Zinke announces he won’t seek reelection

Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), a former Interior Secretary during President Trump’s first term, said Monday he will not seek reelection this November.

Zinke, who has represented Montana in the lower chamber for three non-consecutive terms, wrote in a letter to Montanans that he has “quietly undergone” multiple surgeries since returning to Congress in January 2023 and faces “several more immediately after leaving office.”

Zinke joins over a dozen Republican House lawmakers not seeking re-election, as Democrats are optimistic about their chances of taking control of the lower chamber this November.

While Zinke said his injuries, sustained from a 22-year career as a Navy SEAL, are not life-threatening, his recovery will require him to spend “considerable time” with his wife, Lola Zinke, and their family.  

While he said his injuries, sustained from a 22-year career as a Navy SEAL, are not life-threatening, his recovery will require him to spend “considerable time” with his wife, Lola Zinke, and their family. 

“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 absence and missed votes,” Zinke, 64, wrote.

After retiring from the Navy SEALS in 2008 with the rank of commander and the Bronze Star, Zinke served in the Montana Senate from 2009-13. He was first elected to represent Montana’s at-large district in 2014, becoming the first Navy SEAL in the lower chamber upon taking office in January 2015.

Trump appointed Zinke as his first Interior secretary, a role the latter served in from March 2017 to January 2019. He left the administration after the Interior’s Office of Inspector General referred a probe on scrutinized land deals he signed off on to the Justice Department.

Zinke later ran to represent Montana’s new 1st congressional district in 2022, defeating Democrat Monica Tranel by just over 3 percentage points. In his Monday letter, the Montana Republican touted his work to remove “excessive” regulations, lower taxes and pass the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act — which Trump signed into law in 2020 and allocated billions annually for conservation, outdoor recreation and the maintenance of national parks. 

“Service is a duty that I will always hold sacred, and I am grateful for the opportunity to make a difference,” Zinke wrote.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), who preceded Zinke in representing Montana’s at-large district, said the congressman “served Montana and our country with honor and distinction for four decades.”

“I have known Ryan since we were in high school. We attended Montana Boys State in Dillon together in 1979,” Daines wrote on the social platform X. “He was a Whitefish Bulldog and I was a Bozeman Hawk.  His desire to serve his country was evident back then.”

The deadline to file to run in Montana was on Thursday.

Just over an hour after Zinke’s announcement, Montana radio host Aaron Flint launched his campaign for the seat. Shortly thereafter, Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) endorsed Flint, a combat veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This story was updated at 6:08 p.m.

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