Brian Schweitzer
From dKosopedia
Brian Schweitzer is the Democratic governor of Montana.
Lieutenant Governor John Bohlinger (left) and Governor Brian Schweitzer (right).
Biography
Brian Schweitzer was born in Havre, Montana in 1955, the fourth of six children -- five sons and a daughter -- of Kay and Adam Schweitzer. He was raised on his parent's registered cattle ranch in the Judith Basin, Montana.
Schweitzer earned a Bachelor of Science degree in International Agronomy from Colorado State University, and later earned a Master of Science degree in Soil Science from Montana State University.
In 1993, Brian was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to serve on the Montana State USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) committee. He served for seven years with the FSA. He resigned in 1999 to run for U.S. Senate.
In 2000, Schweitzer ran a campaign to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Conrad Burns. Schweitzer lost this race, but by a smaller margin than anticipated. He took 47% of the votes cast, while Burns took 51%.
Schweitzer ran for Montana governor in 2004 with Republican John Bohlinger as his running mate for lieutenant governor. He won the general election by a margin of 50% to 46% over Montana Secretary of State Bob Brown.
Brian Schweitzer took office as governor on January 3, 2005.
Schweitzer is married to the former Nancy Hupp.