John Walsh (Montana politician)

This article is about the former U.S. Senator from Montana. For other people with the same name, see John Walsh.

John Walsh
United States Senator
from Montana
In office
February 9, 2014 – January 3, 2015
Appointed bySteve Bullock
Preceded byMax Baucus
Succeeded bySteve Daines
34th Lieutenant Governor of Montana
In office
January 7, 2013 – February 9, 2014
GovernorSteve Bullock
Preceded byJohn Bohlinger
Succeeded byAngela McLean
Adjutant General of Montana
In office
September 1, 2008 – March 2012
GovernorBrian Schweitzer
Preceded byRandall Mosley
Succeeded byMatthew T. Quinn
Personal details
Born
John Edward Walsh

(1960-11-03) November 3, 1960 (age 64)
Butte, Montana, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJanet Walsh
Children2
EducationRegents College (BS)
United States Army War College (MA revoked)
WebsiteOfficial Senate Biography
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1979–2012
Rank Colonel (U.S. Army)
Brigadier General (Montana National Guard)
Unit1st Battalion, 163rd Infantry Regiment
Montana National Guard
Battles/warsIraq War
Awards Bronze Star Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
John Walsh's voice
John Walsh on the North Fork Watershed Protection Act
Recorded April 3, 2014

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.[1] 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.[2][3]

In October 2013, Walsh announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2014 to succeed retiring Democratic incumbent Max Baucus.[4] When Baucus resigned prior to the end of his term, Bullock appointed Walsh to fill Baucus's seat.[5] 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.[6][7][8] 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.[9][10] He then began a career in real estate sales.

  1. ^ Sullivan, Sean (February 7, 2014). "Montana governor appoints Lt. Gov. John Walsh to Senate". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
    Cassata, Donna (February 11, 2014). "John Walsh Sworn In As Montana Senator, Replacing Max Baucus". The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  2. ^ Dennison, Mike (January 19, 2014). "Critical review blocked Walsh from promotion to Army general". Missoulian. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
    Kristin Price, Beartooth NBC, New Adjutant General[usurped], March 8, 2012.
  3. ^ Martin J. Kidston, Helena Independent Record, New Adjutant General set to Take Command of Guard, September 5, 2008.
  4. ^ Blake, Aaron, "Montana Lt. Gov. John Walsh (D) to run for Senate", The Washington Post, October 3, 2013. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  5. ^ Sullivan, Sean, and Aaron Blake, "Montana governor appoints Lt. Gov. John Walsh to Senate", The Washington Post, February 7, 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Missoulian7Aug was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Montana's United States Senators, Senate.gov.
  8. ^ Volz, Matt; Brown, Matthew (October 10, 2014). "Army War College revokes Sen. John Walsh's degree". Associated Press. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  9. ^ "Former U.S. Sen. John Walsh Lands Job in Montana with USDA". NorthernAg.NET. Billings, MT. February 5, 2016.
  10. ^ Montana Associated Technology Roundtables (November 4, 2017). "Gianforte's chief of staff Charles Robison appointed next rural development director for Montana". Helena, MT.