Judy Martz

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Judy Martz

|image = Judy Martz 2003 (cropped).jpg

|caption = Martz in 2003

|order = 22nd Governor of Montana

|lieutenant = Karl Ohs

|term_start = January 1, 2001

|term_end = January 3, 2005

|predecessor = Marc Racicot

|successor = Brian Schweitzer

|office1 = 31st Lieutenant Governor of Montana

|governor1 = Marc Racicot

|term_start1 = January 6, 1997

|term_end1 = January 1, 2001

|predecessor1 = Denny Rehberg

|successor1 = Karl Ohs

|birth_name = Judith Helen Morstein

|birth_date = {{birth date|1943|7|28}}

|birth_place = Big Timber, Montana, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2017|10|30|1943|7|28}}

|death_place = Butte, Montana, U.S.

|party = Republican

|spouse = {{marriage|Harry Martz|1965}}

|children = 2

|education = Montana State University Billings

}}

Judith Helen Martz (née Morstein; July 28, 1943 – October 30, 2017) was an American politician, businesswoman, and Olympian speed skater who served as the 22nd governor of Montana from 2001 to 2005. A member of the Republican Party, she was the first, and as of 2025, the only woman to hold the office.{{cite web|url=http://mtpr.org/post/judy-martz-montanas-first-female-governor-dies-74|title=Judy Martz, Montana's First Female Governor, Dies At 74|author=Edward O'Brien|access-date=October 30, 2017|publisher=MTPR|date=October 30, 2017}} She previously served as the 31st Lieutenant Governor of Montana from 1997 to 2001 under the governorship of Marc Racicot.

Early life and education

Martz was born July 28, 1943, in Big Timber, Montana, as Judith Helen Morstein.{{cite web|title=Judy Morstein|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mo/judy-morstein-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418123539/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mo/judy-morstein-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 18, 2020|website=Sports Reference|access-date=October 31, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/keci/montanas-first-female-governor-judy-martz-dies-at-74/649149625|title=Montana's first female governor, Judy Martz, dies at 74|publisher=NBC|access-date=October 30, 2017|date=October 30, 2017}} Her father was a miner and rancher, and her mother was, at various times, a cook, liquor-store clerk and motel maid.{{ cite web | url=http://www.governing.com/topics/economic-dev/Judy-Martz-Cautious-Ambition.html | title=Judy Martz: Cautious Ambition | author=Rob Gurwitt | year=2000 | publisher=www.governing.com | access-date=October 8, 2013 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610220016/http://www.governing.com/topics/economic-dev/Judy-Martz-Cautious-Ambition.html | archive-date=June 10, 2015 }} Morstein graduated from Butte High School in 1961 and attended Eastern Montana College.{{cite web|url=http://www.mt.gov/gov2/bios/martzbio.asp|title=Montana Governor – Biography of Governor Judy Martz|access-date=28 August 2016|archive-date=3 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503164717/http://mt.gov/gov2/bios/martzbio.asp|url-status=dead}}

Career

Morstein was named Miss Rodeo Montana in 1962. She competed on the U.S. women's speed skating team at the 1964 Winter Olympics (1500 meters).{{Cite web|url=https://www.kxlf.com/news/2018/02/16/friends-remember-former-governor-judy-martz-competing-in-the-olympics/|title=Friends remember former governor Judy Martz competing in the Olympics|date=February 17, 2018|website=KXLF News}} She was one of the first two Montana women to appear in the Olympics.

Morstein married Harry Martz in 1965; she and her husband owned and operated a garbage disposal service in Butte, Montana.{{cite news|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/us/article/Former-Montana-governor-Judy-Martz-dies-12318258.php|title=Judy Martz, first female governor of Montana, dies at 74|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=October 31, 2017|date=October 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107023140/http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/us/article/Former-Montana-governor-Judy-Martz-dies-12318258.php|archive-date=November 7, 2017|url-status=dead}}

Martz helped to establish the U.S. High Altitude Speed Skating Center in Butte. She also worked as a field representative for Republican U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns from 1989 to 1995.

