The Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) is the affiliate of the Republican Party in Montana. It is headquartered in Helena. It is the dominant ruling party of the state.

The party is chaired by Art Wittich. Republican officials control both of Montana's U.S. House seats, both of its U.S. Senate seats, both chambers of the state legislature, and all of the statewide executive offices, including the governorship.

Current party officers Office Name Chair Art Wittich Vice chair Stacy Zinn Secretary Lola Sheldon-Galloway Treasurer Bill Lussenheide National committeeman Tanner Smith National committeewoman Debbie Churchill

Current elected officials

The Montana Republican party controls all the six statewide offices and holds majorities in the Montana House of Representatives and Senate. They also hold both U.S. Senate seats and both congressional districts.

Members of Congress

U.S. Senate

U.S. House of Representatives +DistrictMemberPhoto1st2nd

Statewide offices

OfficeOfficeholder Governor Greg Gianforte Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras Supt. of Public Instruction Susie Hedalen Attorney General Austin Knudsen State Auditor James Brown Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen

Legislative leaders

OfficeRepresentative President of the Senate Matt Regier Senate Majority Leader Tom McGillvray Speaker of the House Brandon Ler House Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick

32 Members of the Montana Senate District Senator Residence 1 Mike Cuffe Eureka 3 Keith Regier Kalispell 4 Mark Blasdel Kalispell 5 Bob Keenan Bigfork 6 Greg Hertz Polson 7 Bob Brown Thompson Falls 9 Bruce Gillespie Ethridge 10 Jeremy Trebas Great Falls 11 Daniel Emrich Great Falls 12 Wendy McKamey Great Falls 13 Joshua Kassmier Fort Benton 14 Russel Tempel Chester 15 Dan Bartel Lewistown 17 Mike Lang Malta 18 Steve Hinebauch Wibaux 19 Kenneth Bogner Miles City 20 Duane Ankney Colstrip 21 Jason Small Busby 22 Douglas Kary Billings 23 Chris Friedel Billings 24 Mike Yakawich Billings 26 Tom McGillvray Billings 27 Vince Ricci Billings 28 Brad Molnar Laurel 29 David Howard Park City 30 John Esp Big Timber 34 Gordon Vance Bozeman 35 Walt Sales Manhattan 36 Jeffrey Welborn Dillon 40 Terry Gauthier Helena 43 Jason Ellsworth Hamilton 44 Theresa Manzella Hamilton 47 Daniel Salomon Ronan

58 Members of the Montana House of Representatives District Representative Residence 1 Steve Gunderson Libby 2 Neil Duram Eureka 4 Lyn Bennett Kalispell 6 Amy Regier Kalispell 7 Frank Garner Kalispell 8 John Fuller Kalispell 9 Brian Putnam Kalispell 10 Mark Noland Bigfork 11 Derek Skees Kalispell 12 Linda Reksten Polson 13 Paul Fielder Thompson Falls 14 Denley Loge St. Regis 17 Ross Fitzgerald Fairfield 18 Llew Jones Conrad 20 Fred Anderson Great Falls 21 Edward Buttrey Great Falls 22 Lola Sheldon-Galloway Great Falls 23 Scot Kerns Great Falls 24 Steve Fitzpatrick Great Falls 25 Steve Gist Cascade 26 Jeremy Trebas Great Falls 28 Eric Albus Glasgow 29 Dan Bartel Lewistown 30 Wylie Galt Martinsdale 33 Casey Knudsen Malta 34 Rhonda Knudsen Culbertson 35 Brandon Ler Savage 36 Bob Phalen Lindsay 37 Jerry Schillinger Circle 38 Kenneth Holmlund Miles City 39 Geraldine Custer Forsyth 40 Mike Vinton Billings 43 Kerri Seekins-Crowe Billings 44 Larry Brewster Billings 48 Curtis Schomer Billings 49 Sherry Essmann Billings 50 Naarah Hastings Billings 51 Jodee Etchart Billings 52 Bill Mercer Billings 53 Dennis Lenz Billings 54 Lee Deming Helena 55 Brad Barker Luther 56 Fiona Nave Billings 67 Jedediah Hinkle Bozeman 68 Caleb Hinkle Belgrade 69 Jennifer Carlson Manhattan 70 Julie Dooling Helena 75 Marta Bertoglio Clancy 76 John Fitzpatrick Anaconda 77 Jane Gillette Three Forks 78 Randynn Gregg White Sulphur Springs 84 Julie Dooling Helena 85 Michele Binkley Hamilton 86 David Bedey Hamilton 87 Ron Marshall Hamilton 88 Sharon Greef Florence

Platform The Montana Republican Party's most recent platform was adopted June 29, 2024 and can be viewed in its entirety on the Montana Republican Party's official website.

