Up at Town Hall today, I expanded upon my podcast and YouTube interview with Senator Steve Daines of Montana. Here’s an excerpt:
For Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), conservation is in his blood.
A stewardship ethos is deeply ingrained in him—one that influences his legislative priorities like balancing natural resources development with public lands advocacy.
Fresh off his re-election victory, the second-term lawmaker is a leading conservative voice on issues relating to conservation, energy, and the environment.
Last year, Senator Daines joined former Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) in introducing and sponsoring the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act—the most consequential public lands bill in 50 years. President Donald Trump later signed the bill into law. In 2019, Daines and his fellow Republicans launched the bicameral Roosevelt Conservation Caucus. It’s no surprise the Flathead Beacon dubbed Daines a “conservative conservationist.” He certainly is one, through and through.
Senator Daines recently chatted with me how he’s promoting true conservation policies in the U.S. Senate, his thoughts on new Interior Secretary Haaland, and the value of introducing more Americans to fishing and hunting.
Channeling the Montana Way of Life in Washington
Senator Daines said Montana values greatly influence his public policy work.
“I was very thankful that I got to grow up in Montana,” Daines remarked.
The gun owner embraced the shooting sports lifestyle early in life after receiving a Winchester 22, a pellet gun, and Daisy BB gun.
He acknowledged he was an early adopter of fly fishing before the film adaptation of “A River Runs Through It,” starring actor Brad Pitt, made the sport popular.
“I had a fly rod in my hand in the early 70s before fly fishing was cool,” he quipped. “My grandpa had a Browning Silaflex rod with an automatic reel [and] a wicker creel. If you’ve seen the movie A River Runs Through It, that was filmed on the Gallatin River…I grew up fishing on [that river] before it was found and discovered probably by so many now.”
“I realized what I grew up with [was] something really unique and really special. And it’s part of our legacy that we need to continue to protect and preserve in Montana.”
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Photo Credit: Senator Daines