State Representative District 61 in Montana State House District 61, Montana

2026 Primary Election

• Chris Gray — Attorney in Bozeman, MT

  Chris Gray, a Democratic Party candidate, is running for the Montana House of Representatives, District 61. With a law degree from Gonzaga University and a career as an attorney, Gray has over 30 years of experience serving the Bozeman community in courtrooms, classrooms, and various organizations. His policy priorities include protecting healthcare access and lowering costs, controlling the cost of living by reducing property taxes, keeping education under local control, and defending an independent court system. Gray aims to bring real solutions and fight for Bozeman families.

• Eric Jacobs — Candidate for State Representative in MT

  Eric Jacobs is a Republican candidate running for election to the Montana House of Representatives, representing District 61. He is scheduled to appear on the Republican primary ballot on June 2, 2026. Jacobs has not yet publicly shared details regarding his campaign themes, policy positions, or completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. As of now, information concerning his endorsements or campaign finance is also not available.

• Rio Roland — Senior Resource Analyst – Wind Energy in Bozeman, MT

  Rio Roland is a 46-year-old Democratic candidate campaigning for election to the Montana House of Representatives, representing District 61 in the 2026 primary. A resident of Bozeman, Montana, Roland was born in Bottineau County, North Dakota. He earned a high school diploma from Bottineau High School, a bachelor's degree in Bioresource Research from Oregon State University in 1999, and a graduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota in 2003. Professionally, Roland works as an engineer, serving as a Senior Resource Analyst – Wind Energy for Innergex Renewable Energy, where he focuses on designing and optimizing utility-scale wind farms. He believes his diverse background and interests, which include skiing, politics, and fly-fishing, equip him with the skills to be an effective legislator. Roland's policy stances include a commitment to education by proposing the elimination of the 3% cap on inflationary spending and advocating for healthier, free school lunches sourced locally. For the environment and energy, he supports investing in renewable energy alternatives, fully funding agencies like Fish, Wildlife, and Parks and the Department of Environmental Quality, and incentivizing sustainable development to protect open spaces. In healthcare, he aims to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates to support rural hospitals, work to fund lost Obamacare subsidies, and expand access to community-based mental health services. On housing, Roland champions increasing the supply of affordable housing, implementing higher taxes for out-of-state second-home owners, and repealing the ban on inclusionary zoning. He also advocates for a taxation system that relies more on income taxes for state general fund revenue.