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John Repke
John Repke (Democratic Party) ran for election for Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
John Repke lives in Whitefish, Montana. Repke earned a bachelor's degree in finance from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of Denver. His career experience includes working as the Chief Financial Officer of multiple large international companies.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, Auditor election, 2024
General election
General election for Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor
James Brown defeated John Repke in the general election for Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | James Brown (R) | 61.4 | 358,642 |
 | John Repke (D) | 38.6 | 225,251 | |
| Total votes: 583,893 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor
John Repke advanced from the Democratic primary for Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Repke | 100.0 | 92,480 |
| Total votes: 92,480 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jordan Ophus (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor
James Brown defeated John Jay Willoughby in the Republican primary for Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor on June 4, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | James Brown | 69.5 | 114,604 |
 | John Jay Willoughby | 30.5 | 50,212 | |
| Total votes: 164,816 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Steve Gunderson (R)
- Keith Brownfield (R)
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Repke in this election.
2022
See also: Montana Public Service Commission election, 2022
General election
General election for Montana Public Service Commission District 5
Ann Bukacek defeated John Repke in the general election for Montana Public Service Commission District 5 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ann Bukacek (R) | 56.5 | 54,078 |
| John Repke (D) | 43.5 | 41,572 | |
| Total votes: 95,650 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5
John Repke defeated Kevin Hamm in the Democratic primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Repke | 53.7 | 8,820 |
 | Kevin Hamm | 46.3 | 7,599 | |
| Total votes: 16,419 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5
Ann Bukacek defeated Derek Skees, Joe Dooling, and Dean Crabb in the Republican primary for Montana Public Service Commission District 5 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ann Bukacek | 31.2 | 11,233 |
 | Derek Skees | 31.0 | 11,146 | |
 | Joe Dooling | 29.0 | 10,442 | |
| Dean Crabb | 8.7 | 3,143 | ||
| Total votes: 35,964 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
John Repke did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Repke’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Why I’m running for State Auditor. John Repke - The insurance market in our state is changing – and not for the better. Montanans seeking insurance are having an increasingly tough time obtaining insurance or avoiding cancellation. And when they can get insurance, they are seeing skyrocketing rates in all areas - health, auto, home. But insurance isn’t a luxury. You can’t drive to work without auto insurance, you can’t buy a house without home insurance (and if you rent, you’re paying your landlord’s home insurance in your monthly rent bill), and you’re at risk of bad health outcomes -- or even bankruptcy -- if you lack adequate health insurance. The bottom line: insurance is necessary, but it’s increasingly harder to get and it keeps getting more expensive.
The most important responsibility of the State Auditor is to ensure Montana families and businesses have access to reliable insurance at fair rates. In fact, the Montana Code states the Auditor “shall administer the department to ensure that the interests of insurance consumers are protected.” The Auditor also protects Montanans against unscrupulous financial advisors and fraudulent investment schemes. The State Auditor office is all about consumer protection. The office is fortunate to have a dedicated professional staff but must have a leader who knows how and is committed to fighting for everyday Montanans.
That leader is me. During my 40-year business career, I helped manage organizations with complex financial matters. I know how to make sure Montanans are getting a fair deal, and I know how to spot financial fraud. I support public policies that benefit the Montana insurance consumer.
Unfortunately, my opponent stands for the opposite. Indeed, his record is contrary to the job’s essential function of protecting consumers. As Chair of Montana’s Public Service Commission my opponent stuck Montanans with a whopping 24% increase in their electric rates (25% increase to small businesses) and staffed the agency with his cronies – and as a lawyer, he worked for and defended dark money organizations. Now he wants to get into your insurance matters and stop fraud???
I’m running to see that doesn’t happen. I am the ONLY candidate for State Auditor with the independence, political will and commitment to stand up for everyday folks and small businesses in Montana. Folks who need a strong voice representing them against the out of state corporate and lobbying interests that currently have the upper hand. Everyday folks who are being squeezed out by high home prices, spikes in utility bills, untenable medical bills, rapidly rising property taxes, and … yes … increases in insurance premiums.
My promise to you if elected as Montana’s next State Auditor is to fight to protect ordinary Montanans and their pocketbooks as they face the complex and necessary world of insurance.[2] |
” |
| —John Repke’s campaign website (2024)[3] | ||
2022
John Repke completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Repke's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I have worked in businesses regulated by state agencies like the PSC including energy and municipal waste. Most recently I was CFO of SmartLam, a wood products manufacturer Columbia Falls.
I understand that regulated businesses need sufficient revenue to provide safe, reliable service, but also have the unique expertise to protect Montana residents and businesses from rate abuses. Through my career, I acquired extensive knowledge of business finance, but am most proud of developing healthy workplace cultures based on respect, professionalism, and integrity. I am on the board of Wild Montana’s Flathead Chapter and am a past board member of the Glacier National Park Conservancy. In Whitefish I volunteer my time developing safe, accessible bike and pedestrian trails. I have worked with economic development organizations across northwest Montana teaching business classes and advising small businesses.
My wife, Beth, and I enjoy hiking, biking, and skiing in our mountains and floating and fishing our rivers, especially with our grandchildren. I hold a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and a master’s degree from the University of Denver.
- Experience Matters - For a position like Public Service Commissioner, candidates should have the experience and expertise necessary to be competent and effective in the job. Most states require knowledge of finance, economics, or accounting. That is exactly my background, and it is important because Commissioners can only adequately represent ratepayers if they understand the complicated basis for determining rates and have the experience and knowledge to ask the right questions. Unfortunately, in Montana we don’t have any requirements for expertise on the PSC – and it shows.
- Integrity is a Must – All Montanans should expect that their elected officials carry out their responsibilities with integrity, honesty, and professionalism. For a Public Service Commissioner integrity means doing the job full time, being honest and objective in carrying out their responsibilities, and refraining from using the position to promote agendas unrelated to the PSC. Unfortunately, the current commission does not adhere to these basic ethics – and Montanans pay the price. I will work full time (as is intended for this position), I will evaluate proposals with objectivity and without preconceived bias, I will not use the office for personal gain or advancement, and I will not use the platform to promote unrelated agendas.
- Professionalism makes it work - For a position like Public Service Commissioner professionalism means taking the work seriously, being fully engaged, keeping an open mind to expert opinions, deliberating in good faith, and fostering a healthy, ethical work environment for the agency staff. Again, this has not been the case with the current commission. The commission’s lack of professionalism has resulted in more problems created than solved – and again, Montanans pay the price. I have always acted with integrity and professionalism and will continue to so do as a PSC Commissioner.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ John Repke - State Auditor, "About: John Repke," accessed September 17, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ John Repke - State Auditor, “Home,” accessed September 17, 2024
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