Courtenay Sprunger, a public relations specialist from Kalispell, announced Monday she will run as a Republican for the Montana House position currently held by Rep. Frank Garner.

Garner, also a Republican and a former Kalispell police chief, will finish his term representing House District 7 at the end of next year. He can't run for the position again due to term limits.

Sprunger is the first candidate to announce a run for the position in the 2022 election cycle.

A fifth-generation Flathead Valley resident, she is the founder and CEO of Big Sky Public Relations, which has represented transportation and infrastructure projects in Montana, Idaho and Washington. She also serves as chairwoman of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, and as a board member of Glacier Bank. She previously served on the board of the Conrad Mansion.

Sprunger's campaign announcement said she "has held a front-row seat to the area's growth" and, if elected, would focus on "infrastructure, education and empowering Montana's businesses to create workforce solutions."

"Now is the time to act," she said. "We have an opportunity to shape our community's growth into something that yields opportunities for our friends and neighbors."

Assistant editor Chad Sokol may be reached at 406-758-4439 or [email protected].