Austin Knudsen | |
---|---|
25th Attorney General of Montana | |
Assumed office January 4, 2021 | |
Governor | Greg Gianforte |
Preceded by | Tim Fox |
53rd Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives | |
In office January 5,2015 –January 7,2019 | |
Preceded by | Mark Blasdel |
Succeeded by | Greg Hertz |
Member of the MontanaHouseofRepresentatives from the 34th district | |
In office January 3,2011 –January 7,2019 | |
Preceded by | Julie French |
Succeeded by | Rhonda Knudsen |
Personal details | |
Born | Austin Miles Knudsen [1] 1980or1981(age 42–43) |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Christie |
Children | 3 |
Relatives | Rhonda Knudsen (mother) |
Education | Montana State University (BA,BS) University of Montana (JD) |
Signature | |
Austin Miles Knudsen (born 1980/1981) [2] is an American lawyer and politician serving as the Attorney General of Montana. He formerly served as the Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. [3] [4] During his time in the Montana House from 2010 to 2018,he represented House District 36,which includes the Culbertson area. [5]
Knudsen was raised in Culbertson,Montana. He earned a Bachelor of Science in sociology and Bachelor of Arts in political science from Montana State University. He then earned a Juris Doctor from the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana. [6] [7]
Knudsen was elected to the Montana House of Representatives in 2010 and took office in 2011. From 2015 to 2019,Knudsen served as the Speaker of the Montana House.
In a 2016 op-ed in The Montana Standard ,Knudsen expressed opposition to President Barack Obama's policy regarding allowing Syrian refugees to enter the United States. In an op-ed,Knudsen cited his grandfather's immigration from Denmark and claimed that Syrian refugees were not required to assimilate to American culture,and that "Much of this Muslim culture is foreign and strange to us." [8]
Knudsen was unable to seek re-election to the House in 2018 due to term limits;he successfully sought election as Roosevelt County Attorney instead.
In 2017,Knudsen authored a number of pieces of legislation. He introduced bills to: [9]
In May 2019,Knudsen announced his candidacy for Attorney General of Montana in the 2020 election. [10] Knudsen defeated Jon Bennion,the state deputy Attorney General,in the Republican primary. He defeated Raph Graybill [11] in the November general election, [12] [13] and was sworn in on January 4,2021.
On September 5,2023,special counsel Timothy Strauch filed 41 counts of prosecutorial misconduct against Knudsen with the Montana Office of Disciplinary Counsel,recommending "an adjudicatory panel from the commission be formed to hear the allegations and forward a recommendation to the Montana Supreme Court for possible disciplinary action." [14]
In the 2024 election,Knudsen admitted that he recruited his own primary opponent as a dummy candidate who would not campaign in order to raise more money,a potential violation of campaign finance laws. [15]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Austin Knudsen | 4,278 | 77.49 | |
Democratic | Evelyn Carlisle | 1,243 | 22.51 | |
Total votes | 5,521 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Austin Knudsen | 348,322 | 58.51 | |
Democratic | Raph Graybill | 247,025 | 41.49 | |
Total votes | 595,347 | 100 |
Knudsen is married (wife,Christie) with three children. He is of Danish descent.
As established and defined by the Montana Constitution,the government of the State of Montana is composed of three branches,the Executive,Judicial,and Legislative. The powers of initiative and referendum are reserved for the citizens of Montana.
Michael R. Cooney is an American politician who served as the 36th lieutenant governor of Montana from 2016 to 2021. He previously served in the Montana House of Representatives (1977–1981),as the secretary of state of Montana (1989–2001),in the Montana Senate (2003–2011),as the president of the Montana Senate (2007–2009) and ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Montana in 2000. Cooney was the Democratic nominee for governor of Montana in the 2020 election,losing to Republican U.S. Representative Greg Gianforte.
Gabrielle LeDoux is an American politician and a former member of the Republican Party of the Alaska House of Representatives. She lives in Anchorage,Alaska. LeDoux is a former maritime attorney,having practiced law in Kodiak and Anchorage.
Stephen Clark Bullock is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 24th governor of Montana from 2013 to 2021. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Art Wittich is an American politician from Montana. A member of the Republican Party,he was a member of the Montana Legislature,in the Montana Senate from Senate District 35,and then the Montana House of Representatives,from House District 68.
