'People before party': Shelley Vance welcomes primary challenge from GOP-backed Randy Chamberlin

Republican Montana Sen. Shelley Vance says she values voters more than her own party’s hardline politics.

For that season, Vance says, she is facing a primary challenge for Senate District 34 from businessman Randy Chamberlin, the CEO of Montana Steel Industries.

Vance, who knows Chamberlin personally, said they share many of the same viewpoints and values.

Both are pro-gun, support lower property taxes, are anti-abortion and are fiscal conservatives.

“We’re fellow Republicans,” Vance told the Chronicle on Wednesday. “I welcome Randy to the race.”

Chamberlin has not responded to several Chronicle efforts this week to seek comment on his reasons for entering the primary against Vance. Both made it official Tuesday when they filed for the seat, which largely represents Belgrade south of Interstate 90 west to the Madison River.

The Montana GOP no longer acknowledges Vance as a Republican. Her standing was revoked via party resolution on Jan. 6, 2025.

Republicans group Vance among “The Nine”, a bloc of GOP senators whose votes at times aligned with Democrats. Vance and “The Nine” received intense backlash from GOP leaders, who accused them of undermining the party’s majority.

“There is nothing we can do to stop someone filing as a Republican,” Ethan Holmes, MTGOP communications director, told the Chronicle on Wednesday.

“We’ve made our position rather clear on where our leadership in the (Republican) party stands regarding Senator Vance.”

Vance consistently rejects the characterization, saying her focus was on passing legislation rather than voting in lockstep with Republican leadership.

“I haven’t changed,” Vance told the Chronicle in late 2025.

Vance remain unbowed after a scathing column from Gallatin County Republicans chairperson Marla Davis ran in the Chronicle last month.

“Don’t be fooled by those hiding under a false banner of bipartisanship,” Davis wrote. “Legislative rules and gamesmanship are complicated and often confusing, which Vance and her comrades have used to their advantage, both to undermine the will of Republican voters and to misinform them after the fact.”

Said Vance: “I’m not afraid of opposition. It’s the people’s choice. We’ll find out whether the vocal unhappiness regarding me, if that is a minority or majority of the people in my district.”

Vance is positioning herself as a free thinker listening to constituent concerns regardless of political affiliation.

She said her perspective could position her more solidly among independent, swing, Democrat and Republican voters beleaguered by rigid agendas. Voters can choose any primary regardless of political affiliation.

“I don’t care if (voters) are Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or Independent,” Vance said. “I’ll listen to anyone. People are more angry now than they’ve ever been.”

Vance said she refuses to be a pawn.

“You don’t serve a party, you serve the public,” Vance said. “There are some things we will never agree upon. We’re not going to agree on 100% of everything, but let’s be adults enough to have a conversation and figure out what we can. I’m not going to make everyone happy, but I’ll do my best.”

Vance argued leadership continuity and her decades of political experience are key differences between her and Chamberlin.

“I don’t have a big learning curve,” Vance said. “My whole life has been in public service. I understand the complexities.”

Vance’s Republican campaign and local governance experience dates to the 1980s. She served as Gallatin County clerk and recorder and supported Republican leadership during the legislative career of her late husband, Gordon “Gordy” Vance.

“I’m going to give it one last try,” Vance said. “If the people want me I will go.”

No Democrat had filed for the district seat as of Wednesday afternoon. The Republican primary is June. 2.