it appears the two major-party candidates for Montana governor may not meet in a debate this year, as Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s reelection campaign announced that he’s declining to debate Democratic challenger Ryan Busse.
Historically in Montana, debates between major-party candidates have typically happened every election cycle. However, Jeremy Johnson, who chairs the Political Science Department at Carroll College, says the nationwide trend may be starting to change.
“In recent years, I think candidates are starting to see less utility in debating as the electorate gets more polarized,” he said.
On Tuesday, Gianforte’s campaign released a two-page memo from campaign manager Jake Eaton on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. In it, he said Gianforte was willing to debate “a serious, credible Democratic candidate for governor,” but that Busse was not credible.
He cited several reasons, most notably that Busse had not released his personal tax returns and that he has frequently described Republican policies as “fascism.”
On Wednesday, MTN spoke to Gianforte about his decision, and he again cited Busse’s tax returns.
“I would like to do a debate,” he said. ”He needs to become transparent and honest with the people of Montana. He has not been honest, and he's not been transparent. If he releases ten years of his tax return, which is what everyone else has done, I'd be happy to talk about a debate.”
Gianforte did take part in debates during his 2016 and 2020 campaigns for governor, as well as his 2017 and 2018 campaigns for the U.S. House.
Busse also spoke to MTN on Wednesday saying the tax return issue was a “diversion,” and that Gianforte wasn’t willing to defend his record.
“He is finding reasons – I don't really blame him; if I was him, I wouldn't want to have to defend property tax increases, I wouldn't want to have to defend his constant attacks on women, I wouldn't want to have to defend him privatizing our wildlife and dismantling Fish, Wildlife and Parks,” he said.
Johnson said debates still offer an opportunity for voters to compare candidates face-to-face, and to see them under pressure – but that candidates may see less value in them.
“There's fewer true swing voters, and I think candidates are starting to make the calculation that there's less to gain from debating – and there's some risk that if you say something wrong, that could be used against you in endless television ads,” he said.
It’s just over two months before Election Day – and only about six weeks until Oct. 11, when mail ballots start going out to voters across Montana.
