Missoula County Republicans

HELENA – Montana Republican Party Chairman Will Deschamps announced the appointment of Gary K. Carlson as MT GOP Executive Director today.

“After successful efforts to win legislative majorities during the 2008 election, my goal has been to increase the momentum of the state party to win further victories in 2010 and 2012,” said Chairman Deschamps.

“Gary K. Carlson has decades of grassroots organizing and legislative advocacy  experience that will help Montana Republicans gear up to win races in all corners of the state.”

Carlson has years of experience as a grassroots organizer in counties and congressional districts throughout Montana, Minnesota, California, and Virginia. Organizing for Republican candidates and pro-family causes, Carlson’s experience ranges from mobilizing small precincts to large counties such as Hennepin, the most populous county in Minnesota.

“The diversity of Gary Carlson’s career experience will be a major benefit to Montana Republicans in the coming election cycle,” said Deschamps. “In addition to his training in the trenches of campaign politics, Gary has a long history of military and government service that will serve both our grassroots and legislative leaders well. Few people have his background and we are pleased that he is joining our team.”

After serving in Vietnam as a member of the United States Marine Corps, Carlson served in such roles as Legislative Officer at Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC), Public Affairs Officer, and later as a Reagan Administration appointee to lead the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (NCESGR). 

In this capacity, Carlson acted as an advocate on issues of top concern to members of the Guard and Reserve, and was also the chief architect of the important veterans’ re-employment rights legislation known as USERRA which protects the jobs rights of individuals that leave civilian employment to serve in the military. For the past decade, Carlson has been teaching U.S. Government at the college level.

Gary Carlson will assume the duties of Executive Director in January. Current MT GOP Executive Director Max Hunsaker is stepping down in order to dedicate more time to his graduate school studies, but will be transitioning to a new position in order to continue assisting in the operations of the state party.