Jeff Essmann
Jeff Essmann (b. June 29, 1952) is a former Republican member of the Montana House of Representatives, representing District 54 from 2015 to 2019.
Essmann did not seek re-election to the Montana House of Representatives in 2018.
Essmann served in the Montana State Senate, representing District 28 from 2005 to 2015. Essmann served as the Majority Leader in the 2011-2012 session and as Senate President in the 2013-2014 session before being term-limited.
Essmann served as chair of the Republican Party of Montana from 2015 to 2017. Essmann previously served in the Montana House of Representatives from his appointment in 2004 to 2005. Essmann was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1996. He was a Precinct Committeeman for Precinct 69 Poly Drive School from 1982 to 1998, and the Chair of the Yellowstone County Republican Central Committee from 1995 to 1999.
Biography
Essmann earned his B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1974, and his J.D. from the University of Montana in 1977. His professional experience includes working as an attorney, owner/manager of Valet Today Cleaners, and owner/manager of Esstech Limited Liability Corporation.
Committee assignments
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Montana committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Education, Vice chair |
| • Rules, Chair |
| • Taxation, Chair |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Essmann served on the following committees:
| Montana committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • State Administration, Chair |
| • Rules, Chair |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Essmann served on the following committees:
| Montana committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Energy and Telecommunications |
| • Finance and Claims |
| • Rules |
| • Taxation |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Essmann served on the following committees:
| Montana committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Education and Cultural Resources |
| • Energy and Telecommunications |
| • Judiciary |
| • Public Health, Welfare, and Safety |
| • Rules, Chair |
| • Taxation |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Essmann served on the following committees:
| Montana committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Committees |
| • Local Government |
| • Rules |
| • Taxation |
Issues
Tax-exempt properties
As reported in the Montana Policy Institute's Montana Pig Tales (2012), Essmann supported efforts to create a comprehensive list of all tax-exempt properties in Montana. As of 2012, there were 11,034 properties which had been granted tax exemptions since the state was granted authority to do so in 1981, in addition to the large number of properties which had been granted tax exemptions by Montana's counties from the state's independence in 1889 until 1981. A bill to create a list of all such properties and verify the validity of their exemptions died in the interim Revenue and Transportation Committee in September 2012 amid objections from the Department of Revenue about the bill's potential expense in DOR time and resources.[1] Essmann told the Montana Policy Institute that he intended to introduce a bill to pilot a review of tax-exempt properties in one or two counties in 2013, although he had not done so by the end of the 2013 session.[2]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2018
Jeff Essmann did not file to run for re-election.
2016
Elections for the Montana House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 14, 2016.
Incumbent Jeff Essmann ran unopposed in the Montana House of Representatives District 54 general election.[3][4]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 54 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican |  Jeff Essmann Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Source: Montana Secretary of State | ||
Tracy Heilman ran unopposed in the Montana House of Representatives District 54 Democratic primary.[5][6]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 54 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Tracy Heilman (unopposed) | |
Incumbent Jeff Essmann ran unopposed in the Montana House of Representatives District 54 Republican primary.[7][8]
| Montana House of Representatives, District 54 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Jeff Essmann Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the Montana House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014, and a general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 10, 2014; minor party and independent candidates had until June 2, 2014, to file. Nancy Rasky was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Jeff Essmann defeated Debra Bonogofsky in the Republican primary. Essmann defeated Rasky and Jeffrey Hill (L) in the general election. Incumbent Margie MacDonald (D) ran in District 51.[9][10][11]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jeff Essmann |
65% | 2,598 | |
| Democratic | Nancy Rasky | 29.9% | 1,195 | |
| Libertarian | Jeffrey Hill | 5.2% | 207 | |
| Total Votes | 4,000 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Jeff Essmann |
67.4% | 1,341 |
| Debra Bonogofsky | 32.6% | 648 |
| Total Votes | 1,989 | |
2012
Essman had initially declared his intention to run for Governor of Montana in 2012, but withdrew from the race months before the June 5th primary election, citing a lack of funds and a desire for a united Republican Party.[12]
2010
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2010
On November 2, 2010, Essmann won election to the Montana State Senate, defeating Russell Doty. He had no primary opposition.[13][14]
| Montana State Senate, District 28 General election (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Jeff Essmann (R)
|
5,906 | |||
| Russell Doty (D) | 2,898 | |||
2006
- See also: Montana State Senate elections, 2006
On November 7, 2006, Essmann won re-election to the 28th District Seat in the Montana State Senate, defeating Rayla Romain (D).[15]
| Montana State Senate, District 28 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Jeff Essmann (R)
|
7,091 | |||
| Rayla Romain (D) | 2,841 | |||
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.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Montana scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2018
In 2018, the Montana State Legislature did not hold a regular session.
