Ryan Zinke

Ryan K. Zinke

Republican Party

Candidate, U.S. House Montana District 1

U.S. House Montana District 1

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Prior offices

Montana State Senate District 2

Successor: Dee Brown

---

U.S. House Montana At-large District

Successor: Greg Gianforte

Predecessor: Steve Daines

---

U.S. Secretary of the Interior

Successor: David Bernhardt

Predecessor: Sally Jewell

---

Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

Bachelor's

University of Oregon, 1984

Graduate

University of San Diego, 2003

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Navy

Years of service

1985 - 2008

Personal

Birthplace

Bozeman, Mont.

Religion

Christian: Lutheran

Profession

Executive

Contact

Official website

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

float:right;
border:1px solid #FFB81F;
background-color: white;
width: 250px;
font-size: .9em;
margin-bottom:0px;

} .infobox p { margin-bottom: 0; } .widget-row { display: inline-block; width: 100%; margin-top: 1px; margin-bottom: 1px; } .widget-row.heading { font-size: 1.2em; } .widget-row.value-only { text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.value-only.white { background-color: #f9f9f9; } .widget-row.value-only.black { background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; } .widget-row.Democratic { background-color: #003388; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Republican { background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Libertarian { background-color: #f9d334; color: black; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Green { background-color: green; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-key { width: 43%; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold; } .widget-value { width: 57%; float: right; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; word-wrap: break-word; } .widget-img { width: 150px; display: block; margin: auto; } .clearfix { clear: both; }

Ryan K. Zinke (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Montana's 1st Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2027.

Zinke (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent Montana's 1st Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.

Biography

Ryan Zinke was born in Bozeman, Montana. Zinke graduated from Whitefish High School in 1980. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1985 to 2008. He earned a B.S. in geology from the University of Oregon in 1984, an M.B.A. in business finance from the National University in 1991, and an M.S. in global leadership from the University of San Diego in 2003.

Zinke's career experience includes working as a ground force commander with Joint Special Operations Command, a commander in a Joint Task Force in Bosnia and Kosovo, an executive officer at a SEAL Training Center, a deputy commander of CJSOTF-AP Special Forces in Iraq, the president and CEO of CDI, the executive director of the Center for Remote Integration, and the CEO of On Point Montana. He served as the president of Great Northern Peace Park Foundation.

Zinke served as the 52nd U.S. secretary of the interior. He was a member of President Donald Trump's (R) administration. Trump chose Zinke for the position on December 13, 2016. The Senate confirmed Zinke on March 1, 2017, by a vote of 68-31, and he was sworn in on the same day.

On December 15, 2018, Zinke announced that he would leave the Trump administration. He formally left his position on January 2, 2019. In a tweet, Trump said, "Ryan has accomplished much during his tenure and I want to thank him for his service to our Nation." Zinke wrote in a tweet, "I love working for the President and am incredibly proud of all the good work we’ve accomplished together. However, after 30 years of public service, I cannot justify spending thousands of dollars defending myself and my family against false allegations."

The secretary of the Interior is responsible for overseeing the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), which "conserves and manages the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people, provides scientific and other information about natural resources and natural hazards to address societal challenges and create opportunities for the American people, and honors the Nation’s trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities to help them prosper."

Zinke is a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Montana's At-Large Congressional District from 2015 to 2017. Zinke was first elected to the House in 2014. He is also a former Republican member of the Montana State Senate, representing District 2 from 2009 to 2013.

Elections

2026

See also: Montana's 1st Congressional District election, 2026

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for U.S. House Montana District 1

Incumbent Ryan K. Zinke and Russell Cleveland are running in the general election for U.S. House Montana District 1 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Ryan K. Zinke (R)
	Submit photo	Russell Cleveland (D)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

   .ballot-measure-endorsements p {
       display: inline;
   }
   .ballot-measure-endorsements td {
       width: 35% !important;
   }
   .endorsements-header {
       margin-top: 10px !important;
       margin-bottom: 5px !important;
   }
   .ballot-measure-endorsements ul {
       margin-top: 0 !important;
       margin-bottom: 0 !important;
   }
   .split-cols-bm {
       columns: 2;
       -webkit-columns: 2;
       -moz-columns: 2;
   }
   @media screen and (max-width: 792px) {
       .split-cols-bm {
           columns: 1;
           -webkit-columns: 1;
           -moz-columns: 1;
       }
   }

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2024

See also: Montana's 1st Congressional District election, 2024

Montana's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (June 4 Democratic primary)

Montana's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (June 4 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Montana District 1

Incumbent Ryan K. Zinke defeated Monica Tranel and Dennis Hayes in the general election for U.S. House Montana District 1 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ryan K. Zinke (R)	52.3	168,529
		Monica Tranel (D)	44.6	143,783
	Submit photo	Dennis Hayes (L)	3.1	9,954

