Bob Brown (born December 11, 1947) is an American politician who was the Secretary of State for Montana and the Republican nominee for Governor of Montana in 2004. As a young man, Brown was elected to Montana Legislature. Brown spent four years in the State House (1970–1974) and 23 in the Senate (1975–1997), serving as president from 1995-96. His political mentors include Jean Turnage, who spent 20 years in the Senate and subsequently 15 as chief justice of the Supreme Court before retiring in 1991.