Facing Challenge from the Right, Incumbent Rep. Brockman Loses Legislative Contest

State Rep. Tony Brockman, R-Evergreen, lost a bid for reelection to 18-year-old ultra-conservative challenger Lukas Schubert. 

With all precincts in Evergreen and north Kalispell reporting, Schubert won 60% of the vote (1,502) to Brockman’s 40% (1,017). 

Brockman is a freshman legislator in the Montana House who, like Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell, gained the support of Gov. Greg Gianforte during the 2023 legislative session for his center-leaning policy work. The lawmaker carried 16 bills that were signed into law and helped to secure $1 million in a statewide budget bill to complete the construction of sidewalks along U.S. Highway 2 in Evergreen.  

Schubert is a 2023 graduate of Glacier High School and a Flathead Valley Community College student. He serves on the Flathead County Transportation Advisory Committee and is the secretary of the Flathead County Republican Central Committee. Schubert was backed by the Flathead County Republican Central Committee, which rebuked Brockman and Sprunger for their willingness to work with Democrats in Helena. Schubert, a first-time political candidate, received the endorsement of local Republican leaders such as Montana House Speaker Matt Regier and state Senators John Fuller, Carl Glimm and Mark Noland. 

He told the Beacon in February that the Legislature needs to make meaningful progress when it comes to limiting the power of the judiciary, restricting access to abortion and barring transgender minors from accessing certain types of medical care. If elected, he hopes to cut property taxes and reign in the power of Montana’s judicial branch. 

Schubert will go on to face Democratic candidate and therapist Beth Siebert in the general election. 

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story misspelled the last name of Sen. Mark Noland.