HELENA -- Quiet diplomacy isn't exactly House Majority Leader Michael Lange's style. The Billings legislator prefers fiery words and bold actions to the delicate behind-the-scenes negotiations.

As his party's point man in the narrowly split House, Lange doesn't pussyfoot around.

With his occasional verbal outbursts and his combative style, Lange, who played football at Rocky Mountain College, can be about as subtle as a forearm to the face.

''You know what he thinks," said House Speaker Scott Sales, R-Bozeman. "He doesn't tend to leave much to the imagination."

But Sales also called Lange "one of the best political minds I've run across in terms of strategy and tactics."

Lange's Democratic counterpart, House Minority Leader John Parker, D-Great Falls, said, "He and I have worked together many times, and despite philosophical differences, we insist on respect for one another."

As a public speaker, Lange "knows how to capture people's interest," Parker said.

Lange, 46, isn't afraid to wear his feelings on his sleeve.

"Every once in a while, I show a bit of passion," Lange told a committee earlier this month, in an understatement. "I really don't care if people get offended by my passion."

In leadership role, Lange not only is sponsoring many of the GOP's most important bills, but he's been a chief critic of Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

Lange also is seriously looking at running for a statewide political office next year. Among the possibilities are challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Max Baucus or Schweitzer.

"I wouldn't rule out anything," Lange. "My focus is to get through this session first."

Lange is often a man of contradictions.

A pipe-fitter by trade, Lange is one of the few Republican lawmakers to hold a union card. For all his macho bluster, Lange is a serious student of politics who aspires to write a book about the history of the Montana Legislature.

Lange, then a union leader, launched his political career as a Democrat more than a decade ago. He lost a 1996 bid to unseat veteran Sen. Bruce Crippen, R-Billings.

While the two opponents were knocking on doors in the same neighborhood, Crippen invited Lange to grab a cup of coffee.

"It turned out, he was a pretty interesting guy to talk to," Crippen recalled. "His values were more prone to the Republican side. I said, 'Why are you running as a Democratic union guy? Look, I know a lot of union guys who are Republican. I was a member of the Laborers Union for years.' "

Crippen said he saw "a lot of promise" in Lange, who had "street smarts" and a keen interest in issues.

Lange had felt unwelcome among some Yellowstone County Democratic legislators because of his opposition to abortion and support for developing Montana's coal. Lange spent four years working on the Colstrip 3 and 4 power plants and now works for a contractor at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Billings.

Lange eventually made the leap to the GOP, losing his first race in 2000 before winning a House seat in 2002. Two more victories followed.

Last March, Lange and other Republican legislators unveiled their "Handshake with Montana," their platform of issues they campaigned on.

Lange is sponsoring some of the key "Handshake" bills. One would lower property taxes for Montana individuals and businesses, and another would give a tax credits to families buying health insurance. Another bill would cut tuition for college students.

Democrats complained that Lange's property-tax bill would give far bigger tax breaks in dollars to oil companies, railroads and utilities than to homeowners.

Lange replied that it doesn't offend him to see these companies get tax breaks because they provide plenty of good-paying jobs "for working people like me."

Another bill would speed up the development of energy projects by streamlining permitting and make it harder to file legal appeals.

Anne Hedges of the Montana Environmental Information Center denounced the bill as "the most outrageous of the session." But Cary Hegreberg of the Montana Contractors Association said it would to send a message that Montana is "truly open for energy development in this state."

Looking ahead, Lange said the split nature of this Legislature is going to force the House and Senate and governor to compromise.

"Each side recognizes that the likely result will be cooperation at the end, but neither side is going to necessarily go out of the way to help the other side," Lange said.

Yet Lange sounded this warning in a recent committee meeting:

"I have said this publicly since Day One. I will work with the Senate. I will work with the House Democrats. I will work with the governor. I will work with -- I will not be worked over."

House Majority Leader Michael Lange

Political party: Republican

Age: 46

Birthdate and place: June 15, 1960, in Billings

Home: Billings

Occupation: Journeyman pipe-fitter.

Family: Wife, Debbie, and four children, Todd, 21; James, 20; Samantha, 16; and Ariel, 15.

Education: Graduated from Billings West High School. Attended Rocky Mountain College and Montana State University-Billings for two years. Completed pipe-fitter apprenticeship.

Military: None.

Political experience: Served as Republican floor leader in 2005. Elected to Montana House in 2002, 2004 and 2006. Lost a race for the House in 2000. Running as a Democrat, Lange lost a race for the Montana Senate in 1996.

In his own words ...

On Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer:

n "I want to kick it right in the governor's face with this bill."

-- April 2005, referring Schweitzer's alternative energy bill

n Schweitzer is "an embarrassment to the people of Montana. Quote me on that."

-- March 2005, during the legislative session

n "I've always found (Schweitzer) to be personable; the guy's got a lot of energy."

-- January 2006

On lawsuits filed to block energy development in Montana:

"Those lawsuits have been coming and coming and coming, simply because someone doesn't like a powerhouse. Well, that's not good enough. This is America. In America you don't have the right just to stand up and say, 'Gee, I don't like your property, therefore I'm going to sue you to block you from using it or developing it or anything else just because I don't like it. That's the way they do it in Russia, China, North Korea. The state determines what you like or don't like. But in this country we have property rights. We have the right to develop jobs for blue-collar guys like me.

"The people I work with need jobs. I'm sick and tired of not having jobs in Montana. I'm sick and tired of people that are paid to stand up here and go to court and obstruct facilities just because they don't like it. You know what? I don't like them. That's why I'm bringing this bill. Because I've had enough of it. And I'm serious and it's not a joke and it's not a laughing matter, and it's not a laughing matter with the people of this state. They're on my side. They want jobs.

--Testifying Jan. 31 on his bill intended to clear the way for energy projects