View source for Rick Jore

{{short description|American politician (born 1956)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = 
| name = Rick Jore
| office1 = Member of the<br>[[Montana House of Representatives]]
| term_start1 = January 3, 2007
| term_end1 = January 3, 2009
| predecessor1 = [[Jeanne Windham]]
| successor1 = John Fleming
| constituency1 = 73rd district
| term_start2 = 1995
| term_end2 = 2001
| predecessor2 = 
| successor2 = [[Joey Jayne]]
| constituency2 = 12th district
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|12|21}}
| birth_place = [[Ronan, Montana]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party =[[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution]] (2000–present)<br>[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] (1994–2000)
| children = 5
| footnotes = 
| education = [[North Idaho College]] ([[Associate degree|AS]])
}}
'''Rick Jore''' (born December 21, 1956) is an American politician and businessman who served as a member of the [[Montana House of Representatives]] from 1995 to 2001 and 2007 to 2009.

== Early life and education ==
Jore was born and raised in [[Ronan, Montana]], and received his associate degree from [[North Idaho College]] in 1978.

== Career ==
He is also the owner of Westslope Trout Company and the vice chairman of the [[Constitution Party of Montana]]. Jore spent 10 years working in a lumber mill.<ref name="Constitution">{{cite web|author=CHARLES S. JOHNSON Missoulian State Bureau|date=1999-01-25|title=For Rick Jore, it's the Constitution above all else : Uncategorized|url=http://missoulian.com/uncategorized/for-rick-jore-it-s-the-constitution-above-all-else/article_ad070a40-df75-5d87-9780-9cb44119ca9a.html|accessdate=2015-04-18|publisher=Missoulian.com}}</ref>

First elected as a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] in 1994, Jore served three terms in the Montana House of Representatives before switching his affiliation to the Constitution Party in March 2000.<ref>[http://www.mhrn.org/newsarchive/1200elections.html] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061009212910/http://www.mhrn.org/newsarchive/1200elections.html |date=October 9, 2006 }}</ref> Jore ran again for the legislature in 2000 and 2002 as a Constitution Party candidate and was narrowly defeated in both attempts. A very narrow defeat in 2004, after a recount, was followed by a successful run in 2006, defeating his [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] opponent 2,045 to 1,643 votes.<ref name="2006election">{{cite web|url=http://sos.mt.gov/elections/archives/2000s/2006/elections/general/2006_Legislative_General_Final_Results.pdf |title=2006 General Legislative Election Results |publisher=Sos.mt.gov |accessdate=2015-04-18}}</ref>

===2004 election===
In the very close 2004 election, following a recount, Jore initially tied with Democratic nominee Jeanne Windham, with each receiving 1,559 votes (Republican Jack Cross received 1,107 votes) in state House District 12.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sos.mt.gov/elections/archives/2000s/2004/2004-GenLeg.pdf |title=2004 General Legislative Election Results |publisher=Secretary of State of Montana}}</ref>

Because there was a tie, under Montana law the outgoing Republican Governor [[Judy Martz]], was entitled to choose the winner, and she selected Jore&mdash;which gave the Republicans a 50-49 lead over Democrats in the [[Montana House of Representatives|state House]], with Jore as the only Constitution Party member.<ref name="AP2004">[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-12-29-montana-recount_x.htm Montana Supreme Court gives state House race to Democrats], Associated Press (December 29, 2004).</ref>

The matter went to the [[Courts of Montana|state courts]],<ref>Paul Fugleberg, [http://www.leaderadvertiser.com/members/article_60a7c1ea-ec9e-5cdc-8a6c-85ba729bd3ad.html HD 12 Case Heads to Montana Supreme Court], ''Lake County Leader'' (December 23, 2004).</ref> and in December 2004, the [[Montana Supreme Court]] issued its initial ruling, finding in a 6-1 decision that "one or more" of seven contested ballots for Jore were invalid.<ref name="AP2004"/> The decision meant that Windham was elected to office, which in turn created a tie in the state House, which was evenly split (50-50) between Republicans and Democrats in the House. Because the incoming governor, [[Brian Schweitzer]], was a Democrat, this meant that the new state House speaker would be a Democrat.<ref name="AP2004"/> The Court's written opinion was issued March 18, 2005.<ref>''[https://caselaw.findlaw.com/mt-supreme-court/1076615.html Big Spring v. Jore]'', 109 P.3d 219 (Mont. 2005).</ref>