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 322,266
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana District 1

Monica Tranel advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana District 1 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Monica Tranel	100.0	59,806

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 59,806
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Montana District 1

Incumbent Ryan K. Zinke defeated Mary Todd in the Republican primary for U.S. House Montana District 1 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ryan K. Zinke	73.7	66,409
		Mary Todd	26.3	23,647

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 90,056
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Cory Moran (R)

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. House Montana District 1

Dennis Hayes defeated Ernie Noble (Unofficially withdrew) in the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Montana District 1 on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Dennis Hayes	65.4	390
	Submit photo	Ernie Noble (Unofficially withdrew)	34.6	206

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 596
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

   .ballot-measure-endorsements p {
       display: inline;
   }
   .ballot-measure-endorsements td {
       width: 35% !important;
   }
   .endorsements-header {
       margin-top: 10px !important;
       margin-bottom: 5px !important;
   }
   .ballot-measure-endorsements ul {
       margin-top: 0 !important;
       margin-bottom: 0 !important;
   }
   .split-cols-bm {
       columns: 2;
       -webkit-columns: 2;
       -moz-columns: 2;
   }
   @media screen and (max-width: 792px) {
       .split-cols-bm {
           columns: 1;
           -webkit-columns: 1;
           -moz-columns: 1;
       }
   }

Zinke received the following endorsements.

• Former President Donald Trump (R)

Pledges

Zinke signed the following pledges.

• Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Americans for Tax Reform

2022

See also: Montana's 1st Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Montana District 1

Ryan K. Zinke defeated Monica Tranel and John Lamb in the general election for U.S. House Montana District 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ryan K. Zinke (R)	49.6	123,102
		Monica Tranel (D)	46.5	115,265
		John Lamb (L)	3.9	9,593

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 247,960
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana District 1

Monica Tranel defeated Cora Neumann and Tom Winter in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana District 1 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Monica Tranel	64.9	37,138
		Cora Neumann	26.9	15,396
		Tom Winter	8.2	4,723

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 57,257
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Montana District 1

Ryan K. Zinke defeated Albert Olszewski, Mary Todd, Matt Jette, and Mitch Heuer in the Republican primary for U.S. House Montana District 1 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ryan K. Zinke	41.7	35,601
		Albert Olszewski	39.7	33,927
		Mary Todd	10.4	8,915
		Matt Jette	5.8	4,973
	Submit photo	Mitch Heuer	2.3	1,953

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 85,369
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Lynn Hofland (R)
• Allen McKibben (R)

Libertarian primary election

The Libertarian primary election was canceled. John Lamb advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House Montana District 1.

2016

See also: Montana's At-Large Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Ryan Zinke (R) defeated Denise Juneau (D) and Rick Breckenridge (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016. No candidate faced a primary opponent in June.

U.S. House, Montana's At-Large District General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Ryan Zinke Incumbent	56.2%	285,358
	Democratic	Denise Juneau	40.5%	205,919
	Libertarian	Rick Breckenridge	3.3%	16,554
Total Votes				507,831
Source: Montana Secretary of State

2014

See also: Montana's At-Large Congressional District elections, 2014

In 2014, Zinke won election to the U.S. House to represent Montana's At-Large District. Zinke won the Republican nomination in the primary on June 3, 2014. He defeated John Lewis (D) and Mike Fellows (Montana) (Libertarian) in the general election on November 4, 2014.

U.S. House, Montana's At-Large District General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Ryan Zinke	55.4%	203,871
	Democratic	John Lewis	40.4%	148,690
	Libertarian	Mike Fellows	4.2%	15,402
Total Votes				367,963
Source: Montana Secretary of State

U.S. House, Montana's At-Large District Republican Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Ryan Zinke	33.3%	43,766
Corey Stapleton	29.3%	38,591
Matt Rosendale	28.8%	37,965
Elsie Arntzen	6.8%	9,011
Drew Turiano	1.7%	2,290
Total Votes		131,623
Source: Montana Secretary of State - Official Primary Results

Media

Zinke campaign ad

2012

See also: Montana gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2012

Zinke sought the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Montana. He and his running mate, Neil Livingstone, finished fifth in a field of seven pairs of candidates in the primary election on June 5, 2012.

2008

On November 4, 2008, Zinke won election to the 2nd District Seat in the Montana State Senate, defeating Brittany MacLean (D).

Montana State Senate, District 2 (2008)
Candidates		Votes
Ryan Zinke (R)		5,498
Brittany MacLean (D)		4,571

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ryan K. Zinke has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Ryan K. Zinke, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's Ballotpedia profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for.  More than 21,000 candidates have taken Ballotpedia's candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.

