James Brown, who has served as president of the Montana Public Service Commission for the last four years, has secured the seat to become the state’s top consumer watchdog.

At 2:20 a.m. Wednesday morning, The Associated Press called the race for Brown, a familiar name in Montana Republican politics. As of 9:45 a.m., Brown led his Democratic challenger with 62% of the vote and 86% of votes counted. An attorney who maintains a law practice in Helena and a home in Dillon, Brown’s campaign foregrounded his Montana roots and regulatory experience.

Brown’s competitor for the seat was John Repke, a retired business executive who lives in Whitefish and previously campaigned unsuccessfully for a seat on the PSC.

In an emailed release Tuesday night, Brown said he will “actively and energetically embrace my responsibilities as your Commissioner of Insurance and Securities.”

“I ran for this public office because I am dedicated not only to protecting the last best place, and our Montana way of life; but also to protecting my fellow Montanans who I strongly believe are the last, best, people on earth.”

“I will build on the solid record of my predecessor, Commissioner Troy Downing, to promote consumer education and consumer advocacy, work to lower insurance costs by promoting competition, reduce the regulatory burden on Montana businesses, and hold bad actors accountable,” Brown said.

Concerns about surging insurance rate and frustration surrounding frauds that target senior citizens were some of the key issues Brown and Repke grappled with this election cycle. 

A report published earlier this year found that home insurance rates have increased by 44% in Montana over the past five years, approaching an average of nearly $2,800 annually. According to that same report, which was prepared by LendingTree and based on data compiled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, rates in Montana jumped 12% between January and March of this year, well above the nationwide increase of 6% over the same period

Brown wrote that he would use his background in law to ensure “transparency and fair access to the securities and insurance industries.” 

In an October interview with Montana Free Press, Repke foregrounded the role of climate-related disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes in generating national upheaval in the insurance marketplace. He argued that the state auditor should proactively work to understand these factors to better regulate insurance companies and thereby protect consumer interests.

In an emailed statement Wednesday morning, Repke said he is proud of “the many tens of thousands of Montanans who supported [his] campaign.” He also said he thinks “misleading and deceitful campaigns fueled by lobbyists and out-of-state interests are going to be our controlling political paradigm in Montana for a while.”

“My concern is not for myself. My concern is for our most vulnerable citizens, young people, small-business owners and hard-working families,” he said. “My hope is that the inevitable insurance rate increases, lack of consumer protection, higher property taxes and extreme political agendas are not so toxic that they ruin the Montana that nurtured my generation.”

This was Brown’s third bid for a statewide political office. He ran unsuccessfully to become a Montana Supreme Court justice in 2022. 

In January, Brown will assume the office that’s currently held by Downing, a Republican who did not run for reelection in order to pursue a seat in U.S. Congress — a seat he won handily Tuesday evening. 

As state auditor, Brown will oversee an office with a budget of $10 million and a 72-employee payroll.