Ed. Note: The story has generated a lot of comments on The Billings Gazette site.

"With a decision just 15 days away, Montana's U.S. Senate candidates are wooing the Native vote in one of the country's most-watched Senate races.

�We were on every reservation in the last two weeks,� said incumbent Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont. �It's been very good, outstanding. We like to visit, not only with the chairmen but the councils, and find out their wants and needs and we're going to try to deal with those.�

Democratic challenger Jon Tester said he's visited all but the Northern Cheyenne Reservation and plans to begin a second round of visits to each of the state's seven reservations.

Tribal leaders are making appeals to the candidates for strong federal leadership in the areas of economic development, tribal colleges, housing and settling the Elouise Cobell trust fund lawsuit. Health-care concerns top the list. And tribes are stressing the political importance of having a solid government-to-government relationship between federal and tribal officials."

Get the Story:
Jodi Rave: Burns, Tester wooing Native vote in campaigns' final weeks (The Missoulian 10/22)

Relevant Links:
Jodi Rave - http://www.missoulian.com/jodirave

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