Help improve Ballotpedia - send us candidate contact info.

2024

Ryan K. Zinke did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Ryan K. Zinke did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Zinke's campaign website stated the following:

“	A STRONG ECONOMY We are facing historic inflation and the rate of consumer prices increases have hit a 13-year high. Costs of everything from building supplies and energy to groceries and home products have gone up since last year – and not just by a little. Under President Biden, Montanans are paying more. It’s bad enough that the Biden-Harris Administration has already cost Montana jobs and much needed revenue through the shortsighted cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline and the ill-fated moratorium on energy development on federal lands. By comparison, when Ryan Zinke led the Interior Department, federal energy revenues increased by billions – which meant more money for Montana and better energy prices. ($30 million in 2019) It doesn’t matter whether you’re in Whitefish, Whitehall, or Wibaux, Montanans feeling the pinch right now, and it could get a whole lot worse. Uncontrolled Washington spending plus rising consumer prices is a surefire recipe for a recession. We’re already seeing too many small businesses unable to find workers, even while unemployment remains low. We can’t allow our economy to nosedive. Congress must: Pass additional tax reform Rein in the insane government spending End earmarks Cut red-tape and government mandates on businesses and job creators It was only months ago that the U.S. economy was booming under President Trump’s pro-growth economic policies. Unemployment was at a half-century low, around 3.5%. Median household incomes increased about 10% over the end of the Obama-Biden years, and the poverty rate was the lowest in recorded history. We can get back to boom with pro-growth policies. HEALTHY FORESTS AND WILDFIRE PREVENTION In 2020, fires across the west burned a record 10+ million acres and nearly 18,000 structures. The cost to taxpayers was in the billions and the loss of life and habitat tragic. The Forest Service estimates a backlog of 80M acres of unhealthy forest in need of restoration and 63M acres have a dangerously high fire risk. When Department of Interior lands are added to the mix, the scale of forest mismanagement from years of neglect is staggering. There is little doubt that the fire season is longer and drought conditions and elevated temperatures have created a perfect storm. Everyone should agree that the federal government can – and must – do more to restore the health of our forests to be more resilient against catastrophic wildfires, regardless of where they fall on the issue of climate change. For climate change advocates, the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by fires cannot be ignored. Dryer and hotter conditions should encourage active management rather than offer an excuse for the destruction of habitat and waste of renewable resources. The good news is, there are common sense solutions that can be quickly enacted if Congress had the resolve and leadership to get it done. Under the previous Administration, Republicans and Democrats came together to pass the “wildfire funding fix” which treated wildfires like other natural disasters, allocated more money for suppression, and provided more resources toward wildfire fighting and response. Addressing the cost of fighting fires was helpful and I supported those efforts, but the real solution is using best science and better management to help prevent wildfires in the first place. Congress has the power to fix this problem and restore our federal forests to health and resiliency by taking immediate steps: Be a good partner: Large-scale forest restoration projects are lengthy and expensive, but the Federal government is under strict rules about how long their contracts can be. Lengthening the time the feds can partner on forest projects provides more certainty and increases the likelihood of investment and improved forest health. Adhere to science-driven sustainable timber yields: Study after study has determined sustainable timber yields that promote healthy forests yet lawsuit after lawsuit by radical environmental groups have prevented or delayed harvest, salvage operations, and restoration projects. The result has been overgrown forests, a waste of renewable resources, and greater risk to property and life. Prioritize prescribed burns: Fire is a natural part of the ecosystem and some of the earliest Native Americans used prescribed burns to manage the range and forests. Federal law should prioritize late season prescribed burns as a management tool to clear the dense underbrush and dead and dying timber on the forest floors by granting categorical exclusions and omitting prescribed burns from state Clean Air Act compliance. History has proven the catastrophic wildfires that occur on overgrown and unhealthy forests release more carbon, destroy more critical habitat, and do more damage to watersheds than tightly controlled burns. Lift the export ban: Outdated policy from the 1970s made it illegal to export timber from federal lands. However the world is a different place now. Our forests are unhealthy, milling capacity plummeted, and timber prices are through the roof. Authorizing the export from federal lands would create an incentive for State, Tribal and private entities to partner with federal forests. Promote biomass: Healthy trees are resilient trees, but dead, diseased and defective logs create a tinderbox. There is little use for this material however it is perfect for biomass. Promoting biomass as the viable, cost-effective and renewable source of energy it is would create a market for what is currently a dangerous hazard. Coupled with best forest management practices like species diversification, fighting invasive species, clearing transmission rights of way, and targeted thinning, these bipartisan policies could greatly improve the health of our federal forests and prevent smoke filled summers. Radical environmentalists would have you believe forest management means clear cutting forests and national parks. But their rhetoric could not be further from the truth. They make outdated and unscientific arguments, void of facts, because they cannot defend the merits of their policy preferences year after year as our forests and homes burn to the ground. Anyone who says managing, saving and restoring forests is not conservation is either knowingly lying or doesn’t understand the issue. We’ve seen too much destruction and loss of life to keep doing nothing. The hotter and drier climate mixed with decades of neglect of federal forests has created a lethal situation in Montana and across the west. We need science-driven solutions that restore health to our dead and dying forests. We could use less politics and more leadership in Washington, DC. BORDER SECURITY It’s the basic Constitutional Duty of the federal government to secure the border. Currently, there is no southwest border, it’s completely open. More than a million illegal aliens have been apprehended at the border this year and thanks