Democratic congressional candidate Monica Tranel, who is running against Republican incumbent Rep. Ryan Zinke in Montana’s First Congressional District, has changed her stance on the fentanyl crisis during her campaign. Tranel had previously stated that fentanyl was not coming from the southern border during her 2022 bid for Congress. However, in a recent campaign ad, Tranel now appears tough on border security and drug trafficking, emphasizing the need to secure the border and go after drug cartels to stop the flow of illegal drugs like fentanyl.
During a debate with Zinke in 2022, Tranel had claimed that fentanyl was being made in China and not coming from the southern border. However, shortly after her remarks, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that 36 million lethal doses of fentanyl had been taken out of American communities, with 35 cases linked directly to Mexican cartels. Tranel’s shift in stance on the issue comes as she makes another bid for the Republican-held seat in 2024, where she is now adopting a tougher stance on border security and fentanyl trafficking.
Despite her change in position on the fentanyl crisis, Tranel’s opponent, the Montana GOP, has criticized her for shifting her stance only during an election year. They claim that she will work under the Harris-Walz banner to unleash more crime and border chaos on Montanans while also supporting boys playing in girls’ sports. Tranel has responded to these criticisms by emphasizing the need to secure the border, increase resources for border patrol, and go after the cartels trafficking fentanyl, both in China and at the border.
In fiscal year 2023, Border Patrol agents reported seizing enough fentanyl to kill the entire U.S. population. Tranel has expressed support for a border bill that would increase resources for detection and stopping fentanyl from entering the country. She believes that stopping the supply side of fentanyl is critical and has criticized Zinke for not taking action to fix the border security issues. Tranel has vowed to stand up against any Democrat or Republican who gets in the way of protecting Montana communities and stopping the flow of illegal drugs like fentanyl.
Tranel has emphasized that the border is not secure, and nobody, including Rep. Zinke, has been able to solve the issues related to drug trafficking and border security. She has stated that her focus is on protecting Montana’s communities and preventing the flow of illegal drugs, rather than playing politics. Tranel has accused Zinke of cozying up to special interests and China, while she remains committed to keeping Montana safe and addressing the challenges posed by the fentanyl crisis.
