Montana state Rep. Derek Skees confirmed Sept. 14 his plans to enter the race for Montana state auditor in 2012. Skees, a Republican, was elected in 2010 to represent Whitefish’s House District 4 at the state legislative session.

Skees told the Pilot the top reason he is running for state auditor is to resist President Obama’s healthcare reform plan.

“I think the auditor’s job is to be an advocate for the consumer and to protect us from fraud, both private and public,” he said. “The current auditor is not protecting us from Obamacare.”

The incumbent state auditor is Democrat Monica Lindeen.

“I want to give people another option.”

Entering the state auditor race means Skees won’t be eligible for re-election in Whitefish’s HD4. However, he said he would have enjoyed the opportunity to run against potential HD4 candidate Democrat Tom Muri.

“I would have loved to race against him,” Skees said, “but I’m compelled to go in a different way.”

Skees introduced HB 382, the Montana Nullification Reaffirmation Act, during the recent legislative session. The failed bill would have given Montana the right to nullify any federal order considered unconstitutional by the sate.

He also introduced House Joint Resolution 20 which attempted to declare unconstitutional Obama’s health care reform plan. The bill failed on the House floor.