Eight-term Montana congressman Ron Marlenee dies

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Former Montana Republican congressman Ron Marlenee has died.

He was 84.

A funeral home notice says he died Sunday.

Marlenee was a farmer and rancher from Scobey before he entered politics.

He served eight terms representing eastern Montana in Congress from 1977 to 1993.

When the 1990 census eliminated one of Montana's two House seats, Marlenee lost the new, statewide district to the longtime western-district representative, Democrat Pat Williams.

Marlenee became a lobbyist, representing clients that included Safari Club International, and stayed involved in Republican politics.

He was Montana's longest-serving Republican congressman.