to the radical open border policies of the Biden Administration it’s only going to get worse. This stresses local communities, strains resources and tax dollars, and creates a massive security threat. The threats are many: Deadly drugs like fentanyl are shipped from China to Mexico and make their way into our country by drug cartels. Criminals and possibly terrorists fly to Central America and hire coyotes and smugglers to enter our country illegally. The public health threat of a million unvaccinated individuals flooding our border is causing COVID outbreaks in American towns and putting Americans at greater risk. Illegal weapons are smuggled by gang and cartel members and rain violence on our cities and against law enforcement. Congress must take action to: Finish the wall Fully fund and implement MPP Fully fund and support Border Patrol and ICE Designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations Uphold third country asylum agreements signed with Central American countries to solve the regional migration problem Require any foreign arrivals to produce a negative COVID test and proof of full vaccination Seek and deport those who miss hearing dates or are convicted of crime Fine/defund sanctuary cities PUBLIC ACCESS TO PUBLIC LANDS In Montana, public access to public lands is not only our birthright, it’s a way of life. We know that traditional mixed-use of these lands makes our state great. So much of who we are and our economy is tied to access to the land. But radical activists infiltrating D.C. policy positions would rather restrict the public’s use of our lands and resources. Whether it’s outdoor recreation, ranching, energy development or timber harvesting, Montana’s 27 million acres of federally-managed public lands are working lands and they are an important part of who we are in the west. Outdoor recreation is a powerful economic engine and way of life for Montana. It adds up to billions in economic output and countless memories and quality time with the people we love. Maintaining public access to public lands is an absolutely critical part of that. As your congressman and Secretary of the Interior, Ryan always fought for expanded access to public lands and you can count on him to keep fighting. Ryan’s accomplishments as Interior Secretary: Opposed the sale or transfer of public lands Supported permanent reauthorization of LWCF Protected the Paradise Valley from mining Rebuilt Sperry Chalet in Glacier National Park Expanded access for hunting and fishing on millions of acres of land Created the largest investment in National Parks Infrastructure in history using Federal energy revenues Saved Montana guides and outfitters from expensive government mandates for federal contractors A key to public access on public lands is infrastructure. People need passable roads and trails, working campsites, and safe boat ramps and bridges to use the land. As Secretary of the Interior one of Ryan’s greatest accomplishments was getting overwhelming bipartisan support to rebuild National Parks infrastructure (roads, trails, campgrounds, waterlines, etc) by using federal energy revenues and leading the charge on permanent and full reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Those bills became the backbone of the Great American Outdoors Act and led the way for the greatest investment in our parks and public lands in a century. KEEPING OUR PROMISE TO VETERANS Montana has a strong military tradition unparalleled by almost any other state in the nation. More than 1-in-10 of us hears the call to serve in the armed forces, and in the sovereign Tribal nations the warrior spirit is even stronger. Ryan Zinke served 23 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs and every day saw the patriotism, service and sacrifice of our troops. The United States must honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women who served our great nation. Montana is unique. For many Montana veterans, a trip to the VA can be an all-day affair and many medical specialties such as mental health are not easily available causing veterans’ needs are going unmet. To solve this, Congress must create flexibilities that allow veterans to seek care outside the VA system and expand telehealth services. To meet the full promise we made to our veterans, Congress must also: Reduce the number of service members and veterans who die by suicide Improve programs and services for women, Native American and minority veterans Expand telehealth services Timely and improved transition assistance, including access to programs after they leave military service High-quality and sustainable education benefits Strong employment and training programs Small business development opportunities Civilian credentials or academic credit for military training Incentivize employers to hire veterans As Montana’s Congressman, Ryan was a leading voice for veterans. He was an early co-sponsor of the PAWS Act which trained and funded service dogs for veterans living with PTSD, and the Providing Veterans with Overdue Care Act which authorized a major VA outpatient facility in Missoula. His legislative record also includes: Introduced the Global War on Terror Memorial Act Introduced the Justice for Victims of Military Sexual Assault Act Co-sponsored the Faster Care for Veterans Act, VA Accountability Act, and many others. As Congressman, retired Commander Zinke also hosted ceremonies across the state to honor thousands of Montana Vietnam War Veterans with the 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Pin. Our troops gave us everything they have, leaving nothing on the battlefield. We owe it to them to give them our best. HUNTING AND FISHING Hunting is not only our heritage and birthright as Americans, it is also the most important tool we have to ensure healthy wildlife and habitat. American hunters and anglers are the backbone of the American model for conservation, generating over a billion dollars each year for conservation efforts. For more than 150 years, sportsmen and women have led efforts to protect and conserve our Nation’s fish and wildlife. This model has been repeated by dozens of countries across the globe for a simple reason: it works. As Secretary of Interior, one of Ryan’s top priorities was expanding hunter access and education and removing many of the roadblocks the previous administrations built against hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts. Under his leadership, the *Department of the Interior: Expanded hunting and fishing access on millions of acres of public lands and waters. Repealed the ban on lead shot and tackle Established the Hunting and Shooting Sports Conservation Council to expand access, education and awareness programs Collaborated with states and private partners to establish the first big game migration corridors Modernized the endangered species act Eliminated the policy that barred BLM lands from being managed as shooting ranges Restored the local voice in decision of how, when and where to hunt on federal lands Ryan will continue to be a vocal supporter of our Second Amendment, hunting and fishing rights in Congress.	”
—Ryan Zinke's campaign website (2022)

