The new vice chair of the Montana Democratic Party has resigned three days after his election.
Max Johansen of Livingston was elected second-in-command Sunday at the party’s convention. He ran for the position unopposed.
After the election, Johansen told reporters the party needs to be sharper in its messaging. He criticized former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, saying he wasn’t aggressive enough in campaigning against his Republican opponent, U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy, in his last unsuccessful run.
On Tuesday, Tester said on his podcast "Grounded” that Johansen was a “fox in the hen house” and said he was seeking to tear down the party rather than build it up.
Newly-elected Chair Shannon O’Brien of Missoula announced Johansen’s resignation Wednesday. She said in a statement that Johansen acknowledged comments he made after the convention were “disruptive and inconsistent with the direction of the Executive Board.”
The party’s rules say the executive board can elect a new vice chair.
