The president of Montana’s utility oversight board has announced a campaign for state auditor.
Public Service Commissioner James Brown, a Republican, is running to be the state’s watchdog over the insurance and securities industries.
The longtime attorney from Dillon is the first candidate to enter the race for the vacant position. Current State Auditor Troy Downing is running for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Brown was elected to the Public Service Commission, overseeing public utilities in the state, in 2020. He then became president of the five person board. He then ran for Montana Supreme Court in 2022, ultimately losing to incumbent Justice Ingrid Gustafson. That closely watched race drew millions of dollars of outside spending.
Brown said he wants to serve as a government watchdog and protect consumers from bad actors.