Conventions Party conventions are held regularly in the state, per party bylaws. The State Platform convention, which meets once every even-numbered year between the primary and general elections, is used to adopt a state platform. There is a State Delegate Convention, which meets every presidential year prior to the Republican National Committee; during this convention, delegates and alternate delegates are elected to the Republican National Convention. The State Officer's Convention, which meets in June each odd-numbered year, is used to elect party leadership, including Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The party provides notice for meetings and conventions. The Parliamentary practice is Roberts' Rules of Order, which governs all conventions and meetings and allows the state chairman to appoint a parliamentarian for any State Central Committee meeting or convention.

Committees The State Central Committee is made up by the county chairman, state committeemen and committee women, and finance chairman for each county. This committee is the governing body the MTGOP and makes up all the rules and policies for the state party.

The State Executive Board is made up of the state chairman, vice chairman, secretary, treasurer, finance chair, the national committeeman and committeewoman, and five regional chairs, who are elected by county chairmen. The main purpose of this committee is to execute the policies and programs of the MTGOP between meetings of the State Central Committee. The terms of these members last as long as the chairman's term and can also end by resignation.

County Central Committees are found in each county in Montana and consist of elected or appointed committeemen and committeewomen from each precinct of the county, who hold office for two years. The committee elects county chairman and vice chairman, secretary and treasurer, state and Congressional committeeman and committee woman, finance chairman, and anything else that seems important. It can adopt its own rules and come up with a county executive committee that executes the counties rules and policies.

There are also other committees such as the Rules Committee, for which members are appointed by the chairman to consider or recommend rules and rule changes. Any other special committee such as the Rules Committee can be appointed by the chairman if needed.

Elected officers The chairman is the leader of the party and is responsible of the hiring and firing of any employees. The chairman can appoint all committees except the executive committee. The chairman has the power of supervision and management. The chairman also works with the treasurer to make sure the right resources are provided. Vice chairman performs all the duties assigned by the chairman. Secretary keeps the minutes for all meetings and anything assigned by the chairman. Treasurer controls the financial record keeping and practices of the party. Assistant treasurer is there to become familiar with the responsibilities of the treasurer and will perform any duties assigned by the chairman and treasurer., Montana Republican Party Bylaws.

Appointed officers Executive director is appointed by the chairman after approval from the executive committee. The main duty is to preserve all permanent records of the State Central Committee and any other duty assigned by the chairman. finance chairman is appointed exactly like the executive director. The main duty of this officer is to raise funds for the Republican Party.

General Counsel is also appointed the same way as the first two officers. The main duty of the General Counsel is to advise the chairman, State Central Committee, and all other officers and committees on all legal matters. The General Counsel is licensed to practice law within the state.

There can be other types of officers that are appointed by the chairman. These types are only appointed if needed for a particular purpose.

Nominations The State Central Committee will appoint a nominee to fill a vacancy for a party candidate and the person who receives the most votes is the nominee. If one or two Congressional Districts for the state need to be filled, a committee appointed by the County Central Committee will make the appointment and the person with the most votes wins the nomination. The votes entitled to the certain members shall be weighted by comparing the Republican primary vote in each county and the Republican primary vote for the office being voted for. For each two percent or less of the total vote, there are four votes awarded to the county. Anything higher than two percent will be awarded an extra vote. The delegates at the meetings will divide the votes to each county and then the delegates will individually cast their votes.

Voting trends

Montana is considered to be a moderately Republican state. There is a small percentage of Hispanic and African American votes. There is a significant number of votes from the Native American population as well. Montana has voted Republican in almost every single presidential election after the national Democratic landslide of 1964, with the sole exception of Bill Clinton's narrow plurality victory in 1992. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won Montana in 2020 with 56.9% of the total statewide vote over Democrat Joe Biden, who received 40.5%.

During the 2022 midterms, the Republicans gained super-majority status in the state legislature, capturing 34 of 50 senate seats and 68 of 100 house seats.

Historical figures

Benjamin Potts

Potts was a Republican governor of Montana Territory who worked with Democrat political and business leaders to sustain a successful program of financial responsibility and economy of government during a boom period in Montana's territorial era. He was the longest-serving territorial governor in U.S. history.

Wilbur F. Sanders Sanders was a lawyer, Civil War veteran that was considered to be known as the essence of Montana Republicanism.

Jeannette Rankin

Rankin was a Republican from Montana and was also an important figure with the women's suffrage movement. Her efforts were rewarded when Montana gave women the right to vote in 1914. In 1916 she was the first woman to be elected to Congress. During her term in Congress she voted against U.S. entry in World War I. She left Congress in 1919 but was reelected in 1940. Once again she voted for peace and opposed U.S. entry in World War II.Hirshcmann, Kris. "Montana: The Treasure State". Milwaukee: World Almanac Library, 2003.Print.

Election results

Presidential