Derek Skees of Whitefish plans to run for the District 5 seat on the Montana Public Service Commission.

Commission Chairman Bill Gallagher, 54, who is being treated for pancreatic cancer, announced Tuesday he would not seek re-election in 2015

Skees, 45, a Republican and former state representative, said he has received Gallagher’s endorsement for the four-year term.

On the Democratic side, Rep. Galen Hollenbaugh, D-Helena, said he also is running in District 5, which encompasses six counties and includes Kalispell, Polson, Helena and the Rocky Mountain Front.

Perennial Republican candidate and former Montana Secretary of State Brad Johnson of East Helena also said Thursday he will take a look at the PSC race — although his political “Plan A” has been to run for the state’s open congressional seat.

Skees, a contractor, fell short in the statewide race for state auditor in 2011, losing to Democratic State Auditor Monica Lindeen. Skees represented Whitefish for one term in the Montana House of Representatives.

“When I was a house rep I dealt with a lot of things the PSC dealt with,” Skees said. “I’ve always wanted to protect the consumer and taxpayer in Montana, and this is a way for me to do that.”

The five-member Public Service Commission regulates private investor-owned electric, gas, telephone and water utilities in the state.

Skees said energy interests are an obvious concern for Montana’s economy, and as a commissioner he would look to emulate what he sees as the more laissez-faire approach North Dakota takes.

“The burden they place on taxpayers there is minimal compared to the burden on taxpayers in Montana,” he said. “Energy is critical to the future of Montana.”

Skees described himself as a conservationist and not an environmentalist (the difference being, he said, that environmentalists will say no first and conservationists will weigh the options). He said he is a friend of Gallagher and would seek the current chairman’s guidance should he win.

“Skees was out in front and on point on a lot of energy issues when I worked with him,” Gallagher said. “He is very energy-oriented.”

Skees said he has been talking to Gallagher about the race for several months and wouldn’t have run unless Gallagher chose not to.

Gallagher swept into office in 2010 with a huge margin of victory and has said the Flathead Valley seems to dominate the District 5 race.

“He’s one of the best speakers in our party,” Skees said of Gallagher. “These are very difficult shoes to fill. It’s like a 1,600-meter race. He is finishing the first lap, and I want to take the baton for the next one.”

Skees said he wants to diminish the role of government in regulations while maintaining a healthy environment.

Mike Dennison of the Montana Standard contributed to this story.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.