Gallatin and Missoula County Republicans Censure ‘Out of Line Nine’ as Pro-Life Group Supports Recall Effort

HELENA, MT – Grassroots Republicans are taking decisive steps, as county-level GOP organizations have moved against the nine Republican state senators previously rebuked by the state party for aligning with Democrats. The Gallatin County Republican Central Committee and the Missoula County Republican Central Committee have now issued formal censure resolutions against Sen. Shelley Vance (SD34) and Sen. Denley Loge (SD45), respectively.

Adding to the growing backlash, the pro-life advocacy group Montanans For Life has expressed deep disappointment with the Montana GOP leadership for failing to take stronger action and has stated it would support a recall of the nine senators.

From Rebuke to Censure: County-Level Backlash

In February 2025, the Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) issued a public rebuke against nine Republican state senators—referred to as the “Out of Line Nine”—for consistently voting with the Democratic minority and undermining the Republican-controlled Senate. While some GOP leaders felt the rebuke was sufficient, others within the party demanded harsher consequences.

MTGOP Executive Board member Brad Tschida was among those who pushed for a stronger response. During internal deliberations, Tschida supported a censure at the state level, arguing that a simple rebuke lacked meaningful consequences. However, the state party ultimately chose to issue only a rebuke rather than a formal censure. Tschida is also a member of the Missoula County Republican Central Committee, which has now moved to censure Sen. Denley Loge (SD45).

In the weeks that followed, county Republican organizations began issuing their own censures, signaling an escalation beyond the state party’s rebuke:

Gallatin County GOP Censures Sen. Shelley Vance (SD34)

The Gallatin County Republican Central Committee passed a formal censure of Sen. Shelley Vance, citing her repeated votes with Democrats that contributed to blocking Republican legislative priorities on issues such as judicial reform, election integrity, and limiting government. The Montana Sentinel first reported on the censure Saturday.

• The resolution accused Vance and the other eight senators of forcing Senate leadership to alter its rules, diluting Republican influence in key committees, and helping Democrats defeat conservative-backed legislation.
• Vance was also criticized for calling for an ethics investigation into Senate President Matt Regier (SD5)—an act some Republicans view as political retaliation against leadership.
• The Gallatin County GOP formally withdrew its support for Vance, stating that she no longer represents the values of her district’s Republican voters.

Missoula County GOP Censures Sen. Denley Loge (SD45)

The Missoula County Republican Central Committee (MCRCC) similarly censured Sen. Denley Loge, expressing frustration that he undermined the Republican Senate majority and prioritized personal and political considerations over conservative governance.

• The censure resolution stated that Loge’s frequent votes with Democrats had weakened Republican influence and led to the defeat of key conservative bills.
• MCRCC leaders noted that many bills supported by his constituents were defeated due to Loge’s alignment with Democratic votes.
• The committee warned that further actions may be taken if Loge continues obstructing GOP priorities.

Montanans For Life: “GOP Leadership Must Do More”

The pro-life advocacy group Montanans For Life has expressed deep disappointment with the Montana GOP leadership’s handling of the situation, arguing that a lack of swift and decisive action has created unnecessary turmoil within the party.

Robin Sertell, Chair of Montanans For Life, voiced frustration over the state GOP’s lack of firm action, stating, “We at Montanans for Life are deeply disappointed in the lack of response from the GOP leadership. By not tending to this matter swiftly and decisively, they’ve produced an environment rife with unnecessary drama. This session, it’s clear that some of our elected Republicans are unfortunately more concerned with what they can get away with than what they can do to serve their constituency.”

Montanans For Life highlighted the defeat of SB 479, a bill sponsored by Sen. Theresa Manzella (SD44) that sought to regulate chemical abortions. The bill was killed on the Senate floor after the ‘Out of Line Nine’ sided with Democrats, prompting criticism from pro-life activists who saw the legislation as a key conservative priority.

In a letter to GOP leadership in January, the group thanked the party for their “support [for] the preservation of innocent human life at every stage of life,” as stated in the party platform, but also emphasized their outrage over the initial rules vote on Day One of the session, which they say handed control to Democrats, “We recently learned that nine of our Republican Senators voted with the Democrats on Day One of the 2025 Legislative Session on a crucial rules vote, giving the Democrats the majority, and we are outraged. This undermines our personal faith in these elected officials to serve by voting in accordance with the party platform.”

Montanans For Life warned that conservative voters may lose trust in both their organization and the Montana GOP if leadership fails to take stronger action. “As a conservative organization focused on being the only single-issue pro-life lobbying organization in the state, we are also quite concerned that the people who’ve trusted us when we mobilized them to vote Republican, can and will lose trust in our organization, the elections process, and the Republican Party,” the letter stated.

The group is now calling for consequences beyond rebuke or censure, specifically:

• Barring the nine senators from GOP activities and conventions.
• Expressing support for a recall effort against them, citing their opposition to key pro-life legislation.

Sertell and Montanans For Life urged GOP leadership to act decisively, “We urge swift and decisive action. Yes, we want your party’s leadership to hold these nine Republicans accountable. Yes, we believe there should be consequences, such as being barred from participation in activities and conventions. Due to the severity of their actions, we would support a recall of these nine as well.”

What’s Next?

The Montana GOP now faces mounting pressure from both local party committees and grassroots conservative activists. While state party leadership has yet to announce further action, the county censures signal a growing willingness among local Republican leaders to hold lawmakers accountable.

As frustration builds within the party and with voters, questions remain about whether the Montana GOP will escalate its response or whether grassroots efforts—like Montanans For Life’s support for a recall—will gain traction.

For now, the grassroots movement within the Montana Republican Party is intensifying, with local party organizations and conservative activists taking matters into their own hands.