James Brown, who has served as chairman of the Montana Public Service Commission for the past four years, secured his seat to become the state’s top consumer watchdog.

At 2:20 a.m. Wednesday morning, the Associated Press called the race for Brown, a household name in Montana Republican politics. As of 9:45 a.m., Brown led his Democratic challenger with 62 percent of the vote and 86 percent of votes counted. An attorney with a law practice in Helena and a home in Dillon, Brown’s campaign has touted his Montana roots and regulatory experience.

Brown’s challenger for the seat was John Repke, a retired business executive who lives in Whitefish and previously ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the PSC.

In an emailed statement late Tuesday, Brown said he will “actively and vigorously embrace my responsibilities as your Insurance and Securities Commissioner.”

“I ran for this public office because I am dedicated not only to protecting the last best place and our Montana way of life; but also to protect my fellow Montanans, who I firmly believe are the last and best people on earth.”

“I will build on the strong record of my predecessor, Commissioner Troy Downing, to promote consumer education and consumer advocacy, work to lower insurance costs by promoting competition, reduce the regulatory burden on Montana businesses, and pull bad actors accountable,” Brown said. .

Concerns about rising insurance rates and frustration around fraud targeting senior citizens have been some of the key issues facing Brown and Repke this election cycle.

A previously published report this year found that home insurance rates have risen 44 percent in Montana over the past five years, approaching an average of nearly $2,800 annually. According to the same report, which was prepared by LendingTree and based on data compiled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, rates in Montana rose 12 percent between January and March of this year, well above the national increase of 6 percent in the same period.

Brown wrote that he will use his legal background to ensure “transparency and fair access to the securities and insurance industry.”

In an October interview with the Montana Free Press, Repke highlighted the role of climate-related disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes in generating national upheaval in the insurance market. He argued that the state auditor should work proactively to understand these factors to better regulate insurance companies and thereby protect the interests of consumers.

In an emailed statement Wednesday morning, Repke said he was proud of the “many tens of thousands of Montanans who supported (his) campaign.” He also said he believes “deceptive and deceptive campaigns fueled by lobbyists and out-of-state interests will be our controlling political paradigm in Montana for a while.”

“My concern is not for me. My concern is for our most vulnerable citizens, young people, small business owners and working families,” he said. “My hope is that the inevitable insurance rate increases, lack of consumer protections, higher property taxes and extreme political agendas are not so toxic that they ruin the Montana that nurtured my generation.”

This was Brown’s third bid for statewide political office. He ran unsuccessfully to become Montana Supreme Court justice in 2022.

In January, Brown will take over the position currently held by Downing, a Republican who did not run for re-election to win a seat in the US Congress – a seat he easily won on Tuesday night.

As state auditor, Brown will oversee an office with a $10 million budget and a payroll of 72 employees.