John Walsh (Montana politician)
John Edward Walsh (born November 3, 1960) is an American real estate agent, former politician and former military officer who served as a United States Senator from Montana from 2014 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a colonel in the Army National Guard, the adjutant general of the Montana National Guard with a state commission as a brigadier general from 2008 to 2012 and the 34th Lieutenant Governor of Montana from 2013 to 2014 under Governor Steve Bullock.
John Walsh | |
|---|---|
| United States Senator from Montana | |
| In office February 9, 2014 – January 3, 2015 | |
| Appointed by | Steve Bullock |
| Preceded by | Max Baucus |
| Succeeded by | Steve Daines |
| 34th Lieutenant Governor of Montana | |
| In office January 7, 2013 – February 9, 2014 | |
| Governor | Steve Bullock |
| Preceded by | John Bohlinger |
| Succeeded by | Angela McLean |
| Adjutant General of Montana | |
| In office September 1, 2008 – March 2012 | |
| Governor | Brian Schweitzer |
| Preceded by | Randall Mosley |
| Succeeded by | Matthew T. Quinn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Edward Walsh November 3, 1960 Butte, Montana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Janet Walsh |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Regents College (BS) United States Army War College (MA revoked) |
| Website | Official Senate Biography |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1979–2012 |
| Rank | Colonel (U.S. Army) Brigadier General (Montana National Guard) |
| Unit | 1st Battalion, 163rd Infantry Regiment Montana National Guard |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
| Awards | Bronze Star Medal Combat Infantryman Badge |
In October 2013, Walsh announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2014 to succeed retiring Democratic incumbent Max Baucus. When Baucus resigned prior to the end of his term, Bullock appointed Walsh to fill Baucus's seat. In August 2014, he dropped out of the race after The New York Times reported he had plagiarized portions of a research paper he had written at the Army War College in 2007, resulting in the college revoking his Master's degree. He was succeeded in the Senate by Republican Steve Daines.
From February 2016 to November 2017, Walsh was the state director of Montana's USDA Rural Development office for the United States Department of Agriculture. He then began a career in real estate sales.