Sen. Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish, spoke to the Rotunda Report, the state GOP’s blog, about how he became involved in politics. He again refers to himself as a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican.” I heard Zinke speak at a Pachyderm meeting following November’s election and came away impressed. I wrote then:
To an outside observer at last week’s meeting, Zinke, a young former Navy SEAL, appears poised to assume a leadership role in the party for which Republicans appear to be grooming him. He touts himself as a “progressive” Republican and emphasized the need to rebuild the GOP in a way that appeals to an altering electorate.
It’s too early to tell if Zinke’s message will resonate once the gavel falls at the statehouse come January. Helena has a way of laying to waste the best laid political plans.