Holden Visited Sidney On Jan. 15

Ric Holden, 2024 congressional candidate, visited Sidney, Monday, Jan 15, to speak with area leaders and news outlets. He was eager to engage in friendly conversation to discover the issues area voters have with events that have happened around the nation.

Holden is no stranger to service. The Glendive rancher and insurance adjuster served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps for 2 1/2 years, the Montana Senate, representing eastern Montana, for eight years, and in several committees. In 2002, he took a step back from politics so he could take part in his kids' childhoods and attend their high school sports events. Upon settling into his life outside of politics, he found he does not like what he sees on the national news, especially in the last three years.

Holden is running on three main issues, the border, the economy, and agriculture representation. Holden said, "The border is wide open and that needs to stop." He supports the military helping border patrol on the southern border. Holden mentioned our northern border, as well. He said, "3,000 illegal immigrants walked through the forests into Maine last fall."

As far as the economy goes, Holden claims the best way to fix it is through energy production. He recalled how Montana is vastly rich in oil and coal yet, as soon as Biden came into office, he signed an executive order to shut down several coal mines then pushed incentives to build wind farms. Holden said, "Those wind turbines don't do well in this cold. The oil freezes up in them and they can't turn. Then the ice and snow catches in the curved lip on the edge of the blades, making them brittle and prone to snapping off."

According to Holden, agriculture is Montana's largest industry. He claims that there are no representatives in Washington, DC, that sit on any agriculture committees. Holden intends to continue to serve on such committees if elected. He warns that with no elected officials regularly engaged in agriculture, other special interest groups will move in. Holden called to mind the extended shutdowns on the east and west coasts. Even though Montana ranchers were only under lockdown for a few short months their clientele were stuck for much longer. No one was eating steaks at restaurants. No one was going into work at the wool mills. There was nowhere to send product.

America's elected officials have handicapped the nation and Holden is running to help turn it back in the right direction.