Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana, who was Interior secretary in President Trump's first term, said Monday he will not run for for reelection this fall, citing ongoing medical issues stemming from his military service. In a letter to constituents, the 64-year-old Republican said he has undergone several surgeries since returning to Congress in January 2023 and expects to have "several more" after leaving office. A former Navy SEAL who served 22 years and retired as a commander with a Bronze Star, Zinke said his injuries are not life-threatening but will require significant recovery time. He wrote that it would be better for Montana to have a representative who can fully perform the job than risk "uncertain absence and missed votes," the Hill reports.
That could give Democrats a better chance at taking the seat, which Zinke won by eight percentage points in 2024, per Politico. Montana talk radio host Aaron Flint said after Zinke's announcement that he'll run for the seat, drawing a quick endorsement from Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy, who called him "a strong voice for Montana Values across our airwaves." GOP Gov. Greg Gianforte praised Zinke as "an outspoken advocate for Montanans and our values from protecting public lands to restoring accountability in the federal government."
Zinke has served three nonconsecutive House terms, first winning Montana's at-large seat in 2014 and later capturing the state's newly created 1st District in 2022 by a margin of just over 3 percentage points against Democrat Monica Tranel. In between, he was in Trump's Cabinet, leaving after the Interior Department's watchdog referred an investigation involving land deals he approved to the Justice Department.
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