October 28, 2020
Retiree Organization Endorses Steve Bullock for U.S. Senate, Mike Cooney for Montana Governor
Helena, MT – Members of the Alliance for Retired Americans proudly announced their endorsement of Steve Bullock for election to the U.S. Senate from Montana and Mike Cooney for Governor today. The Montana Alliance for Retired Americans is a grassroots advocacy organization with more than 9,900 members statewide.
“Steve Bullock understands the challenges facing older Americans and retirees in Montana. We can be confident that he will fight for our retirement security in Washington,” said Richard Fiesta, executive director of the Alliance for Retired Americans. “He will battle every day to protect our hard earned Medicare and Social Security benefits. He has a proven pro-senior record as governor. We are proud to endorse him.”
“Mike Cooney has proven himself to be a champion of seniors as a state legislator, Secretary of State, and Lieutenant Governor,” Fiesta added. “He’ll fight to keep the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its protections for pre-existing conditions in place.”
Bullock accepted the endorsement virtually via Zoom, forgoing an in-person event due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has claimed more than 225,000 American lives, 80% of whom are over the age of 65. He will fight to keep the ACA from being repealed, which would exacerbate the impact of the virus.
“I’m honored to have the support of the Alliance for Retired Americans in this campaign,” said Governor Bullock. “I will always fight for Montana seniors and retirees and protect the pensions, Social Security, and Medicare benefits they’ve earned through a lifetime of hard work.”
“I am honored to be endorsed by the Alliance for Retired Americans, and I look forward to working with them as Governor to defend our Social Security and Medicare, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and ensure Montana families get the support and benefits they have earned over a lifetime of work so they can retire with the security and the dignity they deserve,” said Lieutenant Governor Cooney.
In sharp contrast, Bullock’s opponent, incumbent Steve Daines, has earned a lifetime score of just 3% in the Alliance’s Congressional Voting Record. Daines has also worked to cut protections for people with pre-existing conditions and repeal the Affordable Care Act. More than half of all Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 have one or more pre-existing health conditions.
Similarly, Cooney’s opponent, Greg Gianforte, has earned a lifetime score of just 12% in the Alliance’s voting record while serving in the U.S. House, including a vote in support of a Republican lawsuit to eliminate the ACA and Montana’s Medicaid Expansion.
“Steve Bullock also supports allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, a critical issue for older Americans who bear the brunt of out of control drug prices,” Fiesta continued. “Now more than ever, it is vital that we have senators, a representative in Washington and a governor who care about Montana seniors. In 2020 voting for the right person is literally a matter of life or death.”
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Contact: David Blank, dblank@retiredamericans.org
