Montana House Democrats elect first trans/non‑binary minority leader

Democrats in the Montana House of Representatives have chosen State Rep. SJ Howell, a transgender/non‑binary lawmaker from Missoula, as their minority leader.

Rep. Howell, who was first elected in 2022 as Montana’s inaugural non‑binary legislator, previously worked as a lobbyist and activist on women’s and LGBTQ+ issues. Their appointment marks the first time a trans or non‑binary politician has held a party leadership position in any U.S. state legislature.

Alongside Howell’s election, fellow Missoula Democrat Rep. Zooey Zephyr was named one of three minority whips. Zephyr, elected in 2022 as the state’s first openly transgender lawmaker, posted on Bluesky that the Democratic leadership team is “incredible” and ready to work for Montana.

The Republican Party continues to dominate the Montana Legislature, holding all six statewide offices. House Republicans elected Katie Zolnikov of Billings as speaker, Mike Vinton of Billings as speaker‑pro‑tem, and Tom Millett of Marion as majority leader.

Source: ABC News. Photo: Andrew Patrick Photo / Pexels.