Columbia Falls legislator resigns to go back to school

House District 3 Rep. Zac Perry of Columbia Falls has resigned.

Perry, a Democrat, served in the Montana Legislature for five years and three sessions, at times the lone Democrat from Flathead County in the Legislature.

Perry, 41, resigned Sept. 1 to go back to college to get his master’s degree in education through Montana State University-Billings, he said. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame.

He’s currently living with his girlfriend in Syracuse, New York, as she pursues her graduate studies there, as he can do his studies remotely.

When he gets his degree, he said his plan is to come back to Montana and hopefully teach history and government in high school, he said. He said that should take about a year and a half.

Perry’s tenure in the state Legislature was often marked by his willingness to work across the aisle with Republicans. It also reflected the slightly more liberal leanings of the city of Columbia Falls compared to the rest of the county.

He said the Flathead County Democratic Committee has 45 days to nominate a list of candidates to replace him and then they forward it to the Flathead County commissioners, who ultimately chose a Democrat from the list.

That person would then be up for election in 2020, if they chose to run.