Christine Kaufmann (Montana)

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Christine Kaufmann (born Christmas Day, 1951) is an American politician from Montana. A member of the Montana Senate since January 2007, she previously served three terms in the Montana House of Representatives. She represents the 41st senate district, based in Helena.

Raised on a small family farm with 11 siblings, Kaufmann earned a Bachelor's degree from Goshen College and a Master's degree from the University of Montana.

A Democrat, she was first elected to the State House of Representatives in 2000 from the state's 53rd district in Helena, winning a four-way primary election with 49% of the vote. She then went on to win the general election (in a district considered safe Democratic) by more than two-to-one. She was re-elected in 2002 before the district was renumbered the 81st in time for the 2004 elections. She was re-elected with little opposition in 2004 and 2006.

In November 2006, Senator Ken Toole, halfway through his second term representing the 41st senate district, was elected to the Public Service Commission causing him to resign his senate seat. The following month, Kaufmann, who was about to enter her fourth and final term in the House (the result of term limits), was chosen by the county commissioners of Lewis and Clark County to replace him in the senate. She will not be termed out until 2016.

A lesbian, she is the first ever openly gay Montana state senator. Her election campaigns have won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

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Preceded by David Ewer	Member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 53rd District January 2001–January 2005	Succeeded by Elsie Arntzen
Preceded by Rick Maedje	Member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 81st District January 2005–January 2007	Succeeded by Galen Hollenbaugh
Preceded by Ken Toole	Member of the Montana Senate from the 41st District January 2007–present	Succeeded by Incumbent