Rep. John Fitzpatrick Announces for Re-Election to HD 76

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 10, 2026

Rep. John Fitzpatrick, Republican, who represented House District 76 in the 2025 Legislature,

announced today that he has filed for re-election, seeking a third term in the Montana

Legislature. House District 76 includes the Georgetown Lake area of Deer Lodge County where Fitzpatrick lives, all of Granite and Powell Counties, Seeley Lake in Missoula County, and the Canyon Creek/Marysville area northwest of Helena in Lewis and Clark County.

Fitzpatrick said, “The 2025 session was very productive. We were able to enact property tax

relief which will benefit 92% of the resident homeowners in HD 76, reduce taxes on business

equipment which is a great benefit to agriculture, small contractors, and small business, and

lowered the top tax rate for income taxpayers. We also kept the state budget under control

increasing it by only 0.7%” and prudently invested the remaining cash is state savings accounts and rainy-day funds. Montana is the only state in the union without any general obligation debt.”

During the 2025 Legislative Session, Fitzpatrick served on the House Appropriations Committee and was the Chairman of its Subcommittee F, which reviews all Capital Budget Bills for state and local infrastructure. He successfully passed HB 5 which contained funds for the continued expansion of the State Prison in Deer Lodge and to stabilize the Old Clark Theater in the Territorial Prison Museum, HB 6 with an appropriation for wastewater system improvements in Deer Lodge, HB 7 with funds for the reclamation of contaminated sites in Powell County, HB 11 with funding for bridge repairs near Seeley Lake, and HB 12 with funding for the restoration of three historic sites in the District. Fitzpatrick was also successful in obtaining $6.0 million in state loans funds to incentivize the re-opening of a sawmill in Seeley Lake. The money is available through the Montana Board of Investments.

“I was very pleased to represent HD 76 during the 2025 session”, Fitzpatrick said. “It was a very successful session not just for the district but all of Southwestern Montana. Overall, I enacted 19 pieces of legislation ranking me 5 th among 150 Legislators for legislative effectiveness.”

“I am strongly committed to improving our public schools and protecting healthcare facilities in the District. Both the schools and hospitals are under attack by out-of-state lobbying groups like Americans for Prosperity from Virginia, the School Freedom Fund from Washington DC, and extremist elements within the Republican Party led by the Freedom Caucus.

“My commitment is to the people of House District 76, not the Republican Party Bosses who

demand obsequious loyalty to their personal vision of Republicanism. Contrary to the demands of the Party Bosses, I am happy to visit with my constituents regardless of their political orientation, will not support legislation that is unconstitutional or illegal, and work to protect the most vulnerable in society, especially children.

For additional information please follow the campaign at www.fitzfor76.com,

https://facebook.com/fitzfor76, or contact him a John.Fitzpatrick@legmt.gov