Republican Scot Kerns of Great Falls resigned from his House seat in June of 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Montana Legislature)
Great Falls Republican lawmaker and pastor Scot Kerns announced he will resign from the legislature at the end of the month to move to Pennsylvania to serve a Lutheran congregation.
Kerns, who was in his second term as a state representative, wrote in a June 3 resignation letter to the Secretary of State he was resigning effective June 30.
“While I am establishing residence in Pennsylvania to serve a Lutheran Congregation that has called me to be their Pastor, I will continue to look at my time in Montana with great love and affection,” Kerns wrote. “Montana remains in my prayers!”
Kerns made headlines last year after the Montana Free Press reported he had a driving under the influence conviction in 2021 and attempted to pass legislation to help clear DUI records and get driving privileges back in the 2023 session. The bill died in committee.
Kerns was not immediately available for comment on Wednesday.
The Cascade County Republican Central Committee will have 45 days to pick three replacement candidates from which county commissioners will choose a replacement. Committee Chairperson Eric Hinebauch told the Daily Montanan the committee will likely select the top three vote getters from the House District 23 primary, which would mean Eric Tilleman, John Proud and Pete Anderson would be considered. Tilleman won the primary with 61% of the vote, 39 percentage points ahead of second-place Anderson.
Sandor Hopkins ran unopposed in the Democratic primary in the district.
Kerns is a former U.S. Air Force captain and went to a military boarding high school in Virginia, according to his legislative biography. He served on the Transportation Interim Committee, and during the session he served on the Transportation, Local Government and Taxation Committees.
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