Gov. Marc Racicot appointed Martz as lieutenant governor of Montana in 1995{{Cite web|url=https://www.krtv.com/news/montana-news/supporters-of-gov-martz-capitol-statue-kick-off-fundraising-effort|title=Supporters of Gov. Martz Capitol statue kick off fundraising effort|date=September 25, 2019|website=KRTV NEWS Great Falls}} after her predecessor, Denny Rehberg, stepped down to run for U.S. Senate.{{Cite web|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/politics/camp/022600montana-dems.html|title=Democrats Look to Montana for Break in Republican Sea|website=archive.nytimes.com |last=Janofsky |first=Michael |date=February 26, 2000}} Martz was the first female lieutenant governor in the state's history. In 1996, Martz was elected lieutenant governor as Racicot's running mate.

= Governor of Montana =

==2000 Montana gubernatorial election==

File:FEMA - 8330 - Photograph by Andrea Booher taken on 09-02-2003 in Montana.jpg Director Michael Brown and Bob Beckley of the Forest Service tour a smokejumper plane in Missoula, Sept. 2003]]

In the Montana gubernatorial election of 2000, Martz won the Republican primary over conservative activist and University of Montana law professor Rob Natelson 57 percent to 43 percent. She went on to defeat her Democratic opponent, State Auditor Mark O'Keefe, in the general election by a margin of 51 percent to 47 percent{{cite magazine|url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/pubs/almanac/2004/people/mt/mtgv.htm|title=Almanac of American Politics 2004 – Gov. Judy Martz (R) – Montana|magazine= National Journal |access-date=October 30, 2017}} despite being outspent by a three-to-one margin. Martz's running mate was Karl Ohs.

==Tenure (2001–2005)==

Martz was Montana's first female governor.{{cite web|title=125 Montana Newsmakers: Judy Martz|url=http://www.greatfallstribune.com/multimedia/125newsmakers5/martz.html|work=Great Falls Tribune|access-date=August 28, 2011|archive-date=January 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120124215749/http://www.greatfallstribune.com/multimedia/125newsmakers5/martz.html|url-status=dead}}

Martz "was noted for turning a state deficit into a surplus while reducing taxes and increasing funding for education. However, her term was besieged by missteps. Her popularity dropped to 20 percent at its low point".

In August 2001, the Montana Democratic Party filed an ethics complaint alleging that Martz violated state law by buying land from Atlantic Richfield Co. (Arco) in 1999 at a much lower price than Arco had paid for the property two years earlier. Following a hearing, the political practices commissioner issued a September 2002 decision clearing Martz.{{cite news|url=https://missoulian.com/martz-cleared-in-ethics-investigation/article_0b8ca7e9-abd3-51da-8904-fea903f17aba.html |title=Martz cleared in ethics investigation |website=Missoulian.com |last=Johnson |first=Charles |date=September 26, 2002}}

Martz's chief policy adviser, Shane Hedges, was involved in an automobile accident near Marysville, Montana, in August 2001. Hedges was driving while intoxicated. Following the accident, Hedges went to Martz's residence, where she washed his clothes.{{cite news|url=http://missoulian.com/hedges-crash-probe-looked-at-cover-up/article_32eea498-b573-520b-bf6f-0a16ff452071.html|title=Hedges crash probe looked at cover-up|first=Kathleen|last= McLaughlin|newspaper= The Missoulian |access-date=28 August 2016}} House Majority Leader Paul Sliter died in the crash. Hedges promptly resigned and pleaded guilty to a charge of negligent homicide.{{cite news|url=http://helenair.com/news/cover-up-was-suspected/article_6066f03f-dabe-5f28-9a5c-2465e74f54b8.html|title=Cover-up was suspected|first=Kathleen|last= McLaughlin|date= 14 February 2002|newspaper=The Missoulian|access-date=28 August 2016}}

Martz announced that she would not run for re-election as governor in 2004. She finished her time in office campaigning for President Bush in Ohio, Arizona, and other swing states, and sparring with incoming Democratic governor Brian Schweitzer over the state government transition.{{cite web|url=http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/11/10/build/state/30-govs-argue.inc |title=Martz, Schweitzer argue over transition costs |website=BillingsGazette.com |last=Johnson |first=Charles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007100238/http://www.billingsgazette.com/newdex.php?display=rednews%2F2004%2F11%2F10%2Fbuild%2Fstate%2F30-govs-argue.inc |archive-date=October 7, 2007 |url-status=dead }}

