Democrat Monica Tranel, an attorney and past Olympian; Republican Ryan Zinke, former Secretary of the Interior and Montana’s previous congressman; and Libertarian John Lamb, a Norris resident who farms and works in construction; spent an hour answering questions and offering responses. The forum was sponsored by Lee Enterprises’ newspapers — the Montana Standard, Helena Independent Record, Missoulian, Billings Gazette and Ravalli Republic —and Montana Public Radio.

Questions, which came in part from submissions from the public, were asked by Lee’s Holly Michels and MTPR’s Shaylee Ragar. The event was moderated by John Twiggs of Montana PBS.