Montana House Republicans picked a new leader on Wednesday, and the choice surprised some of their own members. Rep. Katie Zolnikov of Billings beat sitting Speaker Brandon Ler of Savage in a secret-ballot caucus vote in Helena, putting her in line to become the first woman to serve as speaker of the Montana House.
Zolnikov is 29. Republicans said in a release, citing the National Conference of State Legislatures, that she will be the youngest woman ever to lead a state House anywhere in the country, according to the Daily Montanan. Montana Free Press reported that the previous record belonged to Maine’s Hannah Pingree, who was 32 when she took the gavel in 2008.
The full House still has to confirm the caucus picks when the 2027 session opens in early January. That vote is usually a formality. Republicans hold 56 of the chamber’s 100 seats.
A shake-up at the top of the House
Zolnikov was not the only upset. Rep. Steve Fitzpatrick of Great Falls, the outgoing majority leader, lost his bid to keep the post to Rep. Tom Millett of Marion, a Navy veteran heading into his second session. Fitzpatrick told Montana Free Press he was “very surprised” by the speaker result, since many Republicans expected Ler to win.
Rep. Mike Vinton of Billings won the speaker pro tempore race over Rep. Jodee Etchart, also of Billings. The caucus named five majority whips: Steve Gist of Cascade, Shannon Maness of Dillon, Braxton Mitchell of Columbia Falls, Greg Oblander of Billings and Tracy Sharp of Polson.
Zolnikov, a small-business owner first elected in 2020 at 23, is entering her fourth session. She served as speaker pro tempore in 2025. In her pitch to the caucus she leaned on process, saying lawmakers should do their work “in the light of day, with full debate on the record.” Afterward she named lowering taxes among her top goals, though she told Montana Public Radio it was too early to lay out a plan.
“You don’t have to be a part of the good ol’ boys club or come from money to rise through the ranks,” she said.
The Senate stays with Regier
Across the hall, Senate Republicans renominated Sen. Matt Regier of Kalispell as Senate president. He was the only nominee, so there was no vote. In his remarks Regier pointed back to the 2025 session, when nine Republicans joined Democrats to form a working majority on several big votes, and said he did not want a repeat.
That math could come up again. Democrats now hold 20 of the Senate’s 50 seats after picking up two in this month’s election. Senate Republicans nominated Sen. Daniel Zolnikov of Billings, the new speaker’s husband, as president pro tempore and Sen. Sue Vinton as majority leader.
Caucus picks, including committee assignments, can still be changed by a majority vote on the floor in the first days of the session. That happened in 2025, when the bipartisan bloc used its numbers to reshuffle committee seats.
Democrats’ leadership
Democrats had no contested races. Rep. SJ Howell of Missoula was elected House minority leader and Sen. Laura Smith of Helena will lead the Senate minority. House Democrats chose Reps. Tom France and Zooey Zephyr of Missoula, Shelly Fyant of Arlee and Josh Seckinger of Bozeman as whips, and Rep. Denise Baum of Billings as caucus chair.
Both parties said cost of living will drive the session. Howell said Democrats would take up “affordability first, and affordability second, and likely third, and maybe fourth.” Smith gave Montana Free Press nearly the same answer.
The 2027 session convenes in January. Current leadership rosters are posted on the Montana Legislature’s website.
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