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Lawmakers selected party leaders for the upcoming legislative session in Helena on Wednesday.

Earlier Wednesday, I wrote about how the Montana Democrats locked themselves inside "the Helena bubble" and then their bubble burst as Republicans swept the state in the massive red wave of the 2020 elections.

What did Democrats in the Montana State Legislature do later that same day? They selected two lawmakers from Helena to serve as their leaders in both chambers. (Well, to be fair...one of them is from EAST Helena...)

Meanwhile, Martinsdale Republican Wylie Galt will serve as Speaker of the House, and former Speaker of the House Mark Blasdel (R-Kalispell) will serve as the President of the Senate, as Republicans now hold a solid majority in both chambers.

The Montana Television Network's Mike Dennison has a summary of the days events, including remarks from Speaker-elect Galt:

Rep. Wylie Galt, R-Martinsdale, who was chosen as speaker of the House, said he expects the sizable GOP majorities to vote as a bloc to enact the priorities of incoming Gov. Greg Gianforte.

Governor-elect Greg Gianforte (R-MT) congratulated the newly elected leaders from both sides of the aisle ahead of the 67th session of the Montana Legislature with this prepared statement:

Congratulations to Speaker-elect Galt, Senate President-elect Blasdel, House Minority Leader Abbott, Senate Minority Leader Cohenour, and others elected to legislative leadership. I look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to lead Montana’s comeback and fulfill the mandate Montanans have given us.

 


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