Matthew Martin Rosendale Sr. is an American politician. A Republican,Rosendale represents Montana's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. Rosendale served in the Montana House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013,and in the Montana Senate from 2013 to 2017. From 2015 to 2017,he served as Senate majority leader. Rosendale was elected Montana state auditor in 2016 and held that position from 2017 to 2020. Rosendale ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014 and for the U.S. Senate in 2018. He was elected to represent Montana's at-large congressional district in 2020. After Montana regained its second House seat in the 2020 census,Rosendale was elected to represent the new 2nd congressional district in 2022.
The 2014 congressional election in Montana was held on November 4,2014,to elect the U.S. representative from Montana's at-large congressional district. Between 1993 and 2023,Montana had one at-large seat in the House.
Kimberly Dudik is an American politician and attorney who served as a member of the Montana House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021. Dudik was a candidate for attorney general of Montana in the 2020 Democratic primary.
Cynthia Black Hall is an American politician,attorney,and scientist from New Mexico. She is a member of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission from the 1st district,covering parts of Bernalillo County.
A general election in the state of Montana was held on Tuesday,November 3,2020,with the primary elections being held on June 2,2020. Voters will elect one member to United States House of Representatives and all five state constitutional offices,among other elected offices.
Ryan Berman is an American attorney and politician,serving as a member of Michigan House of Representatives from district 39. Elected in November 2018,he assumed office on January 1,2019.
Joel Krautter is an American politician attorney,small business owner and Republican candidate for the eastern Montana congressional district in Montana. Krautter was a Republican member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 35th district.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Montana were held on November 8,2022,to elect two U.S. Representatives from Montana,one from each of its congressional districts. Prior to this election cycle,Montana had one at-large district,represented by Republican Matt Rosendale. However,during the 2020 redistricting cycle,Montana regained the 2nd district that it lost in 1993. As a result,Montana became the first state relegated from multi-district to at-large status that reclaimed a second representative in the House of Representatives,in which Rosendale ran for re-election.
Raphael "Raph" Jeffrey Carlisle Graybill is an American attorney who served as chief legal counsel to Steve Bullock,the Governor of Montana,from 2017 to 2021. Graybill was a candidate for attorney general of Montana in the 2020 general election. Currently,Graybill is running for Lieutenant Governor in the upcoming 2024 gubernatorial election in Montana.
Rhonda Knudsen is an American politician and retired civil engineer serving as a member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 34th district. Elected in 2019,Knudsen succeeded her son,House Speaker Austin Knudsen.
The 2020 Montana Attorney General election was held on November 3,2020,to elect the Attorney General of the U.S. state of Montana. Incumbent Republican Montana Attorney General Tim Fox was re-elected in 2016 with 67.7% of the vote. Fox was term-limited and was ineligible to run for re-election. Fox decided to run for the Governor of Montana election,losing the nomination to Greg Gianforte. Austin Knudsen defeated Jon Bennion in the Republican primary and defeated Democrat Raph Graybill in the general election by over 14 points.
The 2020 United States attorney general elections were held on November 3,2020,in 10 states. The previous attorney general elections for this group of states took place in 2016,except in Vermont where attorneys general only serve two-year terms and elected their current attorney general in 2018. Nine state attorneys general ran for reelection and eight won,while Republican Tim Fox of Montana could not run again due to term limits and Republican Curtis Hill of Indiana was eliminated in the Republican convention.
Kenneth M. Walsh is an American politician serving as a member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 71st district. Elected in November 2020,he assumed office on January 4,2021.
The 2024 United States attorney general elections will be held on November 5,2024,to elect the attorneys general of ten U.S. states. The previous elections for this group of states took place in 2020,while Vermont's attorney general was last elected in 2022.
The 2024 Montana Attorney General election will be held on November 5,2024,to elect the attorney general of the state of Montana. It will coincide with the concurrent presidential election,as well as various state and local elections,including for U.S. Senate,U.S. House,and governor of Montana. Incumbent attorney general Austin Knudsen is running for a second term. Primary elections will take place on June 4,2024.