=Later career=

In September 2005, Martz was named chair of Montanans for Judge Roberts, a group supportive of Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, and spoke at a rally in support of Roberts.{{cite web|url=http://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/former-governor-judy-martz-dies/article_de2fab45-0074-58d8-a5d8-007767cfe466.html|title=Former Gov. Judy Martz was pioneer but served troubled term|publisher= Independent Record |date=October 30, 2017|access-date=October 30, 2017}} She also sat on the boards of Maternal Life International, University of Montana Western, Big Sky State Games, and TASER International, a company that manufacturers non-lethal electrical shock equipment for law enforcement, the military, and private individuals.{{Cite web|url=https://flatheadbeacon.com/2009/05/17/ex-governor-judy-martz-at-peace-with-lord-legacy/|title=Ex-Governor Judy Martz at Peace With Lord, Legacy|date=May 17, 2009|website=Flathead Beacon}}

After leaving office, Martz "routinely addressed Christian organizations throughout the country and was part of a network that prays at locations across Montana".{{Cite web|url=https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2017/10/30/former-montana-governor-judy-martz-dies/|website=ottawa.citynews.ca |title=Judy Martz, first female governor of Montana, dies at 74 |date=October 30, 2017}}

Personal life

Martz and her husband, Harry, were married in 1965.{{cite web|url=http://bigtimberpioneer.net/content/former-governor-judy-martz-passes-away-74|title=Former Governor Judy Martz passes away at 74|publisher=Big Timber Pioneer|access-date=October 31, 2017|date=October 30, 2017|archive-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402110543/https://www.bigtimberpioneer.net/content/former-governor-judy-martz-passes-away-74|url-status=dead}} They had two children: Justin and Stacey Jo. Martz was a Christian.

In May 2003, Martz was referenced in news for a perceived similarity to the face and hair of a nude bordello dancer sculpted by Seattle artist Kristine Veith, and placed in a new development in downtown Helena. Both Martz and Veith denied the similarity, with Martz stating, possibly partially tongue-in-cheek, "I'm a very modest person, no one would ever see me like that. My husband doesn't ever see me like that".{{ cite web | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/05/national/main571920.shtml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031004112638/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/05/national/main571920.shtml | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 4, 2003 | title=The Odd Truth | publisher=CBS News | date=September 5, 2003 |access-date=October 8, 2013}}

On November 11, 2014, it was announced that Martz had stage II pancreatic cancer and was undergoing treatment in Arizona.{{cite web|title=Former Gov. Martz says she has stage 2 pancreatic cancer|url=http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2014/11/11/former-gov-martz-says-stage-pancreatic-cancer/18886369/|work=Great Falls Tribune|access-date=4 September 2016|date=11 November 2014}} She died of the disease on October 30, 2017, in Butte, Montana, at the age of 74.{{cite web|url=http://www.krtv.com/story/36720271/former-gov-judy-martz-montanas-only-female-governor-dies-at-74|title=Former Gov. Judy Martz, Montana's only female governor, dies at 74|publisher=KRTV|access-date=October 30, 2017|date=October 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107031758/http://www.krtv.com/story/36720271/former-gov-judy-martz-montanas-only-female-governor-dies-at-74|archive-date=November 7, 2017|url-status=dead}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin | title=Montana gubernatorial election, 2000{{Cite web|url=http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/archives/2000s/2000/2000Gen/2000-GenState.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528184512/http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/Archives/2000s/2000/2000Gen/2000-GenState.pdf|url-status=dead|title=2000 Statewide General Canvass – November 7,2000|archivedate=May 28, 2013}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (US)

|candidate = Judy Martz

|votes = 209,135

|percentage = 50.98%

|change = -28.18%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Democratic Party (US)

|candidate = Mark O'Keefe

|votes = 193,131

|percentage = 47.08%