Diane Sands

Diane Sands (born March 23, 1947) is an American politician from Montana. As a Democrat, she serves in the Montana State Senate, representing the 49th senate district in Missoula, Montana.

Diane Sands
Member of the Montana Senate
from the 49th district
Assumed office
January 2015
Preceded byDavid Wanzenried
Member of the Montana House of Representatives
from the 95th district
In office
January 2007 – January 2015
Preceded byTom Facey
Succeeded byNancy Wilson
Member of the Montana House of Representatives
from the 66th district
In office
January 1997 – January 1999
Preceded byMike Kadas
Personal details
Born (1947-03-23) March 23, 1947
St. Ignatius, Montana
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Ann Mary Dussault
ResidenceMissoula, Montana

Biography

Born in St. Ignatius, Montana, Sands obtained a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Montana[1] before doing graduate work at George Washington University in Washington, D.C..

Sands began her career in the Montana State Legislature in 1996, when she was appointed as the Democratic nominee for the House of Representatives in the 66th district. The previous nominee, incumbent Rep. Mike Kadas, had just been appointed Mayor of Missoula following the resignation of Daniel Kemmis. She was elected, without opposition, in November 1996 and took office in January 1997. She did not run for re-election in 1998 when her job forced her to move to Oregon. She wasn't away long, though; returning to Montana in December 1999.

In 2006, when Rep. Tom Facey (D–Missoula) was termed out after eight years in the House, Sands ran to succeed him in the renumbered 95th district. She faced no primary opposition and defeated her Republican opponent by 60% to 40%.[2] Re-elected in 2008 and 2010, she will be termed out of the House in 2012.[3]

Sands was elected to the senate in 2014, succeeding the term-limited David Wanzenried (D–Missoula). In the 2014 general election, she prevailed over the Republican candidate, former Rep. Dick Haines, by just 33 votes (50.2% to 49.8%). She ran for re-election in 2018, defeating Republican candidate Chase Reynolds by 343 votes (51.6% to 48.4%).[4] Her term ends in January 2023, at which point she will be term limited from the senate, although able to run for the house.[5]

A lesbian, she was the first ever openly gay member of the Montana Legislature. She now serves alongside two other LGBT legislators, Sen. Christine Kaufmann (D–Helena) and Rep. Bryce Bennett (D–Missoula).[6] Her 1996 campaign won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.[7]

Her partner, Ann Mary Dussault, also once served in the Montana legislature. Taking office in 1975, she served four terms and was the first female majority leader in the nation. She would go on to serve on the Missoula County Commission. She was not openly gay at the time.[8]

References
  1. Guide to the Diane Sands Papers at the University of Montana
  2. 2006 Legislative Races General Canvass - November 7th (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on June 29, 2007, retrieved 2007-08-29.
  3. Montana Secretary of State: Term Limits, archived from the original on 2016-12-13, retrieved 2010-12-07
  4. "Ballotpedia: Diane Sands". Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  5. "Term Limits - Montana Secretary of State". Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  6. Openly LGBT Appointed and Elected Officials, archived from the original on 2007-07-08, retrieved 2007-08-29.
  7. Record Number of Victory Fund Candidates Triumph, 1996-11-06, retrieved 2007-08-29.
  8. Missoula County official to leave after 30 years, Missoulian, 2008-03-19, retrieved 2008-03-20.
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