Montana House Democrats have chosen a woman who identifies as nonbinary to lead their caucus and a biological male who identifies as transgender as their minority whip — signaling that identity politics remains the party's organizing principle even in a state where Republicans control every statewide office and hold a 58-seat legislative majority.
The moves matter because they show what the opposition party values in leadership: not seasoning, not trade skills, not lived experience outside activism, but demographic markers. This is the same party that insists it speaks for working Americans.
Rep. SJ Howell, born Sarah J. Howell, was elected minority leader after running unopposed among the chamber's 44 Democrats, The Post Millennial reported. Howell identifies as nonbinary and was elected in 2022 as Montana's first nonbinary legislator. Howell represents Missoula, one of the few blue pockets in the state.
Joining Howell in leadership is Rep. Zooey Zephyr, a biological male born Zachary Todd Raasch, elected minority whip. Zephyr, also from Missoula, became the state's first openly transgender lawmaker in 2022 and previously competed in Super Smash Bros tournaments.
Zephyr gained national attention in 2023 when House leadership barred him from the floor after he told colleagues that a ban on sex-change operations for minors meant they had blood on their hands. Zephyr confirmed the leadership election results on Bluesky, posting with Howell and other Democratic leaders.
I am proud to announce that I have been elected as a Whip for the Montana House Democrats! Zephyr wrote. We have an incredible leadership team, and are ready to get to work for Montana! Additionally, we are blessed to have Rep. SJ Howell as minority leader—the first trans/nonbinary party leader in the nation!
Republicans hold a 56-to-44 advantage in the House. All statewide elected officials in Montana are Republican. The Democratic caucus, already marginalized, has now installed a leadership team whose primary distinction is gender identity — a priority that polls consistently rank near the bottom of concerns for ordinary voters worried about inflation, housing, and energy costs.
Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, a Tulsa craftsman is heading to the state legislature on the strength of credentials built with his hands — the kind of citizen-legislator the Founders envisioned, not a professional activist class. The contrast between the two paths says plenty about where each party thinks power comes from.
The open question: whether Montana Democrats' identity-first leadership strategy rallies their base or simply confirms to voters that the party has lost touch with the people it claims to represent.
