Democratic candidate for Congress Dennis McDonald feels his race against Republican incumbent Denny Rehberg is closer than anticipated.

McDonald expects the first poll to be released shortly after Labor Day. “My sense is they believe it’s becoming tighter and tighter. He (Rehberg) has been obviously nervous and running around the state.”

The Melville rancher was in Sidney Monday, stating he’s not the normal Democratic candidate. “People are really concerned about the economy, jobs,” he said. “It’s more than a conservative or liberal issue.” McDonald says he is a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights, noting there are guns stacked up in the corner of his kitchen and that the only gun control his family ever known was when his wife told his children to put the guns away. “Rehberg, who will get an endorsement from the NRA, doesn’t even know how to shoot a gun.”

The former member of the International Trade Advisory committee under presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, says he believes in controlled government spending. Areas that he supports include spending more on education, developing natural resources and investing in renewable energy. “I’m not a big government guy. When it comes to economics, I’m pretty conservative.”

As far as protecting the environment, McDonalds feels there should be “reasonable regulations,” but he supports increased extracting of natural resources.

He feels the government shouldn’t interfere with an individual’s privacy and that goes as far as abortions. He feels the decisions should be up to the woman’s relationship with God. “I would hope that it’s going to be the very last and very seldom option,” McDonald said of abortion. “So I believe in limited government in that aspect.”

McDonald notes three differences between him and U.S. Rep. Rehberg.

• McDonald says Rehberg is the 11th wealthiest representative in the U.S. Congress and isn’t accustomed to hard work. He says the result has been little accomplishments during his 10 years in Washington, D.C. “I come from a struggling family,” McDonald said. “Rehberg hasn’t worked a day in his life. He’s lived a life of entitlement.”

• McDonald says he’s willing to work with both sides of the aisle. “A good idea is a good idea no matter which side of the fence it originated.”

• McDonald says Montanans want to be proud of their elected leaders whether they agree with them all the time or not. The Democrat claims Rehberg has a history of drinking incidents. “I’m not a saint, but you add up the stuff up and we have a congressman whose behavior falls short of our elected leaders.”

He, however, admits that beating the incumbent would be an uphill battle, but he says the public is in the mood to get rid of incumbents.

“People want change. They want new leaders,” McDonald said. “I think anytime you are running against an incumbent, it’s an uphill battle. I won’t have it any other way.”

editor@sidneyherald.com