United States House of Representatives election in Montana, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9[2]
- Early voting: Oct. 9 - Nov. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: No
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID required
- Poll times: Polling places open between 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.
2020 →
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| Montana's At-Large Congressional District |
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| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 12, 2018 |
| Primary: June 5, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Greg Gianforte (Republican) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Montana |
| Race ratings |
Inside Elections: Likely Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate • At-large Montana elections, 2018 U.S. Congress elections, 2018 U.S. Senate elections, 2018 U.S. House elections, 2018 |
Incumbent Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) defeated former state Rep. Kathleen Williams (D) and attorney Elinor Swanson (L) in the general election for Montana's At-Large Congressional District on November 6, 2018.
All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. The Democratic Party gained a net total of 40 seats, winning control of the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Heading into the election, the Republican Party was in the majority holding 235 seats to Democrats' 193 seats, with seven vacant seats. Democrats needed to win 23 GOP-held seats in 2018 to win control of the House. From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.
Gianforte was first elected in a 2017 special election to fill the seat left vacant by Ryan Zinke (R). He won by a margin of 6 points. Although Montana's At-Large District seat had been held by a Republican continuously from 1997, that race garnered significant national attention and fundraising, including more than $7 million in satellite spending.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee again identified this district as a target in 2018.[3]
Montana has a single at-large congressional district, which makes up the entire state.
For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
For more information about the Republican primary, click here.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for U.S. House Montana At-large District
Incumbent Greg Gianforte defeated Kathleen Williams and Elinor Swanson in the general election for U.S. House Montana At-large District on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Greg Gianforte (R) | 50.9 | 256,661 | |
| Kathleen Williams (D) | 46.2 | 233,284 | ||
| Elinor Swanson (L) | 2.9 | 14,476 | ||
| Total votes: 504,421 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Doug Campbell (G)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kathleen Williams | 33.5 | 37,513 | |
| John Heenan | 31.7 | 35,480 | ||
| Grant Kier | 24.2 | 27,025 | ||
| Lynda Moss | 5.1 | 5,667 | ||
| John Meyer | 3.3 | 3,740 | ||
| Jared Pettinato | 2.2 | 2,472 | ||
| Total votes: 111,897 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District
Incumbent Greg Gianforte advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Greg Gianforte | 100.0 | 136,372 | |
| Total votes: 136,372 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Drew Turiano (R)
Candidate profiles
Party: Democratic
Incumbent: No
Political office: Montana House of Representatives (2011-2017)
Biography: Williams graduated with a B.S. in resource economics from U.C. Berkeley and an M.S. in recreation resources from Colorado State University. She served as the associate director of the Western Landowners Alliance and as a facilitation and water planning contractor on several projects in the state. She was first elected to the Montana House of Representatives in 2010.[4]
- Williams pointed to acting as a caregiver to her mother after her diagnosis with Alzheimer's and her husband's death in 2016 as part of her motivation to run for Congress and make healthcare accessible.[4][5][6]
- Williams said she wanted to address dysfunction in Washington, D.C., starting with backing another Democrat over House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for House leadership.[7]
Party: Republican
Incumbent: Yes
Political office: U.S. House, Montana's At-Large Congressional District (assumed office: 2017)
Biography: Gianforte received his B.S. and M.S. from Stevens Institute of Technology. He founded RightNow Technologies in Bozeman, Montana, growing it to become the town’s largest commercial employer in 2018. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election in 2017.[8][9]
- Gianforte highlighted his business experience founding five companies and creating the Better Montana Jobs project to promote economic growth in the state.[8]
- Gianforte emphasized his commitment to "Montana values."[10] He characterized Williams as being too liberal to properly represent Montanans on immigration policy and national security.[11]
Party: Libertarian
Incumbent: No
Political office: None
Biography: Swanson graduated from Pomona College and Lewis & Clark Law School. She worked as a legal extern before becoming a medical malpractice and personal injury attorney.[12][13]
- Swanson called herself the "only alternative" to typical politics. She said in an interview, "Either you have two candidates who will not uphold the Constitution, or you have a candidate like me, that is actually committed to upholding individual liberties and the Constitution."[14]
- Swanson identified addressing the federal deficit as her main focus. She also said she supported a non-interventionist foreign policy and fewer regulations on business.[14]
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
| Montana's At-large Congressional District election, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Poll | Poll sponsor | Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size | |||||||||||||||
| University of Montana Big Sky Poll October 10-18, 2018 | N/A | 46% | 45% | 9% | +/-4.3 | 607 | |||||||||||||
| Montana State University Billings October 8-13, 2018 | N/A | 41% | 44% | 16% | +/-4.5 | 471 | |||||||||||||
| Gravis Marketing June 11-13, 2018 | N/A | 49% | 43% | 8% | +/-4.5 | 469 | |||||||||||||
| AVERAGES | 45.33% | 44% | 11% | +/-4.43 | 515.67 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Campaign finance
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Gianforte | Republican Party | $9,831,182 | $9,800,102 | $31,080 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Kathleen Williams | Democratic Party | $4,160,972 | $4,124,015 | $36,957 | As of December 31, 2018 |
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Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
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Satellite spending
Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[15][16][17]
This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.