2016

The following issues were listed on Zinke's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“	Growing the Economy: Ryan believes America is exceptional and our economy is strong when Washington stops meddling with our livelihoods and lets us innovate and create jobs. Whether it’s historic forest reforms to revitalize timber communities, rein in regulations on our natural resources, like coal, oil and natural gas, or simply cutting taxes and red tape for farmers, ranchers and small businesses, Ryan is committed to growing our local economies and moving Montana and America forward. Peace through Strength: Ryan is a decorated veteran, having spent 23 years as a U.S. Navy SEAL. He believes in peace through strength and that America has a responsibility to assist our allies in times of need and carry out humanitarian aid missions. Montana Values: Ryan is a fifth generation Montanan who grew up right outside Glacier National Park. Whether it’s defending our right to bear arms or ensuring mixed use of our beautiful public lands, Ryan knows that it’s our core Montana values that make Montana the Last Best Place. Vision of our Forefathers: Ryan Zinke is a Constitutional conservative who believes in the vision the forefathers laid out which separates powers between the three branches and ensures the sovereignty of our states. As a Navy SEAL, State Senator and now a Member of Congress, Ryan swore an oath to defend the Constitution. His decisions are based on upholding the Constitution and doing what is right for Montana and America.	”
—Ryan Zinke's campaign website, http://www.ryanzinke.com/

U.S. Secretary of the Interior

Nomination tracker
Candidate: Ryan Zinke
Position: Secretary of the Interior
Confirmation progress
a	Announced:	December 13, 2016
a	Hearing:	January 17, 2017
a	Committee:	Energy and Natural Resources Committee
a	Reported:	January 31, 2017 16-6
a	Confirmed:	March 1, 2017
a	Vote:	68-31

Zinke was selected by President Donald Trump as his pick for secretary of the interior. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 1, 2017, by a vote of 68-31, and he was sworn in on the same day.

Senate confirmation vote

On March 1, 2017, the Senate voted 68-31 to confirm Zinke as secretary of the interior.

Ryan Zinke confirmation vote, March 1, 2017
Party	Votes for a	Votes against d	Total votes
Democrats	16	30	46
Republicans	51	0	51
Independents	1	1	2
Total Votes	68	31	99

Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a confirmation hearing for Zinke on January 17, 2017. The committee approved Zinke's nomination for secretary of the interior on January 31, 2017, by a vote of 16-6.

In his opening statement, Zinke described what would be his three broad goals if he was confirmed: “The first is to restore trust by working with rather than against local communities and states. I fully recognize that there is distrust, anger, and even hatred against some federal management policies. Being a listening advocate rather than a deaf adversary is a good start. Second, is to prioritize the estimated 12.5 billion dollars in backlog of maintenance and repair in our National Parks. The President elect is committed to a jobs and infrastructure bill, and I am going to need your help in making sure that bill includes shoring up our Nation’s treasures. And third, to ensure the professionals on the front line, our rangers and field managers, have the right tools, right resources, and flexibility to make the right decisions that give a voice to the people they serve.”

