State Rep. Bill Beck, R-Whitefish, has announced that he will be a candidate to succeed state Sen. Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish.

Zinke is a candidate for lieutenant governor on Rebublican candidate Neil Livingstone’s ticket and cannot seek re-election for his Senate District 2 seat.

“I do wish them success,” Beck said of Zinke and Livingstone.

As the representative for House District 6 for three terms, Beck does not yet face a term limit but now is inclined to seek a Senate seat.

“If elected I will continue to exercise conservative fiscal restraints when it comes to spending and expanding the role of government,” he states in a press release.

“Small businesses are struggling to operate by reducing staff and meeting the bureaucratic red tape and regulation. The Legislature must proved the necessary solutions for the business community to create meaningful jobs and expansion.”

Beck said affordable health care, fair and equitable property taxes, and natural resource development should be priorities for the next Legislature.

“We must have strong leadership in Helena and I feel I can meet the challenge,” he said.