Shelley Vance
Profile
Shelley Vance is an American politician serving as a member of the Montana Senate for the 34th district since 2022. A member of the Republican Party, she gained national attention in 2025 as part of a moderate coalition of nine Republican senators who worked with Democrats during the 69th Montana Legislature, a group dubbed the "nasty nine" by their opponents. Despite being censured by the state party for this legislative cooperation, Vance maintains a conservative political identity, emphasizing her support for policies such as restricting abortion, regulating transgender bathroom access, and promoting the display of the Ten Commandments in schools. She characterizes her legislative strategy as a pragmatic approach to governance rather than an ideological departure from conservative principles.
