HELENA – Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton announced Wednesday he is running for governor in 2020.
Stapleton, 51, is a Great Falls native and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He was elected Secretary of State in November 2016.
“As Secretary of State and Montana’s business officer, our office has made it easier for small businesses to operate in Montana,” Stapleton said in a press release. “Not only have we streamlined and simplified the dealings that business owners have with state government, we are leading the nation in modernizing the way businesses file online.”
Stapleton said the Secretary of State’s Office has “tackled the most difficult issues in modern elections.”
“I’m proud to say that we have increased election security, increased the integrity of mail ballots, and increased voter participation. In short, we’ve made it easier to vote and harder to cheat!” Stapleton said in the press release.
Stapleton served eleven years in the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer, deploying overseas aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy and aegis cruiser USS Hue City.
He holds a bachelor of science degree in General Engineering from the Naval Academy, a master of arts degree in Political Science from Temple University, and a master of science degree in Financial Services from The American College in Pennsylvania.
“As Governor, I’d like to lead the conversation on how we steer towards a Montana that has stronger families and higher wages, lower taxes and smaller government, and how we can lead the nation in having greater freedoms for all of us,” he states in the press release states. “I’ll work with anyone and everyone to help get us there.”
Stapleton is a financial advisor and former Republican state senator from Billings. He and his wife, Terry, have four children.
