Ryan Zinke Speaks at RNC

Montana Congressmember and regular, if occasional, Hope Ranch visitor Ryan Zinke spoke the first night of the Republican National Convention, but his moment in the national spotlight came so late at night that his performance was lost to televised audiences. Zinke spoke well after Melania Trump at 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time because several previous speakers went considerably longer than their allotted times.

Zinke, a former Navy Seal and one-term Congressmember now facing his first re-election campaign, predicted more American military personnel would be killed if Democrat Hillary Clinton is elected. He praised trump. “Donald Trump isn’t afraid to talk about radical Islamic terrorism and he won’t be afraid to destroy it,” he said.

Zinke is married to Lolita Hand, who grew up in Santa Barbara and now resides part-time in Hope Ranch. Zinke allowed Republican congressional candidate Justin Fareed — now facing off against Democrat Salud Carbajal — to use his home for a campaign fundraiser earlier this year.