A former Montana legislator who’s known for ranking Republicans based on their party loyalty has returned to the Montana Capitol to fill an open seat.
Fergus and Petroleum County Commissioners have appointed Ed Butcher, a rancher from Winifred, to represent House District 29 after former Republican Rep. Doug Flament resigned due to health reasons. Butcher previously served in the state Legislature from 2001 to 2009.
He also runs the website, Legistats, that tracks the votes of Republican lawmakers and gives them a grade for how close they vote with the Republican majority. He made headlines in the Havre Daily News in August for making disparaging comments about Native American lawmakers.
Separately, Yellowstone County Commissioners are in the process of appointing another new legislator to an open seat. Rep. Mallerie Stromswold, a Republican from Billings, resigned last week citing logistical challenges and backlash from her caucus when she voted independently from the majority.
