× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

State Rep. Tom Winter, a Democrat from Missoula, is running for Montana's sole seat in the U.S. House in 2020.

The seat is held by U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, a Republican who is expected to announce a 2020 bid for governor.

Winter, 32, is the first to announce for the U.S. House seat. In 2018 Gianforte beat Democrat Kathleen Williams, a former state lawmaker, with 51 percent of the vote to Williams' 46 percent.

Winter, from Missoula, is serving his first term in the state Legislature. He beat an incumbent Republican to get the seat in 2018.

He owns Interim Healthcare of Western Montana, an in-home care service provider. Winter said Monday his personal experiences with accessing health care in a rural state like Montana are driving his run for Congress.

“I have a pre-existing condition. I have a sister, she’s had a life-threatening chronic condition her whole life,” Winter said. “It just gives you a certain perspective.”

As he knocked on doors in his legislative race, Winter said he heard from people over and over about concerns with health care. But he wants to make the jump from state politics to the federal level because he feels like there's not a rural voice at the table in the health care debate.