Will Deschamps officially announced his candidacy Monday in the wide-open race for Montana GOP chairman. Deschamps is currently the chair of the Missoula County Republican Party and has served on various boards in that area. The election for the party’s state chair will be held at the Party’s Officer’s Convention on June 11-13 at the Red Lion Colonial Hotel in Helena.
The winner will replace Erik Iverson, who left his post in December to take a job with Tom Siebel, the man behind the Montana Meth Project. Liane Johnson, who was vice-chair, took over Iverson’s duties after he departed. At the time, Johnson said she was unsure if she would seek to remain chairwoman this summer.
Here’s a press release from Deschamps:
HELENA – Will Deschamps, Chair of the Missoula County Republican Central Committee, today announced his candidacy for the chair of the Montana Republican Party. The election will take place at the Party’s Officer’s Convention held June 11- 13 at the Red Lion Colonial Hotel in Helena.
Deschamps is the current Missoula County Chair of the Republican Party and also serves as Chairman of the Montana Republican Party Rules Committee as well as the Party’s Executive Board. He has served all people of Missoula on the Hellgate Elementary School Board, the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board as well as the Missoula Planning and Policy Board. Deschamps served his country as a United States Marine during the Vietnam War, is currently the Commandant of the Marine Corps League as well as the local coordinator of the local Toys for Tots program.
“I am excited at the prospect of serving my fellow Montana Republicans as Chair of the state Republican Party and am eager to begin working towards Republican successes in 2010 if elected,” Deschamps said. “I have been very active within the state Party and believe I will provide the leadership and integrity needed to expand the Republican legislative majority. I am humbled by the support of my Republican colleagues and am optimistic about the road ahead.”
Educated in Missoula schools and a graduate of the University of Montana, Will has been married for 29 years. As a fifth generation Montanan, Will grew up on a hay and cattle ranch west of Missoula. He and his wife Janice have three children and five grandchildren.