Gianforte urges Montanans to don masks, protect the vulnerable

With the coronavirus pandemic showing no signs of abating before January, Gov.-elect Greg Gianforte said he will focus on keeping the most vulnerable Montanas safe while reopening the state’s economy.

Speaking on Dec. 4 in his first press conference since Election Day, Gianforte said he was waiting on input from his Coronavirus Task Force before announcing any concrete policies for addressing the virus.

The outlines of general policies the governor elect has advocated for could be found in his Comeback Plan for Montana.

The central points of the plan include boosting the state’s economy, increasing access to affordable healthcare, combating the drug epidemic and protecting public lands. To achieve these aims, Gianforte has advocated for developing agriculture, manufacturing and technology sectors, promoting tourism, cutting taxes, preserving rural access to health care and protecting Montanas with preexisting conditions.

During the press conference, Gianforte did not provide a definite answer to whether he would keep the coronavirus mandates issued by Gov. Steve Bullock in place. Nevertheless, he urged Montanans to take the pandemic seriously.

“I’m encouraging Montanans to protect their loved ones and neighbors,” he said. “I choose to wear a mask and encourage others to do the same.”

While uplifted by recent vaccine developments, Gianforte said public health precautions would have to be taken until doses became widely available. The first shipment of vaccines is expected in December, but Gianforte said they would not become generally accessible until the spring.

Before distributing doses to the public at large, the Gianforte administration would prioritize frontline healthcare workers and the most vulnerable Montanans.

“This gives us some light at the end of the tunnel, but we’ve got to look out for ourselves, our loved ones and those around us in the meantime until we can get that tool in place,” he said.

Hoping to hear from Montanans on which responses to viruses have worked for them, Gianforte encouraged them to provide feedback through his transition website.

Gianforte’s incoming budget director, Kurt Alme, has already begun a thorough review of the state budget. While Gianforte said he would not eliminate Medicaid expansion, he promoted reforming the measure to ensure only those who qualified for the program would receive benefits.

As for possibly holding the legislative session remotely, Gianforte said it was a decision he would leave up to the legislature.

“This is a very serious health situation and we need to be conscious of the impacts of large gatherings,” he said. “But we also need to get the people’s business done in the meeting safely.”

Gianforte condemned controversial social media comments made by state lawmaker Kerry White, a member of one of his transition advisory teams. He did not say, however, if White would remain part of the team.

Gianforte also said he would not change stream access laws.

When asked if he recognized President-elect Joe Biden as the next president of the United States, Gianforte demurred, citing ongoing litigation brought on by President Donald Trump and his supporters.