Daines campaigns for Senate in Havre

The 2012 campaign season hit Havre Thursday, with U. S. Senate candidate Steve Daines talking to nearly 50 people in his swing through the region.

Daines, a vice president and general manager of the Bozeman computer software company RightNow Technologies, said Montana's Democratic Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are not representing the state, including Montanans' view of their votes in favor of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and for the health care reform — Montanans opposed that reform 2 to 1, he said.

"They made a choice, and I tell you what, I will make a choice as well, " Daines said. "I will stand with the people of Montana. I will not stand with Obama. "

Daines announced his candidacy Nov. 13 for the seat now held by Tester, a Big Sandy farmer. After touring the southern and western parts of the state, he started a swing through central Montana.

Daines met with local supporters — and a group of government students from Havre High School — at the Holiday Village Mall Community Center Thursday night.

He told the crowd that after he received his degree in chemical engineering from Montana State University, he went to work for Proctor and Gamble. After seven years with the company in the United States, he worked for Proctor and Gamble in China for six years — then decided it was time to return with his family, including his wife, two sons and two daughters. Daines is a fifth-generation Montanan.

"You can take the boy out of Montana, but you can't take Montana out of the boy, " he said.

After working three years with his mother and father in their small construction business, he joined RightNow Technologies. That company now has grown from 100 to 900 employees, he said.

He said he understands the need of businesses to meet their budgets, providing jobs for mothers and fathers so they can care for their families. He deals with that struggle every day, Daines said.

The nation is dealing with a deficit, a debt, that is a hole that has to be plugged, he said.

"That's why I'm in this race. I'm not a career politician …, " he said. "It's time we sent people back to Washington who really understand math and budgets. …

"It's going to take some really tough choices back in Washington. But I can tell you, I'm not going back to join a club, " he added. "I'm going back to join a fight, and there's a real difference. "

He said the Senate race in Montana has been selected as one of the top two key pickup seats in the nation for the Republicans. The other is the seat held by Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, he said.

He said 400 people showed up for his candidacy announcement, less than two weeks after the general election.

"There was more energy in that room, and I realized that the Montanans, the Americans, the people who embraced freedom and liberty, that election we saw in November, that was really the appetizer, " he said. "We now have the main course to finish off in 2012.

"I really believe, ladies and gentlemen, that the very future and the great hope for this country is at stake at this moment and will depend on what happens in the 2012 election, " he said.

The 2012 campaign season hit Havre Thursday, with U. S. Senate candidate Steve Daines talking to nearly 50 people in his swing through the region.

Daines, a vice president and general manager of the Bozeman computer software company RightNow Technologies, said Montana's Democratic Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are not representing the state, including Montanans' view of their votes in favor of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and for the health care reform — Montanans opposed that reform 2 to 1, he said.

"They made a choice, and I tell you what, I will make a choice as well, " Daines said. "I will stand with the people of Montana. I will not stand with Obama. "

Daines announced his candidacy Nov. 13 for the seat now held by Tester, a Big Sandy farmer. After touring the southern and western parts of the state, he started a swing through central Montana.

Daines met with local supporters — and a group of government students from Havre High School — at the Holiday Village Mall Community Center Thursday night.

He told the crowd that after he received his degree in chemical engineering from Montana State University, he went to work for Proctor and Gamble. After seven years with the company in the United States, he worked for Proctor and Gamble in China for six years — then decided it was time to return with his family, including his wife, two sons and two daughters. Daines is a fifth-generation Montanan.

"You can take the boy out of Montana, but you can't take Montana out of the boy," he said.

After working three years with his mother and father in their small construction business, he joined RightNow Technologies. That company now has grown from 100 to 900 employees, he said.

He said he understands the need of businesses to meet their budgets, providing jobs for mothers and fathers so they can care for their families. He deals with that struggle every day, Daines said.

The nation is dealing with a deficit, a debt, that is a hole that has to be plugged, he said.

"That's why I'm in this race. I'm not a career politician …, " he said. "It's time we sent people back to Washington who really understand math and budgets. …

"It's going to take some really tough choices back in Washington. But I can tell you, I'm not going back to join a club, " he added. "I'm going back to join a fight, and there's a real difference. "

He said the Senate race in Montana has been selected as one of the top two key pickup seats in the nation for the Republicans. The other is the seat held by Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, he said.

He said 400 people showed up for his candidacy announcement, less than two weeks after the general election.

"There was more energy in that room, and I realized that the Montanans, the Americans, the people who embraced freedom and liberty, that election we saw in November, that was really the appetizer, " he said. "We now have the main course to finish off in 2012.

"I really believe, ladies and gentlemen, that the very future and the great hope for this country is at stake at this moment and will depend on what happens in the 2012 election, " he said.