GOP state senator from Miles City enters Congressional race
Blair Miller
(Daily Montanan) Montana State Sen. Ken Bogner, a Republican from Miles City, is the latest Republican to join the growing field of GOP candidates in the field vying for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Matt Rosendale.
Bogner, 36, served as the Senate President Pro Tempore during the 2023 legislative session after winning re-election unchallenged by both parties in 2022. He was first elected to Senate District 19 in 2018 when he won a three-way primary that included now-Rep. Jerry Schillinger, R-Circle, then handily won the General Election.
“Montana deserves a representative who will vigorously defend our conservative values,” Bogner said in a statement. “We need someone who will fight for our way of life, and someone who is actually ready to go to Congress to get something done.”
Bogner grew up in Miles City and graduated from Custer County District High School. After graduating, he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, including two combat tours in Iraq.
Following his military service, Bogner earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Columbia University and a master’s degree in public policy from Middlesex University in the United Kingdom.
Bogner successfully passed several bills he sponsored this session tied to privacy laws, licensing, and patient and childhood rights, but his highest-profile legislation was Senate Bill 203, which prohibits foreign adversary from buying, leasing or tenting critical infrastructure or agricultural land that has a direct sight line to any Montana military installation.
Just days after the bill’s first hearing, federal lawmakers including Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines introduced a similar bill for Congress to consider. Two days after that, a spy balloon from China drifted over Montana, prompting outrage across the political spectrum and vindication from Bogner and other backers of the bills.
A version of Bogner’s bill would go on to pass both chambers almost unanimously and be signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte.
In Bogner’s announcement Tuesday (he has yet to formally file with the Federal Election Commission), his campaign touted his work on SB 203 and bills regarding elections and individual liberty.
He also said that the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, and a commitment to “responsible spending” in Congress, led to his decision to run for Congress.
“This is personal. We lost Afghanistan, we’re losing at our southern border, and we’ll lose to China if we don’t push back. As a Marine, I cannot by and just let this happen. I am running to restore America’s strength,” Bogner said in a statement. “Joe Biden must be held accountable for weakening our military and our national defense. It’s time to send in a Marine to fight and take our country back.”
Bogner joins an already crowded field on the Republican side. Rosendale has not yet publicly committed to running in the U.S. Senate primary against Tim Sheehy but has been long rumored to enter the race, nor to running again in the 2nd Congressional District.
State Auditor Troy Downing is running in the Republican primary and said on social media Tuesday he had raised $344,000 in the last quarter of fundraising.
Office of Public Instruction Superintendent Elsie Arntzen has also filed to run in the Republican primary but had previously said she would drop out if Rosendale decides to run for the seat again.
Ed Walker, a former Republican lawmaker from Billings, has also filed to run in the district’s GOP primary, as has former Sidney lawmaker Joel Krautter, who now lives in Billings.
Ric Holden, a former lawmaker from Glendive, and former DEA agent Stacy Zinn, have also filed candidacy statements with the FEC for the Republican primary.
On the Democratic side, Helena activist Kev Hamm and Ming Cabrera have filed to run in the Democratic primary for the seat.