Democrats Elect SJ Howell Minority Leader
Montana House Democrats chose Missoula Representative SJ Howell as minority leader, making Howell the first trans and nonbinary party leader in the U.S.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Political Parties
Montana House Democrats elected Missoula state Representative SJ Howell as minority leader and fellow Missoula Representative Zooey Zephyr as one of three minority whips. Republicans continue to dominate the state Legislature and hold all six statewide offices.
Why it matters
The leadership vote places two openly transgender and nonbinary lawmakers in top Democratic posts in a state where Republicans control the Legislature. The outcome shapes how the minority caucus organizes against the majority in Montana's House.
Democratic leadership was chosen from a caucus of three whips and a minority leader, with Republicans controlling all six statewide offices. The vote tallies and exact caucus breakdown were not provided in the source extraction.
The players
SJ Howell
A Democratic state representative from Missoula who was elected Montana House minority leader and is the first trans and nonbinary party leader in the U.S.
Zooey Zephyr
A Democratic state representative from Missoula who was elected one of three House minority whips and was previously barred from the House floor in 2023.
Katie Zolnikov
A Republican state representative from Billings who was elected Montana House speaker by the majority caucus.
Mike Vinton
A Republican state representative from Billings who was elected speaker pro tem of the Montana House.
Tom Millett
A Republican state representative from Marion who was elected Montana House majority leader.
The details
Howell and Zephyr were first elected to the Montana House in 2022, Howell as the state's first nonbinary legislator and Zephyr as its first openly transgender lawmaker. In 2023, other lawmakers barred Zephyr from the House floor after she declined to apologize for telling colleagues they would have blood on their hands.
Timeline
2022: Howell and Zephyr first elected to the Montana House.
2023: Zephyr barred from the House floor by other lawmakers.
November 11, 2026: Montana House Democrats announce leadership elections for Howell and Zephyr.
Political Context
The 2023 decision to bar Zooey Zephyr from the House floor set the backdrop for her election as a minority whip, which places her in a formal leadership role within the caucus. Republicans, who hold all six statewide offices, responded to the Democratic leadership picks by electing their own slate of House leaders.
The leadership changes determine which Democrats set the agenda and negotiate with Republicans during House sessions in Montana. Voters in the state can track how the minority caucus uses its new leadership positions in upcoming legislative debates.
The takeaway
Leadership posts in a minority caucus shape how a party responds to majority control, and these elections show how Montana Democrats are arranging their House leadership.
Further reading
For more on how the parties are organized, see Political Parties coverage across Montana.
