Bullock
HELENA, Mont. (Legal Newsline) - Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock said Wednesday he is running for governor.
Bullock, already considered the favorite for the Democratic nomination, made the announcement in a two-minute video. He will be hosting kickoff parties across the state over the next week.
In the video, the attorney general talks about growing up and raising his family in Montana. Picturesque views of the state are seen in the background.
He points to his record as attorney general, standing up for farmers and ranchers and preserving access to public lands and streams for fishing and hunting.
Bullock says he is running for governor to "make Montana the last best place, not just for postcards, but for people, too."
As governor, he is looking to create good paying jobs in research, technology, development and manufacturing, and to attract businesses to the state.
Bullock says he wants Montana to lead the country in educational innovation -- and be a place where students are able to graduate college without tens of thousands of dollars in debt.
He says responsibly developing the state's resources and leading the way in energy independence also are priorities.
Bullock graduated from Helena High School in 1984. He received his undergraduate degree from Claremont McKenna College and his law degree from Columbia University Law School in New York.
He and his wife Lisa and their three children live in Helena.
Already, there are groups expressing their disapproval at the attorney general's announcement.
Mike Schrimpf, spokesman for the Republican Governors Association, said the last thing Bullock needs is a promotion.
"Montana needs a governor whose top priority will be creating jobs. Unfortunately, as attorney general, Steve Bullock has made Montana a less attractive state in which to invest or start a business," he said in a statement.
"He's even refused to defend Montana taxpayers against ObamaCare, which will cost the state more than $175 million."
Former U.S. Rep. Rick Hill, national security expert Neil Livingstone, former Republican Party chairman Ken Miller and former state Sen. Corey Stapleton are vying for the GOP nod.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.