The five Republican candidates for Montana’s lone U.S. House seat squared off in Kalispell Tuesday night, expressing many similar views about an “out-of-control” federal government, but with differing thoughts on what to do about it.

The debate, sponsored by Americans for Prosperity-Montana, focused on economic issues and it attracted more than 350 people to the Red Lion Inn. The candidates responded to questions from a panel of journalists that included Inter Lake editor Frank Miele.

All of the candidates called for resource development and measures to move the country towards energy independence as a  means of generating economic strength domestically and abroad. 

All of the candidates said they would oppose new wilderness or monument designations in Montana. 

“I think we need to manage what we have in Montana better,” said former Whitefish state Sen. Ryan Zinke, adding that monument designations might be appropriate for a specific historic locations, but that the president should not be able to make large-scale “land grab” designations.

State Sen. Matt Rosendale of Glendive, Sen. Elsie Arntzen of Billings and Helena businessman Drew Turiano all expressed interest in the state of Montana assuming management of some federal lands, saying that the state could do a better job of increasing the economic productivity of those lands. 

“I am not for growing a bigger government, whether it’s the state government or the federal government. We don’t know what the cost would be” to assume management responsibility of federal lands, Arntzen said, noting that some have questioned whether the state could afford firefighting costs.

“We would have to do it with a lot of forethought to make sure it’s done properly,” she added.

All of the candidates said they do not believe in man-caused climate change, with a subtle difference from Zinke.

“The truth of the matter is I don’t know ... What I do know is that you shouldn’t [weaken] American power and the economy on a ‘maybe,’” he said.

Rosendale said, “We have had climate change taking place since the Earth was created by the hand of God,” adding that he believes the entire climate change issue is driven by a desire to expand government control.

Former state Sen. Corey Stapleton took aim at Zinke on a couple of occasions, saying that Zinke had one of the more liberal voting records in Helena, and that Zinke voted “opportunistically” rather than on principle. 

“If you vote with the Democrats in Helena, you’re going to vote with the Democrats in Washington,” he charged.

Turiano unabashedly emphasized his controversial views on immigration.

“The most important issue facing America and conservatives is immigration,” he said, calling for an immediate moratorium on all legal as well as illegal immigration.

He said the Republican Party will be facing “an extinction level event” within 10 years because immigrants favor big government and the Democratic Party that advocates for government programs.

He got some push back from Stapleton. “I’m not running for Congress to protect and preserve the Republican Party,” he said. “Legal immigration is a good thing. Conservative ideology will live long after we here are dead.”

Stapleton, however, said the U.S. is a nation of laws and current immigration laws should be enforced.

All of the candidates said they strongly support effective border enforcement.

Turiano asked Zinke whether he would support impeaching President Barack Obama because of the attack on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, or for other scandals.

Zinke, a former Navy SEAL who knew two of the four Americans who died at Benghazi on Sept. 11, 2012, said he believes that if Republicans win Congress they can put Obama and his agenda “on the run,” concluding vaguely that he hoped after the fall elections there would be “enough votes” in the Senate.

Pressed by Turiano for a specific answer about impeachment, Zinke said yes he would support it.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.