Barry Usher down, Charlie Loveridge, Stacy Zinn, Denise Joy all up in Yellowstone County results

Here are all election results for legislative primaries in Yellowstone County, according to returns Wednesday morning. Contested races are listed first.

Senate District 19

Chris Rindal is leading with 3,226 votes against incumbent State Sen. Barry Usher with 2,759 votes.

A last-minute entrant in the race, Rindal is a Lewistown native who runs Rindal Oil in Lewistown, a family business established in 1954. He also serves as deacon at Central Baptist Church In Lewistown.

Usher's district was recently redistricted to include most of Lewistown and less of Yellowstone County.

After three consecutive two-year terms as a state House representative and time as a Majority House Whip, Usher successfully ran for the state Senate in 2022. In Billings, Usher owns two auto dealerships including Beartooth Harley Davidson and Royal Enfield.

In a letter to the Gazette in December, Laurel resident Usher criticized the property tax relief passed by some Republican and Democrats that’s been endorsed by Gov. Greg Gianforte. The bill brought tax relief to roughly 80% of Montanans but has divided the party between moderate Republicans and hard-liners, with it remaining pertinent in Republican primaries statewide. Those further on the right found the bill created “winners and losers” with higher-value properties.

Usher made a list of “honor roll” candidates by the Montana Republican Party that supported politicians considered to be more in line with the party’s platform, and in some cases led to campaign spending against incumbents. Usher was also elected president of the National Conference of State Legislatures in 2025.

Democrat Deanna Daigrepont, a doctor in Roundup, ran uncontested in the expansive district north of Billings.

Senate District 25

Incumbent State Sen. Dennis Lenz is leading in the Republican primary with 2,574 votes against Tom Bick’s 545 votes. Lenz served in the state Legislature for four terms in the House starting in 2013. He then successfully ran for the state Senate in 2022.

Lenz has previously encouraged the siting of a forensic mental health facility in Yellowstone County that the state Legislature has allocated $26.2 million for. It’s a project that has grown controversial with few Laurel residents expressing desire for it and Laurel’s mayor ultimately resigning after a recall petition was set for the November ballot.

Democrat Julie Hippler, a reading intervention specialist, is running uncontested for Democrats.

House District 40

Incumbent Rep. Mike Vinton is leading in the Republican primary with 1,015 votes against Robert (Gunner) Cesnik's 480 votes.

Vinton heads a local construction firm and has previously been in leadership of construction associations. He made the state GOP’s honor roll.

Gabriel Bradshaw ran uncontested on the Democratic side.

House District 46

Denise Joy is leading in the Democratic primary with 677 votes against Erin Tate's 450 votes.

Joy was the first ever Billings City Council member to be part of the Democratic Socialists of America. She served nearly two full terms before being tapped to replace past representative Emma Kerr-Carpenter in December 2024. This is Joy’s first time running for Legislature.

Republican Kim Welzenbach ran uncontested in the Republican primary. She currently works as the executive director of the Home Builders Association of Billings.

House District 47

John Maxwell is leading in the Republican primary with 284 votes against Ron Steven’s 198 votes. Maxwell was part of the GOP honor roll and works as an exterior specialist for Great White Construction/Boulder River Construction.

The winning candidate will run against incumbent Democrat James Reavis who first won in 2024 in the district that covers much of Billings’ downtown.

House District 49 

Charlie Loveridge is leading in the Republican primary with 951 votes against Ole Hedstrom’s 374 votes.

Loveridge has twice unsuccessfully ran for Billings City Council and was one of three candidates Yellowstone County Commissioners considered to replace John Ostlund. Loveridge made the state GOP’s honor roll.

Ole Hedstrom is a captain with the Billings Fire Department and is part of the Montana State Professional Firefighters Association, a group that regularly lobbies before the Legislature.

The successful candidate will replace a seat left open by state Republican Rep. Sherry Essman, who decided not to run for a fourth term in the state House.

Democrat Rebecca Noell ran uncontested in the race.

House District 51

Republican Jodee Etchart is leading in the Republican primary with 1,146 votes against Lana Tibbets’ 437 votes.

If Etchart wins in the general election, it would be her third term. A physician assistant, some of her most recent bills have focused on trying to address the ongoing healthcare workforce shortage in Montana, garnering bipartisan support in the process. She most recently tried to push forward regulation of kratom before the Montana Board of Pharmacy, but the board thought the regulation would be more appropriate for the next Legislative session.

The state GOP had Tibbetts in its honor roll. Her campaign page noted opposition to Etchart’s support for Medicaid Expansion.

Democrat Precious McKenzie ran uncontested in the primary. She was named the associate dean of the City College at Montana State University Billings this May.

House District 52

Stacy Zinn is leading in the Republican primary with 1,504 votes against Ed Walker’s 949 votes.

Zinn was appointed by the all-Republican county commission to fill the spot vacated this December by former state Rep. Bill Mercer.

A former Drug Enforcement Agency agent, Zinn told commissioners at the time that the biggest threat facing Yellowstone County is the “unknowns moving into our communities.” She currently serves as the vice chair of the Montana Republican Party. However, the state party placed Walker on its honor roll, rather than her.

It wasn’t their first primary running against each other, with both running in the 2nd Congressional District Republican primary in 2024. During that race, Walker ended his campaign prematurely, though Zinn placed third in the eight-way primary.

Democrat Elizabeth Heald ran uncontested.

House District 53

Troy Charbonneau’s  is leading in the Republican primary with 1,137 votes against incumbent Republican Nelly Nicol's 867 votes.

She has worked for Victory Insurance Company in Billings. Some of her most recent bills include requiring police officers to check immigration status during stops and an attempt to regulate kratom in Montana. She was first elected in 2022 and was on the state GOP’s honor roll.

Democrat Matthew Hankins ran uncontested.

Below are results for uncontested primaries:

Senate District 22

Incumbent Republican Daniel Zolnikov received 2,586 votes.

Senate District 23

Incumbent Democrat Emma Kerr-Carpenter received 2,117 votes.

Republican Joanna Oblander received 1,774 votes.

House District 39

Incumbent Republican Kerri Seekins Crowe received 1,195 votes. Democrat Melissa Smith received 674 votes.

House District 42

Incumbent Democrat Sidney “Chip” Fitzpatrick received 687 votes. Republican Jeremiah Jabs received 623 votes.

House District 43

Incumbent Republican Larry Brewster received 1,138 votes. Democrat Rudolf Haden received 737 votes.

House District 44

Incumbent Republican Katie Zolnikov received 1,433 votes. Democrat Mike Eaton received 703 votes.

House District 45

Incumbent Democrat Denise Baum received 1,073 votes. Republican Bryce Walston received 949 votes.

House District 48 

Incumbent Republican Curtis Schomer received 801 votes. Democrat Tucker Colvin received 794 votes.

House District 50 

Republican Stewart Harris received 1,659 votes. Democrat Mark Peters received 839 votes.

House District 54

Republican incumbent Lee Deming received 1,309 votes. Democrat Janine Coole received 591 votes.