John Driscoll (Montana politician)
{{Short description|American politician (born 1946)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = John Driscoll
| image = Democrat Precinct 14 Committeeman John Brian Driscoll at age 75 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Driscoll in 2023
| office = 40th Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives
| term_start = January 3, 1977
| term_end = January 3, 1979
| preceded = Pat McKittrick
| succeeded = Harold Gerke
| office2 = Member of the Montana House of Representatives
| term_start2 = January 3, 1973
| term_end2 = January 3, 1979
| preceded2 =
| succeeded2 = Bob Thoft
| constituency2 = 22nd district (1973–1975)
91st district (1975–1979)
| birth_name = John Brian Driscoll
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|7|17}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic (1972–2020, 2024–present)
Republican (2020–2024)
| otherparty =
| spouse = Kathryn
| residence = Helena, Montana, U.S.
| children =
| relations =
| education = Gonzaga University (BA)
Columbia University (MA)
Harvard University (MPA)
{{nowrap|University of Montana (MBA)}}
| allegiance =
| branch = United States Army
| serviceyears = 1970–2002
| rank = Colonel
| unit = Montana National Guard
}}
John Brian Driscoll (born July 17, 1946) is an American writer and politician who served in the Montana House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979.
Early life and education
Driscoll was born in Los Angeles, California. He was raised in Montana and attended Hamilton High School. Driscoll earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Gonzaga University, Master of Arts in international affairs from Columbia University, Master of Public Administration from Harvard University, and Master of Business Administration from the University of Montana.{{Cite web|last=Bureau - 09/22/08|first=MIKE DENNISON-IR State|title=Anti-candidate John Driscoll runs low-key campaign|url=https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/anti-candidate-john-driscoll-runs-low-key-campaign/article_2c2ed78a-d048-50fa-bf80-fa472b1c7509.html|access-date=2020-06-03|website=Helena Independent Record|date=22 September 2008 |language=en}}
Career
File:Colonel John Brian Driscoll with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff September 2001.webp September 2001]]
Driscoll served in the Army National Guard for 28 years, including strategic intelligence missions in the West Indies and Africa.
Driscoll was elected to the Montana House of Representatives in 1972 and served as House Majority Leader from 1975 to 1977. He served as Speaker from 1977 to 1979.{{cite web|url=http://leg.mt.gov/css/About-the-Legislature/Facts-and-Statistics/leadership-through-history.asp |title=Montana Legislature - Leadership 1889-Present |accessdate=2017-03-26 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205115307/http://leg.mt.gov/css/About-the-Legislature/Facts-and-Statistics/leadership-through-history.asp |archivedate=2009-12-05 }}{{cite web|first=Charles S.|last=Johnson|title=Former Democratic lawmaker John Driscoll to run for U.S. House|url=http://billingsgazette.com/former-democratic-lawmaker-john-driscoll-to-run-for-u-s/article_f1a4e956-3909-534f-8779-721efe4bcf14.html|work=Billings Gazette|date=March 7, 2014|accessdate=December 8, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/40708/john-driscoll#.VmZzNGSrQ_U | title=The Voter's Self Defense System }} In 1978, at the age of 32, he ran for the United States Senate, but finished a distant third in the Democratic primary to Max Baucus and Paul G. Hatfield. From 1981 to 1992, Driscoll served as a member of the Montana Public Service Commission.
He later served as a joint education planner for the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the 1990s. Eventually returning to Montana, Driscoll operated a small book-selling business out of his home in Helena.
In the 2008 election, Driscoll won the Democratic nomination for Montana's at-large congressional district. He subsequently lost to incumbent Denny Rehberg in the general election. In the 2014 election, he ran to succeed Steve Daines in Montana's at-large congressional district but lost the Democratic nomination to John Lewis. He was a candidate for U.S. Senate in the 2020 election, losing to incumbent Steve Daines in the Republican primary. In the 2024 election, Driscoll won the Democratic nomination for eastern Montana's 2nd congressional district. He faced Republican nominee Troy Downing in the general election, losing with 33.9% to Troy Downing's 65.7%.{{#invoke:cite web|| title=2024 Statewide General Election Canvass | website=Secretary of State of Montana | date=2024-12-11 | url=https://sosmt.gov/docs/31/post-election/66775/2024-general-election-report-state-canvass | access-date=2024-12-11}}https://sosmt.gov/docs/31/post-election/66774/2024-general-election-report-state-canvass-write-in
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{conglinks|votesmart=40708}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Politics|United States}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Driscoll, John}}
Category:School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University alumni
Category:Gonzaga University alumni
Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni
Category:Democratic Party members of the Montana House of Representatives
Category:Politicians from Helena, Montana
Category:Politicians from Los Angeles
Category:Speakers of the Montana House of Representatives
Category:University of Montana alumni
Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States Senate elections
Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections
Category:20th-century members of the Montana Legislature
{{Montana-politician-stub}}