Senate and House Republicans, selecting leaders who will preside over the 2025 Legislature, chose Senator-elect Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, as Senate president and Rep. Brandon Ler, R-Savage, as speaker of the House in caucuses Tuesday. The GOP holds majorities in both chambers for the eighth straight session of the biennial Legislature.
Democrats chose Sen. Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, and Rep. Katie Sullivan, D-Missoula, as minority leaders of their respective caucuses.
The full chambers will formally vote on those leaders when the session begins Jan. 6. Caucus votes are conducted by secret ballot.
In the Senate, Regier, who was the House speaker during the 2023 Legislature, prevailed over current Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, and Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson. In remarks to Senate Republicans, Regier stressed the importance of working with House lawmakers and the governor, a different focus than presented by Ellsworth, who said the caucus should have prioritized its own legislation over bills advocated by Gov.
Greg Gianforte during the 2023 session. “I think this session, we must take every opportunity to work with anyone. If there’s a good idea in the House, there’s a good idea on the second floor [the governor’)’s office], if there’s a good idea from an organization outside, let’s take it and run with it, amend it if we have to,” Regier told the caucus.
“I believe the only people we should work for are our constituents.” Tuesday’s election, th.