Asked by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) whether he thought climate change was a hoax, Zinke said, “Climate is changing. Man is an influence. I think where there’s debate on it is what that influence is and what can we do about. As the [head of] the Department of the Interior, I will inherit, if confirmed, the USGS (United States Geological Survey). We have great scientists there. I’m not a climate scientist (sic) expert, but I can tell you I’m going to become a lot more familiar with it. And it will be based on objective science.”

When asked by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) about his stance on transferring ownership of federal land to state governments, Zinke stated, “I am absolutely against transfer or sale of public land.”

Member of U.S. Congress

Zinke is a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Montana's At-Large Congressional District from 2015 to 2017.

Committee assignments

2023-2024

Zinke was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• House Committee on Appropriations
• Interior and Environment
• Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development
• Committee on Foreign Affairs

color: #337ab7,
}

2015-2016

Zinke served on the following committees:

• Armed Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on Seapower & Projection Forces
  • Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
• Natural Resources Committee
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
  • Subcommittee on Federal Lands

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023-2025

The 118th United States Congress began on January 3, 2023, and ended on January 3, 2025. At the start of the session, Republicans held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-212), and Democrats held the majority in the U.S. Senate (51-49). Joe Biden (D) was the president and Kamala Harris (D) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023-2025
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 22, 2023, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2024. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (310-118)
Yea	To terminate the requirement imposed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for foreign travelers, and for other purposes.   H.R. 185 (To terminate the requirement imposed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for proof of COVID-19 vaccination for foreign travelers, and for other purposes.) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to nullify a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) order restricting the entry of foreign citizens to the United States unless the individual was vaccinated against the coronavirus or attested they would take public health measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (227-201)
Yea	Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023   The Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to raise the federal debt limit before a June 5, 2023, deadline. The bill also sought to repeal certain green energy tax credits, increase domestic natural gas and oil production, expand work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, and nullify President Joe Biden's (D) proposed student loan debt cancellation program. This bill was not taken up in the Senate, and the debt limit was instead raised through the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. This bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (217-215)
Yea	Denouncing the horrors of socialism.   H.Con.Res. 9 (Denouncing the horrors of socialism.) was a resolution approved by the House of Representatives denouncing socialism and opposing the implementation of socialist policies in the United States. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (328-86)
Yea	Lower Energy Costs Act   The Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to increase domestic energy production and exports by increasing the production of oil, natural gas, and coal, reducing permitting restrictions for pipelines, refineries, and other energy projects, and increase the production of minerals used in electronics, among other energy production-related policies. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (225-204)
Yea	Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".   H.J.Res. 30 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and vetoed by President Joe Biden (D) on March 20, 2023. This was Biden's first veto of his presidency. The resolution sought to nullify a Department of Labor rule that amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow retirement plans to consider certain environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors in investment-related decisions. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (219-200)
Yea	Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.   H.J.Res. 7 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 10, 2023. The resolution ended the national coronavirus state of emergency, which began on March 13, 2020. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (229-197)
Nay	Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023   The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 3, 2023. The bill raised the federal debt limit until January 2025. The bill also capped non-defense spending in fiscal year 2024, rescinded unspent coronavirus relief funding, rescinded some Internal Revenue Service (IRS) funding, enhanced work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF), simplified environmental reviews for energy projects, and ended the student loan debt repayment pause in August 2023. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (314-117)
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)	Speaker of the House election (January 2023) - 15th vote   In January 2023, the House of Representatives held its regular election for Speaker of the House at the start of the 118th Congress. Voting began on January 3, and ended on January 7. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was elected speaker of the House in a 216-212 vote during the 15th round of voting. In order to elect a Speaker of the House, a majority of votes cast for a person by name was required. Click here to read more.	Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) (216-212)
Nay	Declaring the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant.   H.Res. 757 (Declaring the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant.) was a resolution passed by the House of Representatives that removed Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his position as Speaker of the House. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (216-210)
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.)	Speaker of the House election (October 2023) - 4th vote   In October 2023, following Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) removal as Speaker of the House, the House of Representatives held another election for the position. Voting began on October 17 and ended on October 25. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) was elected Speaker of the House in a 220-209 vote in the fourth round of voting. In order to elect a Speaker of the House, a majority of votes cast for a person by name was required. Click here to read more.	Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) (220-209)
Yea	Directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the United States of America, and for other purposes.   H.Res. 918 (Directing certain committees to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the existing House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the United States of America, and for other purposes.) was a resolution passed by the House of Representatives that formally authorized an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden (D). The inquiry focused on allegations that Biden used his influence as vice president from 2009 to 2017 to improperly profit from his son Hunter Biden's business dealings. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (221-212)
Yea	Providing for the expulsion of Representative George Santos from the United States House of Representatives.   H.Res. 878 (Providing for the expulsion of Representative George Santos from the United States House of Representatives.) was a resolution passed by the House of Representatives that removed Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from office following a House Ethics Committee investigation that determined there was substantial evidence that Santos violated the law during his 2020 and 2022 campaigns. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (311-114)
Nay	The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023   The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 (H.R. 82) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on January 5, 2025, that reduced Social Security benefits for individuals who received other pensions from state or local governments. It also eliminated an offset that would reduce benefits for spouses and widows of individuals with government pensions. It also eliminated a provision that reduced benefits for an individual who received a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes. This bill required a 2/3rds majority vote to pass.	Passed (327-75)
Yea	Secure the Border Act of 2023   The Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2) was passed by the U.S. House on May 11, 2024. This bill would have introduced limits to asylum eligibility and required employers to use electronic verification of employee's legal eligibility to work. This bill required a simple majority vote.	Passed (219-213)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024   The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024 (H.R. 4366) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 9, 2024, authorizing appropriations for various government departments for the fiscal year 2024. The bill required a majority vote to pass.	Passed (219-211)
Yea	Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024   The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 (H.R. 7024) was a bill passed by the U.S. House on January 31, 2024, that would have modified the U.S. tax code, increasing how much money can be given back in credits and what is exempt. This bill required a 2/3rds majority vote to pass.	Passed (357-70)
Yea	Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025   The Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (H.R. 8070) was passed by the U.S. House on June 14, 2024. The bill would have modified defense spending in the fiscal year 2025. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (217-199)
Yea	Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023   The Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023 (H.R. 6090) was passed by the U.S. House on May 1, 2024. This bill made it so the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights could have the authority to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism when investigating cases of discrimination. This bill required a simple majority vote to pass.	Passed (320-91)
Yea	FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024   The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (H.R.3935) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on May 16, 2024, that reauthorized Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding until fiscal year 2028. The bill also made other modifications to address various department-related issues. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (387-26)
Yea	Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act   The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act (H.R. 9495) was passed by the U.S. House on November 21, 2024. The bill would have postponed U.S. tax deadlines for citizens who were wrongfully detained abroad. This bill required a simple majority to pass.	Passed (219-214)
Yea	Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   H.Res.863, Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors, passed the U.S. House on February 13, 2024. The resolution impeached U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas (D) for high crimes and misdemeanors. The motion to impeach required a majority in the House and a 2/3rds vote in the Senate.	Passed (214-213)
Yea	Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025   H.R.9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, was passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 26, 2024, providing funding to federal agencies, including the Secret Service, and federal programs for the 2025 fiscal year. The bill required a two-thirds majority vote in the House to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.	Passed (341-82)

