Kristen Juras
{{Short description|American politician (born 1955)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Kristen Juras
|image = File:Kristen Juras.jpg
|caption = Juras in 2022
|office = 37th Lieutenant Governor of Montana
|governor = Greg Gianforte
|term_start = January 4, 2021
|term_end =
|predecessor = Mike Cooney
|successor =
|birth_name = Kristen Gustafson
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|10|16}}
|birth_place = Conrad, Montana, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|spouse = John Juras
|children = 3
|relatives = Wylie Gustafson (brother)
|education = University of Montana (BA)
University of Georgia (JD)
}}
Kristen Juras ({{née}} Gustafson; born October 16, 1955) is an American politician, businesswoman, attorney, and law professor who has been serving as the 37th lieutenant governor of Montana since 2021 as a member of the Republican Party.
Early life and education
Born in Conrad, Montana, Juras graduated from Conrad High School in 1973.{{cite news|last=Carter|first=Troy|date=May 11, 2015|title=UM prof prepares campaign for Montana high court|work=Bozeman Daily Chronicle|url=http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/um-prof-prepares-campaign-for-montana-high-court/article_a16b9088-775a-57ce-b531-366da59207ec.html|access-date=February 23, 2017|archive-date=June 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604214605/https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/um-prof-prepares-campaign-for-montana-high-court/article_a16b9088-775a-57ce-b531-366da59207ec.html|url-status=dead}} She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Montana in 1977 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1982.{{Cite web|url=http://www.valleyjournal.net/Article/16246/Supreme-court-candidates-experience-varied|title=Valley Journal: Supreme court candidates' experience varied|website=www.valleyjournal.net}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sidneyherald.com/election/kristen-juras-visits-sidney-glendive-herald-newspaper/article_20af2208-fad3-11ea-80eb-8b10dcd06b10.html|title=Kristen Juras visits Sidney, Glendive, Herald newspaper|first=Eric K.|last=Gill|website=Sidney Herald|date=September 20, 2020 }}
Career
Juras entered private practice in Georgia and Oklahoma City before returning to Montana in 1988. She works as an adjunct law professor at the University of Montana's Alexander Blewett III School of Law. Juras ran for the Montana Supreme Court seat vacated by Patricia O'Brien Cotter in 2016.{{cite web|url=https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/montana-supreme-court-candidate-kristen-juras-cites-work-with-small-businesses/article_5581dae1-e576-5beb-aefc-54cfb520474d.html |title=Montana Supreme Court candidate Kristen Juras cites work with small businesses | 406 Politics |date=October 16, 2016 |publisher=billingsgazette.com |access-date=June 4, 2020}}{{Cite web|last=Cates-Carney|first=Corin|title=Kristen Juras: 'A Diverse Court Is A Better Court'|url=https://www.ypradio.org/post/kristen-juras-diverse-court-better-court|access-date=June 7, 2020|website=www.ypradio.org|date=October 14, 2016 |language=en}} She advanced to the general election, losing to Dirk Sandefur.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mtpr.org/post/sandefur-elected-montanas-next-supreme-court-justice|title=Sandefur Elected Montana's Next Supreme Court Justice|agency=Associated Press|website=www.mtpr.org|date=November 9, 2016 }}
In March 2020, then-Congressman Greg Gianforte, selected Juras as his running mate in the 2020 Montana gubernatorial election.{{cite news |last1=Drake |first1=Phil |title=Gianforte names Great Falls attorney Kristen Juras as lieutenant governor running mate |url=https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2020/03/01/greg-gianforte-great-falls-attorney-kristen-juras-lieutenant-governor-running-mate/4922976002/ |publisher=Great Falls Tribune |date=March 1, 2020 |access-date=May 26, 2020}} They won their party's nomination in the Republican primary, and faced incumbent Lieutenant Governor Mike Cooney and Montana Representative Casey Schreiner in the November general election.{{cite web|url=https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/gianforte-cooney-win-governor-primaries/article_bbe2e692-3ef5-509a-8d31-0863243234a0.html |title=Gianforte, Cooney win governor primaries | State & Regional |date=June 2, 2020 |publisher=helenair.com |access-date=June 4, 2020}} Gianforte and Juras won the election,{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/technology-virus-outbreak-access-to-health-care-greg-gianforte-elections-faf04e24168444190db5e25f8010df33|title=Republican Greg Gianforte elected Montana's next governor|date=November 3, 2020|website=AP NEWS}} and were sworn into office on January 4, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/gianforte-1st-gop-governor-in-16-years-sworn-in/article_fed43940-05b9-5c57-a31f-b8fd0f50ff3b.html|title=Gianforte, 1st GOP governor in 16 years, sworn in|first1=Seaborn|last1=Larson|first2=Tom|last2=Kuglin|website=Helena Independent Record|date=January 4, 2021 }}
In June 2022, Juras served as acting governor while Gianforte was out of the country, and declared a state of emergency regarding flooding near Red Lodge, Montana.{{cite web | url=https://www.mtpr.org/montana-news/2022-06-14/acting-governor-juras-signs-disaster-declaration-with-gianforte-out-of-country | title=Acting governor Juras signs disaster declaration with Gianforte out of country | date=June 15, 2022 }} Gianforte and Juras were reelected to a second term in 2024.https://dailymontanan.com/2024/01/16/gianforte-juras-announce-montana-re-election-bids-for-2024/
Personal life
Juras and her husband John have three sons. Her younger brother is country musician Wylie Gustafson.{{Cite web|url=https://missoulian.com/uncategorized/entertainer-wants-compensation-for-use-of-his-yodel/article_cf3ed9eb-183a-5779-8bfa-8fff34b4bc20.html|title=Entertainer wants compensation for use of his yodel|agency=Associated Press|website=missoulian.com|date=April 21, 2002 |access-date=November 10, 2020}}
References
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{{s-bef|before=Lesley Robinson}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Montana|years=2020, 2024}}
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{{s-bef|before=Mike Cooney}}
{{s-ttl|title=Lieutenant Governor of Montana|years=2021–present}}
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{{Lieutenant governors of Montana}}
{{Current Montana statewide political officials}}
{{Current U.S. Lieutenant Governors}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Juras, Kristen}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century Montana politicians
Category:Lieutenant governors of Montana
Category:People from Conrad, Montana
Category:University of Georgia School of Law alumni
Category:University of Montana alumni