The former superintendent of Glacier National Park will try his hand at politics, announcing Friday that he is running for the Legislature in House District 3, which stretches from Columbia Falls to West Glacier.
“I know this area – the park, the local economy and unique needs of this area,” Mick Holm said in a prepared statement. “We need leaders in Helena who stand up for the good citizens of Montana.”
The seat is being vacated by Rep. Doug Cordier, D-Columbia Falls, who has chosen not to seek re-election in order to pursue study as a deacon in the Catholic Church. Republican Dee Brown of Hungry Horse, who lost to Cordier in 2006, is running again for the seat.
Despite electing a Democratic representative, the district chose Conrad Burns over Jon Tester in the 2006 U.S. Senate race and state Republicans have long made clear their belief that they can take back HD3.
Holm and his wife, Patti, live in rural Columbia Falls. Holm is a 32-year veteran of the National Park Service who served as the superintendent of Glacier for five years prior to his retirement in January.
“(Holm’s) management experience will be a huge asset to the Montana House of Representatives,” Rep. Mike Jopek, D-Whitefish, said.
If elected, Holm said he would build coalitions and emphasize cooperation in a place “where polarized partisan politics have been the norm.”