HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – In a rematch of the 2018 General Election, Republican G. Bruce Meyers is vying to unseat Democrat Jonathan Windy Boy to represent House District 32, which covers both the Rocky Boy and Fort Belknap Reservations.
Meyers argues that more resources should be placed into controlling the use of illegal drug use on reservations.
“If we put as much energy and effort and money and resources into monitoring and controlling illegal drug use and distribution as we’ve put into monitoring the virus, to the point of locking down reservations and monitoring all traffic coming in and out, if we did that, if we put that much effort into controlling drugs, I think that we would have much safer communities.”
Meyers says one of his top priorities if elected would be to try and get local businesses back open.
“This (pandemic) has shut down a lot of businesses. I think we need to keep Main Street Montana open. Main Street, Hi-Line businesses open, and I think we need to create new businesses on the reservation. I think that jobs are very, sorely needed on the reservation and we need to find new and better ways to do that.”
Despite the Centers for Disease Control recommending measures such as wearing face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19, Meyers believes wearing it should be left to each individual whether to wearing a face covering or social distance.
“We can use the best measures possible to control it as much as possible. If wearing face masks and social distancing, if that’s what feel comfortable being, by all means, they should have the luxury to do that. But if people do not feel like doing it, I think that to have a government mandate or overreach without consulting the people is government overreach.”
Instead, Meyers believes in steps such as keeping good hygiene.
“If nobody has the answer, then neither do I. In time, I think it’s going to burn itself out like other pandemics of the past. But we can do our best to control it like any other virus. Like what has proven vaccines for the flu, or washing your hands, keeping yourself hygiene healthy. Those are the normal things we would do for a cold or a flu, and it’s common sense.”
Meyers briefly held the seat for two years after upsetting Democrat Clarena Brockie in 2014, making Meyers the only Republican Native American at the time in the state legislature.
Stay tuned to New Media Broadcasters for more election updates.
