Bozeman Democrat Kathleen Williams announces U.S. House run

BOZEMAN – Kathleen Williams, a three-term Democratic state lawmaker from Bozeman, has announced her candidacy for Montana’s lone U.S. House seat.

Williams said in a statement Thursday that the political polarization in Congress is bad for the country and she would work with diverse interests to get things done.

In the state House of Representatives she helped shepherd through a water compact between the state and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Williams is a former Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks employee and now works for the conservation group Western Landowners Alliance.

She joins a Democratic field that includes Billings attorney John Heenan, former land-trust director Grant Kier and state Rep. Tom Woods of Bozeman. They are seeking to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte.

The primary election is June 5.