Holden joins growing field in run to represent eastern House District
Former state senator and current Montana rancher Ric Holden announced Friday that he plans to enter the race to represent Montana's eastern Congressional district in 2024. Holden previously served for eight years as a state senator beginning in 1994, representing communities along Montana's eastern border before term limits forced him to leave the senate at the end of 2002. During his time in Helena, Holden served as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Holden joins Billings attorney Joel Krautter and Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen in announcing their intension to run for Montana's second Congressional district - if incumbent Republican Matt Rosendale chooses to step aside to take a run at unseating Montana Democrat Jon Tester for the U.S. Senate.
Democrats Kevin Hamm of Helena and Ming Cabrera of Billings have already declared their House campaigns, and will oppose whomever Republicans select as their nominee regardless of whether Rosendale decides to run for the U.S. Senate or not.
Holden and his wife Jan have operated a diversified family farm and ranch outside of Glendive for the past 33 years. In the news release announcing his campaign Holden said that the eastern half of Montana is ready to send a representative back to Washington D.C. who is active in livestock and farming agriculture, and that the Biden administration's energy policy is hampering eastern Montana's economy.
“There are many issues that are currently stopping our young people from getting ahead in today’s current economic climate,” Holden said. “The lack of energy development right here in Montana has been a part of the failed Biden administration policies to attack Montana oil and coal production. Once these industries are given a chance to produce again like they were four years ago our situation in Montana will greatly improve. A rising tide raises all boats and so goes our agricultural and energy sectors so goes the Montana economy.”
According to Friday's news release, Holden holds a college degree from Montana State University in Bozeman and is a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association. He has also served in leadership positions with the Dawson County Livestock Production Association, Montana Farm Bureau, Montana Stock Growers Association, and the Montana Wool Growers Association.
Holden told the Helena Independent Record that to serve the east, Montana’s congressional delegation needs representation on the House Committee on Agricultre, where currently no Montana lawmaker serves.
“Our economy is driven by the agriculture community," he said. "All of our businesses here depend on the ag dollar. It’s our largest industry. When I was in Helena it was easy to see all the revenues for state government coming out of eastern Montana. We had agriculture, oil, coal all that stuff is where the money came from to run state government."
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Former state senator Ric Holden announces bid for Congress
