Steve Bullock Bio
Stephen Clark Bullock (born April 11, 1966) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 24th governor of Montana from 2013 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Montana Attorney General from 2009 to 2013. After leaving office, Bullock joined boards focused on public lands and democratic institutions and continued to advocate for bipartisanship and moderation.
Steve Bullock Early Life and Background
Early Life and Background
Stephen Clark Bullock was born on April 11, 1966, in Missoula, Montana, and grew up in Helena, the state capital. He is the son of Penny Clark, a school board trustee, and Mike Bullock, a teacher and administrator. His parents divorced when he was in grade school, and Bullock was raised primarily in the Helena community.
Bullock attended Helena High School, where he met his future wife, Lisa Downs, and graduated in 1984. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Claremont McKenna College. Bullock later received his Juris Doctor degree with honors from Columbia Law School, laying the foundation for a career in public service and law.
Path to US Politics
Bullock began his political career in 1996, serving as chief legal counsel to Montana Secretary of State Mike Cooney. He spent four years with the Montana Department of Justice under Attorney General Joe Mazurek, first as executive assistant attorney general and later as acting chief deputy attorney general from 1997 to 2001. During this time he also served as legislative director, coordinating the Attorney General’s legislative efforts.
In 2000, Bullock ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Montana Attorney General, losing the primary to Mike McGrath. From 2001 to 2004, he practiced law with the firm Steptoe & Johnson in Washington, D.C., while also serving as an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School. He returned to Montana in 2004 and opened a private practice in Helena, continuing to build a reputation in legal and political circles.
Steve Bullock Career
Early Career (2008-2012)
Bullock won the Democratic nomination for Montana Attorney General in 2008 and went on to defeat Republican Tim Fox in the general election with 52.64% of the vote. As Attorney General, he created the 24/7 Sobriety Program, which required repeat DUI offenders to take daily alcohol tests. His office also pursued the railroad industry for monopolistic business practices and joined a multistate effort urging federal antitrust action against consolidation in agriculture.
Bullock attracted national attention by defending Montana’s century-old ban on corporate money in elections against the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. After winning at the Montana Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the state in a 5-4 decision. Bullock served one term as Attorney General from 2009 to 2013, establishing himself as a rising figure in state-level Democratic politics.
First Term as Governor (2013-2016)
Bullock declared his candidacy for governor of Montana on September 7, 2011, and won the Democratic primary with 87% of the vote. In the general election, he defeated former Republican Congressman Rick Hill, receiving 48.9% of the vote to Hill’s 47.3%, with Libertarian Ron Vandevender taking 3.8%. Bullock and his running mate, John Walsh, were sworn in on January 7, 2013.
During his first term, Bullock expanded Medicaid coverage in Montana under the Affordable Care Act, working with a Republican-dominated state legislature. A September 2016 Morning Consult survey found him to be the most popular Democratic governor in the country, with a 66% approval rating. In 2016, he was reelected with 50.3% of the vote, defeating Republican nominee Greg Gianforte and becoming one of only two Democrats to win a gubernatorial race in a state carried by Donald Trump.
Second Term and NGA Chairmanship (2017-2020)
Bullock began his second term on January 2, 2017, alongside Lieutenant Governor Mike Cooney, facing large Republican majorities in the Montana Legislature. He chaired the National Governors Association from 2018 to 2019, leading the bipartisan organization during a period of significant political division.
During his second term, Bullock signed a 2018 executive order requiring recipients of major government contracts in Montana to disclose dark money spending in elections. He also implemented a statewide face mask mandate in July 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and issued a stay-at-home order earlier that year. Bullock’s second term concluded in January 2021.
Presidential and Senate Campaigns (2019-2020)
On May 14, 2019, Bullock announced his candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, making his entrance relatively late in the primary cycle. Based on his three statewide victories in a Republican-leaning state, he carried a reputation for electability but struggled to gain traction in national polls. Bullock ended his presidential campaign on December 2, 2019.
On March 9, 2020, Bullock declared his candidacy for the United States Senate, challenging incumbent Republican Steve Daines for the seat formerly held by Democrat Max Baucus. He won the three-way Democratic primary with 95.5% of the vote, and the race became one of the most expensive Senate contests of the cycle, with combined spending of $145 million. On November 3, 2020, Daines defeated Bullock by 10 points in the general election.
Post-Gubernatorial Career (2021-Present)
On January 20, 2022, Bullock was appointed by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to the inaugural board of directors of the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, a congressionally chartered nonprofit focused on protecting public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. He also serves on the bipartisan advisory board of States United Democracy Center.
Bullock’s public appearances since leaving office have emphasized bipartisanship, moderation, and the protection of democratic institutions. As of 2024, he remains the most recent Democrat to serve as both Attorney General and Governor of Montana.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bullock’s three consecutive statewide victories in Montana, a Republican-leaning state, established him as a rare Democratic success story in rural and Mountain West politics. His defense of Montana’s campaign finance laws against the Citizens United decision drew national attention and positioned him as a leading voice for campaign finance reform.
Steve Bullock Political Positions
Bullock has been described by The Washington Post, ABC News, and The New York Times as a moderate or centrist Democrat. He supports same-sex marriage, praised the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, and in 2015 became the first sitting governor in Montana history to officiate a same-sex wedding. In 2016, he issued an executive order prohibiting state agencies and contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
On gun policy, Bullock initially opposed a ban on semiautomatic weapons but reversed course after the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, coming to support universal background checks, magazine size limits, and red flag laws. He supports the Affordable Care Act, including a public option, and signed a 2018 executive order making Montana the first state to enforce net neutrality principles after the FCC repeal. Bullock supports the DACA program and refused to deploy National Guard troops to the Mexican border in 2018.
Steve Bullock Family
Family Background
Bullock is the son of Penny Clark, a school board trustee, and Mike Bullock, a teacher and administrator. His parents divorced when he was in grade school, and he was raised in Helena, Montana.
Personal Life
Bullock married Lisa Downs in 1999, having first met her while attending Helena High School. The couple has three children. Lisa Downs has been a steady presence throughout Bullock’s political career, and the family has maintained ties to Montana throughout his public service.