===2006 election===
In the next election, Jore had a rematch with Jeanne Windham. This time, Jore won with 55.4% of the vote.<ref name="2006election"/> With Republicans controlling the Montana House by a slim margin of 50-49, Jore obtained an unexpected amount of political leverage and was appointed chairman of the House Education Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/60th/leg_info.asp?HouseID=0&SessionID=91&LAWSID=14354#comm |title=Montana Legislature: Sessions |publisher=Leg.mt.gov |date=2014-05-14 |accessdate=2015-04-18}}</ref>

===2008 election===
Since Jore had already served in the Montana House as a Republican before his 2006 election as a member of the Constitution Party of Montana, state term-limit laws barred him from running for the Montana House in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sos.mt.gov/elections/archives/2000s/2008/results/2008_Legislative_General.pdf |title=2008 Legislative General Election Results |publisher=Sos.mt.gov |accessdate=2015-04-18}}</ref> He attempted to qualify an initiative for the ballot, called the Personhood Amendment, but failed to gather enough signatures.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}} As of March 19, 2009, he was still serving as the vice chairman of the Constitution Party of Montana.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

==Political positions==
Jore has been described as a "no-compromise conservative" and as one of the most conservative legislators in Montana.<ref name="Constitution"/> Jore supports an "[[original intent]]" approach to interpreting the U.S. Constitution, stating that "The concept of a [[living constitution]] is in my mind an absolute perversion."<ref name="Constitution"/>

Jore has authored bills that call for eliminating state laws requiring compulsory school attendance, outlawing [[affirmative action]] and abandoning Montana's [[no-fault divorce]] laws by requiring a judge to publicly declare who is to blame for the breakup and imposing a financial penalty.<ref name="Constitution"/> Other bills that Jore has authored would end the state [[inheritance tax]], phase in a 20 percent reduction in individual [[income taxes]], terminate the state-tribal hunting and fishing agreement on the [[Flathead Indian Reservation]], and a [[right-to-work state]] by prohibiting payment of union dues as a condition of employment.<ref name="Constitution"/>

== Personal life ==
He and his wife [[Homeschooling|homeschooled]] their five children.<ref name="Constitution" />

==Electoral history==

{{Election box begin no change
| title = 1994 Montana House of Representatives District 73
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = '''Rick Jore'''
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 1,707
| percentage = 54.8%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Ervin Davis
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 1,406
| percentage = 45.2%
}}
{{election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2000 Montana House of Representatives District 73
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = '''Joey Jane'''
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 1,872
| percentage = 50.7%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Rick Jore (incumbent)
| party = Constitution Party (United States)
| votes = 1,818
| percentage = 49.3%
}}
{{election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2002 Montana House of Representatives District 73
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = '''Joey Jane (incumbent)'''
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 1,539
| percentage = 49.3%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Rick Jore
| party = Constitution Party (United States)
| votes = 1,339
| percentage = 42.9%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Josh D. King
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 245
| percentage = 7.9%
}}
{{election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2004 Montana House of Representatives District 12
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = '''Jeanne Windham'''
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 1,559
| percentage = 36.9%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Rick Jore
| party = Constitution Party (United States)
| votes = 1,559
| percentage = 36.9%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jack Cross
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 1,107
| percentage = 26.2%
}}
{{election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change
| title = 2006 Montana House of Representatives District 12
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = '''Rick Jore'''
| party = Constitution Party (United States)
| votes = 2,045
| percentage = 55.5%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jeanne Windham (incumbent)
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 1,643
| percentage = 44.6%
}}
{{election box end}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080220151518/http://cpmont.org/ Constitution Party of Montana web site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041204190241/http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BS024951 Rick Jore's Vote-Smart.org bio]
*{{C-SPAN|86036}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jore, Rick}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Montana Legislature]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Montana Legislature]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2002 United States elections]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 2004 United States elections]]
[[Category:Montana Constitutionalists]]
[[Category:People from Ronan, Montana]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the Montana House of Representatives]]
[[Category:North Idaho College alumni]]