Time to end partisan bickering

Editor,

My State Senate District 5 opponent Verdell Jackson recently wrote an opinion piece (Daily Interlake 8-3-06) that shows more of the same old politics of personal destruction and partisan bickering.

I am the candidate for the Montana Senate District 5 who believes it is time to stop partisan bickering. It gets in the way of doing good things. Senate District 5 has many serious issues that will only be solved through civil dialogue.

To date, our campaign has visited 1,800 doors and we have not met a soul who does not love where we live. Of course, there are many different views on issues, and a civil discussion about them is healthy for Senate District 5. I am sick and tired of elected officials who are more interested in squabbling and assigning blame than solving problems.

We are all in a sense neighbors. We need to treat our neighbors with respect to end partisan gridlock, and develop strong solutions for the major challenges facing all of us.

As your senator, you will come first. You will come before the political parties, or any of the lobbyists in the capitol. I'm not taking a dime of Political Action Committee (PAC), political party, or special interest money as part of my commitment to you — to end partisanship.

I believe in uniting Senate District 5, not the politics of division.

In spite of Verdell's attack letter, I have some remaining hope that he and I can have an issue driven campaign. Verdell has been in the legislature for eight years and has a voting record. I hope he is open to discussing it with the people.

I pledge to talk about the issues that matter to you, not run a campaign of playground banter.

I look forward to getting to know you.

Ric Smith

Senate District 5 Candidate

Polson