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2017, the Montana State Legislature was in session from January 2 through April 28.
|
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Montana State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Montana State Legislature was in session from January 5 through April 28.
|
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
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In 2014, the Montana State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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|
In 2013, the Montana State Legislature was in session from January 7 to April 27.
|
2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2012, the Montana State Legislature did not hold a regular session. |
Republican Party of Montana
Jeff Essmann was elected to a two-year term as the chair of the Republican Party of Montana in June 2015, defeating former three-term party chair Will Deschamps. Essmann's campaign centered on the need to "recruit, respond, raise (money) and reorganize." Essmann also called for Republicans to come together and put an end to infighting and conflict within the party.[18][19]
2016 Republican National Convention
- See also: Republican National Convention, 2016
| Jeff Essmann | |
| Republican National Convention, 2016 | |
| Status: | 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 | |
Essmann was a delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention from Montana. All 27 delegates from Montana were bound by state party rules to support Donald Trump at the convention.[20] 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
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.
Montana primary results
- See also: Presidential election in Montana, 2016
| Montana Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Delegates | |
|
Donald Trump |
73.7% | 115,594 | 27 | |
| Ted Cruz | 9.4% | 14,682 | 0 | |
| John Kasich | 6.9% | 10,777 | 0 | |
| Jeb Bush | 2.1% | 3,274 | 0 | |
| Marco Rubio | 3.3% | 5,192 | 0 | |
| Other | 4.7% | 7,369 | 0 | |
| Totals | 156,888 | 27 | ||
| Source: The New York Times and Montana Secretary of State | ||||
Delegate allocation
Montana had 27 delegates at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Of this total, three were district-level delegates (representing the state's single congressional district), and 21 served as at-large delegates. Montana's district and at-large delegates were allocated on a winner-take-all basis; the plurality winner of the statewide primary vote received all of the state's district and at-large delegates.[21][22]
In addition, three national party leaders (identified on the chart below as RNC delegates) served as bound delegates to the Republican National Convention. The RNC delegates were required to pledge their support to the winner of the state's primary.[21][22]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Essmann is married to his wife, Sherry.
See also
- Montana State Legislature
- Montana House of Representatives
- Montana House Committees
- Montana Joint Committees
- Montana state legislative districts
- Republican Party of Montana
External links
- Campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Legislative Profile from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2010, 2008, 2006
Footnotes
- ↑ Montana Policy Institute, "Montana Pig Book," accessed March 8, 2014 (Referenced p. 39)
- ↑ Montana Legislature, "Introduced Bills Matching the Search Criteria," accessed March 8, 2014
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Legislative General Election Canvass," accessed December 21, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed March 24, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 primary election - June 7, 2016," accessed June 7, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed March 24, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 primary election - June 7, 2016," accessed June 7, 2016
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2014 Candidate Filing List: Legislative," accessed October 29, 2014
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2014 Statewide Primary Election Canvass," accessed June 30, 2014
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2014 Statewide General Election Canvass," accessed November 16, 2015
- ↑ KXLH.com, "Essmann ends run for Governor of MT," January 27, 2012
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2010 Legislative General Election Canvass," accessed March 8, 2014
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "Legislative Primary Canvass - June 08, 2010," accessed March 8, 2014
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2006 General Legislative Election Results," accessed March 8, 2014
- ↑ Montana Contractors' Association, "Stronger Together: Political Representation," accessed November 5, 2015
- ↑ Montana Weed Control Association, "2013 Legislative Report & Scorecard," accessed September 17, 2014
- ↑ Montana Public Radio, "New leader for Montana GOP," June 29, 2015
- ↑ Great Falls Tribune, "Montana GOP ousts chair," June 29, 2015
- ↑ Montana GOP, "Montana’s National & Alternate Delegates to the Republican National Convention," accessed June 13, 2016
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Republican National Committee, "2016 Presidential Nominating Process," accessed October 6, 2015
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 CNN.com, "Republican National Convention roll call vote," accessed July 20, 2016
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Montana House of Representatives District 54 2015-2019 |
Succeeded by Terry Moore |
| Preceded by - |
Montana Senate District 28 2005–2015 |
Succeeded by - |
