Montana Lt. Gov. to Replace Sen. Max Baucus

As Baucus becomes ambassador to China

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said Friday he has appointed Lt. Gov. John Walsh to serve out the term of Democratic U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, who will be leaving the seat to become the next ambassador to China.

Walsh, 53, is a Butte native who spent 33 years in the Montana National Guard, rising to adjutant general in 2008. In 2012, the Democrat resigned from that post to run on the bottom half of the Bullock ticket.

"I wanted to appoint someone who I believed would represent the values Montanans hold important," said Bullock, a Democrat, in announcing his decision.