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Zinke's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 Trade adjustment assistance On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Zinke was one of 158 Republicans to vote against TAA. Trade promotion authority On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Zinke was one of 191 Republicans to support the measure. Trade promotion authority second vote After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining their original positions on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Zinke was one of 190 Republicans to vote in favor of the amendment. Trade adjustment assistance second vote The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Zinke was one of 132 Republicans to vote against HR 1295. Defense spending authorization On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Zinke voted with 227 other Republicans and 41 Democrats to approve the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Zinke voted with 234 other Republicans and 135 Democrats to approve the bill. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, voted against the resolution. Zinke voted with 13 other Republicans against the bill. 2015 budget On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Zinke voted with 166 Republicans against the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Zinke voted with 222 other Republican representatives to approve the bill. Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Zinke voted with 243 Republicans and 25 Democrats against the bill. Suspension of Iran sanctions relief On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Zinke voted with 244 Republicans and two Democrats for the bill. Presidential non-compliance of section 2 On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Zinke voted with 244 Republicans for the resolution. Export-Import Bank On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods. Zinke voted with 126 Republicans and 186 Democrats in favor of the bill. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Zinke voted with 195 Republicans and 142 Democrats to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Zinke voted with 237 Republicans in favor of the bill. Cyber security On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies. Zinke voted with 219 Republicans and 135 Democrats to approve the bill. On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Zinke voted with 201 Republicans and 105 Democrats in favor of the bill. Immigration On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Zinke voted with 241 Republicans and 47 Democrats in favor of the bill.

Member of the Montana State Senate

Zinke is a former Republican member of the Montana State Senate, representing District 2 from 2009 to 2013.

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Zinke served on these committees:

• Education and Cultural Resources, Chair
• Finance and Claims
• Highways and Transportation
• Joint Committee on Judicial Branch, Law Enforcement, and Justice, Vice Chair

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Zinke served on these committees:

• Education and Cultural Resources Committee, Montana Senate
• Finance and Claims Committee, Montana Senate
• Highways and Transportation Committee, Montana Senate

Issues

Federal land

See also: Federal land and The Trump administration on federal land

At the 2016 Republican National Convention, Zinke resigned as a delegate to the Republican National Convention due to his opposition to the party platform's provision calling on Congress to pass national legislation that would transfer specific federal lands to state governments. The provision was at odds with statements made in January 2016 by Donald Trump, who expressed support for keeping federal lands under federal ownership. "What I saw was a platform that was more divisive than uniting. ... At this point, I think it's better to show leadership," Zinke said.

