Raph Graybill

Raphael Jeffrey Carlisle "Raph" Graybill (born February 20, 1989) Graybill was a candidate for attorney general of Montana in the 2020 general election, losing to Republican nominee Austin Knudsen. As running mate to Ryan Busse, Graybill ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in Montana's 2024 gubernatorial election.

Early life and education Graybill is a fifth-generation native of Montana. He was born and raised in Great Falls and graduated from Great Falls High School. In 2010, Graybill earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Columbia University. He then studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he earned a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in political theory in 2012. Graybill received a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2015.

Graybill served as an auxiliary police officer with the New York City Police Department for four years while studying at Columbia University.

After graduating from Yale Law School in 2015, Graybill served as the law clerk to Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in Billings, Montana. He then worked in private practice for the firm Susman Godfrey LLP, representing small businesses harmed by unfair business practices. and set precedents in easements and public land access, veto powers, and election laws including mail in ballots and dark money disclosure requirements. Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (U.S. Supreme Court) Janus v. AFSCME (U.S. Supreme Court) Bullock v. Internal Revenue Service (U.S. District Court) Bullock v. Fox (Montana Supreme Court) Montana Smoke Free Association v. Bullock (Montana District Court) Bullock v. Stapleton (Montana District Court)

COVID-19 response As chief legal counsel, Graybill helped design Montana’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Montana. Graybill participated in drafting the governor’s executive orders, including No. 2-2020, that shaped new rules in the state designed to limit the spread of the virus. He also coordinated investigations and enforcement through the Montana Department of Health and Human Services.

Graybill was also charged with defending Montana's mail-in ballots for the November 3, 2020 election as part of the state's COVID-19 measures to protect voter and election worker safety during the pandemic. President Donald Trump's campaign brought a lawsuit against Montana Governor Bullock's mail-in ballot directive. Governor Bullock's directive allowed Montana counties to conduct elections using mail-in ballots if counties determined that in-person polling stations posed a significant public health risk. Graybill won the case for Montana in the U.S. District Court, and, when the Trump Campaign attempted to contest the decision in a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Supreme court sided with Graybill and the State of Montana, which allowed counties to proceed with their plans to send out mail-in ballots. Graybill won the June 2, 2020 Democratic primary, defeating state representative Kimberly Dudik. On November 3, 2020, Graybill lost the general election to Republican Austin Knudsen by 17 points.

2024 Montana lieutenant governor campaign On February 19, 2024 Democratic candidate for Montana governor Ryan Busse announced that Graybill would be his running mate for the upcoming gubernatorial election in 2024. They have one daughter, Genevieve.