Tyson Running Wolf

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Tyson Running Wolf

| birth_place = Browning, Montana, U.S.

| state_house = Montana

| district = 16th

| term_start = January 7, 2019

| predecessor = Susan Webber

| successor =

| party = Democratic

| education = University of Montana (BS)

| spouse = Lona

| children = 7

}}

Tyson T. Running Wolf is a Native American politician serving as a member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 16th district. His district is located in Glacier County and includes North Browning, East Glacier, and Cut Bank.{{cite web |title=Rep. Tyson Running Wolf |url=https://projects.montanafreepress.org/capitol-tracker-2025/lawmakers/Tyson-Running-Wolf/ |publisher=Montana Free Press |access-date=1 March 2025}} Running Wolf is a Minority Whip in the 2025 legislative session.{{cite web |title=Representative Tyson Running Wolf |url=https://www.legmt.gov/legislators/1432/ |publisher=Montana Legislature |access-date=1 March 2025}}

Running Wolf first ran for the Montana House of Representatives in 2018. He defeated K. Webb Galbreath with 61% of the vote.{{cite web |title=2018 General Election |url=https://electionresults.mt.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=HOUSE&map=DIST&eid=17 |publisher=Montana Secretary of State |access-date=1 March 2025}} In 2020 and 2022, he was unopposed.{{cite web |title=2020 General Election |url=https://electionresults.mt.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=HOUSE&map=DIST&eid=19 |publisher=Montana Secretary of State |access-date=1 March 2025}}{{cite web |title=2022 General Election |url=https://electionresults.mt.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=HOUSE&map=DIST&eid=22 |publisher=Montana Secretary of State |access-date=1 March 2025}} He faced challenger Elaine Utterback Mitchell during the 2024 election. Running Wolf received 59% of the vote.{{cite web |title=2024 General Election |url=https://electionresults.mt.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=HOUSE&map=DIST |publisher=Montana Secretary of State |access-date=1 March 2025}}

Running Wolf was assigned to the same three committees in 2019, 2021, and 2023:{{cite web |title=Rep. Tyson Runningwolf |url=https://leg.mt.gov/legislator-information/roster/individual/5074 |website=Montana State Legislature |accessdate=20 June 2020}}

• Education
• Fish, Wildlife, and Parks
• State Administration

In 2025 he was again assigned to Fish, Wildlife and Parks and State Administration. He was also on the House Rules committee.

One important issue for Running Wolf is protecting the Badger-Two Medicine, an area of the Lewis and Clark National Forest sacred to the Blackfeet Nation.{{cite news |last1=Mabie |first1=Nora |title='The trip never quits': Rep. Tyson RunningWolf stands for Indigenous people |url=https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/2019/11/21/rep-tyson-runningwolf-stands-indigenous-people-blackfeet-nation/4253286002/ |accessdate=28 February 2025 |work=Great Falls Tribune |date=21 November 2019}}

In 2025, he successfully brought a bill to create a special revenue account for the Montana Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force.{{cite web |last1=Mabie |first1=Nora |title=Bill bolstering Montana Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force becomes law |url=https://montanafreepress.org/2025/02/28/new-law-will-bolster-montanas-missing-indigenous-persons-task-force/ |publisher=Montana Free Press |access-date=1 March 2025 |date=February 28, 2025}} Montana's rate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is one of the worst in the country.{{cite web |last1=Horton |first1=Adrian |title=‘The families deserve answers’: inside the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/feb/03/murder-in-big-horn-showtime-docuseries-montana-missing-murdered-indigenous-women |publisher=The Guardian |access-date=1 March 2025 |date=February 3, 2023}}