Mackinac Island, located where Lakes Michigan and Huron meet, is one of the most beautiful places in America. A sacred place for Native Americans, at various times in history the French, British, and United States flags flew over the island. Every two years, it hosts the Republican Leadership Conference. It was at the 2015 conference where I first met Ryan Zinke.
Ryan was in his first year as Montana’s sole congressman. I had heard about his impressive background as an accomplished military hero and Navy Seal. As far as I know, the only Navy Seal I had met up to that point was Theodore Roosevelt IV. Making a point of meeting Ryan, I was able to corner him during a reception. We hit it off immediately and had an animated discussion about President Theodore Roosevelt and the great GOP conservation legacy, hunting, angling, and public lands.