BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Ryan Zinke, a Montana Republican who served as interior secretary during President Donald Trump’s first administration, said Monday that he will not seek reelection to a fifth term in the U.S. House, citing health concerns.
The decision gives Democrats an outside chance to pick up a House seat in a state that has veered hard to the right politically in recent years.
Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, said in a letter to constituents that he had undergone multiple surgeries over the past several years and faces more medical procedures from injuries sustained during his time in the military. He said his condition, which he did not specify, was not life-threatening but required considerable time for recovery.
“My judgement and experience tell me it is better for Montana and America to have full-time representation in Congress than run the risk of uncertain absences and missed votes.” he wrote.
After four years in the Montana Legislature, Zinke was elected to the U.S. House in 2014. He was tapped as Trump’s interior secretary in 2017 but resigned in 2018 amid numerous ethics investigations. His political career bounced back in 2022 when Zinke narrowly won in a newly created congressional district in western Montana. He won again in 2024 by a comfortable margin.
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