Denise Juneau Decides Not to Run for a U.S. House or Senate Seat in 2014

One of the last available major Democrat contenders for Max Baucus' U.S. Senate seat has decided not to run in 2014.

On Monday, August 5, Montana State Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau announced via Facebook, that she would not be running for a U.S. House or Senate position.

Juneau is the just the latest major Democrat to back away from a 2014 race. In declaring not to run, Juneau joins other names with statewide recognition like Stephanie Schriock, Monica Lindeen and, of course, former Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, who have all decided not to run in the wide open race.

Juneau's decision not to run will likely be a bit of a shock to many who considered her the next most likely Democratic candidate, after Schweitzer, to be able to win.

Below is the text from Juneau's Facebook post as it appeared on August 5 -

It is not very often that you are presented with an opportunity to change what Congressional representation looks like in our state. It is the kind of opportunity that warrants serious consideration.

After much deliberation, I have decided not to seek the U.S. House or Senate seats in 2014. I sincerely appreciate the outpouring of support and encouragement I have received from people all across Montana and the country. It has been very humbling to be considered for such a leadership role representing our great state; however, my decision not to run for Congress is the right one for me at this time.

I love serving as the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the state of Montana and am proud of the progress I have made over the last four years.

We have decreased the dropout rate through my Graduation Matters Montana initiative, helped every high school junior have access to the ACT for free, raised our standards in English and Math, raised expectations in our lowest-performing schools, and protected our public education system from being privatized.

There is still much I want to accomplish during my term to ensure every child is offered a quality public education in our state.

I want to thank all of the loyal members of Team Juneau. My choice not to run this election cycle does not mean I am done with public service. Don’t get rid of your Team Juneau t-shirt just yet. There is more to come …