Montana Democrats, Republicans plan for special election to replace Zinke
With Montana’s lone congressmen, Ryan Zinke, on track to be secretary of Interior in President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet, Republicans and Democrats are making plans for a special election.
Sources close to Zinke confirmed Tuesday night that the Republican representative and former Navy SEAL had been offered the opportunity to lead the Department of the Interior. Trump’s transition team hasn’t confirmed the offer, but did acknowledge Zinke’s Monday meeting with the president-elect at Trump Tower in New York.
Zinke’s departure from the U.S. House would spark a scramble for a replacement. State law dictates that upon the resignation of a U.S. senator or representative, an interim representative would be appointed by the governor and that a special election be called to replace him or her within 85 to 100 days.
However, the Montana law, rewritten by the 2015 Legislature, is unconstitutional and won’t be followed. That was the conclusion Republicans and Democrats independently came to as they prepare to replace a U.S. representative for the first time in 47 years.
Read more: http://missoulian.com/news/government-and-politics/democrats-republicans-plan-for-special-election-to-replace-zinke/article_2ae3c9c1-bd1b-5646-827d-95ddeea2c5ae.html