On July 14, 2016, Zinke issued a statement opposing a moratorium on coal mining on federal land as well as regulations on oil and natural gas production on federal land. "We’ve seen how hard hit Montana is as a result of this Administration’s war on coal. The cost is real. In communities like Colstrip, Baker, Billings and Crow Agency, coal, oil, gas, and other natural resources are the only answer."

Campaign finance summary

---

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

---

Ryan K. Zinke campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2026*	U.S. House Montana District 1	Candidacy Declared general	$1,048,522	$468,666
2024*	U.S. House Montana District 1	Won general	$10,117,221	$9,546,738
2022	U.S. House Montana District 1	Won general	$3,784,565	$2,865,932
2016	U.S. House, Montana At-Large District	Won	$5,480,425	N/A**
2014	U.S. House (Montana, At-Large District)	Won	$4,748,870	N/A**
Grand total			$25,179,603	$12,881,336
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.

Notable candidate endorsements by Ryan K. Zinke

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Donald Trump  source  (Conservative Party, R)	President of the United States (2024)	Primary	Won General
Tim Sheehy  source  (R)	U.S. Senate Montana (2024)	Primary	Won General
Harriet Hageman  source  (R)	U.S. House Wyoming At-large District (2022)	Primary	Won General
Eric Greitens  source  (R)	U.S. Senate Missouri (2022)	Primary	Lost Primary
Mehmet Oz  source  (R)	U.S. Senate Pennsylvania (2022)	Primary	Lost General
Donald Trump  source  (R)	President of the United States (2016)	Primary	Won General

Analysis

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Zinke missed 11 of 548 roll call votes from January 2015 to September 2015. This amounted to 2 percent, which was lower than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.

2016 Republican National Convention

See also: Republican National Convention, 2016

Ryan Zinke
Republican National Convention, 2016
Status:	Former delegate
State:	Montana
Bound to:	Donald Trump
Delegates to the RNC 2016
Calendar and delegate rules overview • Types of delegates • Delegate rules by state • State election law and delegates • Delegates by state

Zinke was a delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention but resigned from his position on July 16, 2016. He cited a plank proposal to the Republican Party Platform from July 12, 2016, which called on Congress to pass legislation "to convey certain federally controlled public lands to the states." Zinke told The Billings Gazette that he supported better management of federal lands but not transferring federal lands to the states. In reference to handing lands over to the states, Zinke said, "Quite frankly, most Republicans don't agree with it and most Montanans don't agree with it. What we do agree on is better management."

All 27 delegates from Montana were bound by state party rules to support Donald Trump at the convention. As of July 13, 2016, Trump had approximately 1,542 delegates. The winner of the Republican nomination needed the support of 1,237 delegates. Trump formally won the nomination on July 19, 2016.

Delegate rules

See also: RNC delegate guidelines from Montana, 2016 and Republican delegates from Montana, 2016

Delegates from Montana to the 2016 Republican National Convention were elected at the state convention in May 2016 and allocated to the winner of the statewide primary. Montana's delegates were bound on the first ballot unless their candidate's name was not placed in nomination at the convention.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Zinke and his wife, Lolita Charlotte, have three children.

See also

2026 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

   .contact_entity {font-size: 1.5em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
   .contact_office { margin-top: 0.3em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}
   .external_links_table { width: auto !important; }
   @media (max-width:600px) {
       .contact_entity {font-size: 1.0em ;margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 0.5em;}
       .contact_office { font-size: 0.8 em; margin-top: 0.6em; margin-bottom: 0em;margin-right: 0.5em;}  
   }

Search Google News for this topic

Officeholder

U.S. House Montana District 1

Website

Twitter

Instagram

Personal

Facebook

LinkedIn

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	U.S. House Montana District 1 2023-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by Sally Jewell	U.S. Secretary of the Interior 2017-2019	Succeeded by David Bernhardt
Preceded by Steve Daines (R)	U.S. House Montana At-large District 2015-2017	Succeeded by Greg Gianforte (R)
Preceded by -	Montana State Senate District 2 2009-2013	Succeeded by Dee Brown (R)

[show]

Montana's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Steve Daines (R)

Tim Sheehy (R)

Representatives

District 1

Ryan Zinke (R)

District 2

Troy Downing (R)

Republican Party (4)