Race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
| Race ratings: Montana's At-large Congressional District election, 2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| October 30, 2018 | October 23, 2018 | October 16, 2018 | October 9, 2018 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Likely Republican | Likely Republican | Likely Republican | Likely Republican | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | Lean Republican | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season. | |||||||||
District analysis
- See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
- See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores
The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+11, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 11 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Montana's at-large district the 127th-most Republican district nationally.[18]
FiveThirtyEight's elasticity score for states and congressional districts measures "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." Heading into the election, this district's elasticity score was 1.06. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moves toward a party, the district is expected to move 1.06 points toward that party.[19]
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
Campaign advertisements
This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.
Kathleen Williams
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Greg Gianforte
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Campaign themes
These were the policy positions listed on the top candidates' websites in September 2018.
Kathleen Williams
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AFFORDABLE, QUALITY HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE Healthcare is personal for Kathleen. When she was eleven years old, her mother Marie started to lose her memory. When Marie got lost driving, Kathleen rode her bike out to find her and help her get home. Marie was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. Kathleen and her father were her caregivers for the next seven years. Kathleen personally knows what a healthcare crisis can do to a family. Fixing our broken healthcare system is her top priority. The ACA individual market is absolutely broken. Montanans are paying tens of thousands of dollars in premiums and deductibles before they even receive any service. That’s bankruptcy potential for Montana families. Kathleen is the only candidate for Congress with a detailed, achievable plan to immediately reduce costs for Montanans. Her plan will stabilize the individual market and move to truly universal coverage. She will fight for the following:
In the Montana Legislature Kathleen had success on difficult healthcare issues. She crafted a law requiring insurers to make life-saving cancer treatment affordable. It took four years, it was tough, but it saved lives. That’s toughness and experience that money can’t buy. Only Kathleen can bring that record to Congress and fix our broken healthcare system. A FAIR TAX CODE Kathleen understands that tax policy must be progressive and address the increasing income disparity in Montana and across the country. In the Montana Legislature, Kathleen served as Vice Chair of the House Taxation Committee. She was one of the first legislators to discuss income inequality and its implications for the state tax code. She laid the groundwork for the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which provides supplemental income for 80,000 low-income Montana families. Federal tax policy is moving in the wrong direction, starting with the disastrous tax bill Representative Greg Gianforte championed. The process was completely broken: no public hearings, handwritten amendments, and representatives voting without having read the bill. The outcomes are even worse. Gianforte and his allies ballooned the federal deficit by over $1.8 trillion to pay for a tax cut for corporate shareholders and wealthy special interests, and provided little benefit to everyday Montanans. In Congress, Kathleen will:
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS Kathleen believes both access to affordable contraception and proper education on its use should be protected and expanded. Schools should teach scientifically based sex education. She believes we must further support women and families by supporting affordable daycare, healthcare, and programs to reduce poverty and domestic violence. Kathleen proudly supports a woman’s right to choose. She opposes the ridiculous war on Planned Parenthood. Early in Kathleen’s career Planned Parenthood was her primary health provider. In Congress, she will fight any bill that tries to restrict access to a woman’s constitutional right to abortion or make the process burdensome. Kathleen’s stances on this issue are rooted in fundamental truths that should be bipartisan. First, the best way to prevent unplanned pregnancy is through science-based education, family planning, and access to birth control. Second, this fight is not solely about reproductive rights, but about the position of women in society and their ability to make their own decisions. EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK Kathleen supports equal pay for equal work. In Montana, a woman makes 73 cents on the dollar for the same work as a man, the fourth worst ratio in the nation. This problem is particularly acute in farming, fishing, and forestry -- industries that are crucial to the economic fabric of Montana and ones that are close to Kathleen’s heart as a sportswoman and conservationist. The foundation for federally mandated equal pay exists, but it must be improved upon. While the Equal Pay Act of 1963 lays out the principle that people must be paid the same amount for the same work, federal courts have interpreted “equal work” so narrowly that an equal pay case can only be won if a man and woman have almost the exact same job. This is a situation where Congress must step in and modify the statute to clarify and make the requirements workable. Equal pay challenges will not be successful as long as women fear retaliation for coming forward. Congress should protect women who demand equal pay from retribution by their employers. Ultimately, equal pay is both a basic fairness issue and a family issue. Single mothers and women who are the primary earners in a household suffer most when they are treated unfairly, especially in part-time or minimum wage jobs. Kathleen strongly supports a living wage which will lift up hard working women and ensure that they can provide for their families. Kathleen will fervently fight for these issues because she has experienced the injustice of inequality that women face. PROTECTING MONTANA’S NATURAL HERITAGE Kathleen has loved the outdoors since she was a small child. It’s her sanctuary, where she gets her renewal. Throughout her 35-year career in outdoor recreation and natural resources, Kathleen has brokered win-win solutions to thorny issues across a variety of landscapes, stakeholder interests, and issues. During her legislative service, she stood up to nefarious proposals that would have weakened our environmental protections and transferred public lands. As a former employee of public land agencies, she knows how they work and can operate in a creative, bipartisan way to protection their ability to achieve their missions. Specific proposals include:
Kathleen is the only candidate with extensive policy experience in public lands and natural resources. She was a strong conservation voice on the House Natural Resources Committee and the Montana Environmental Quality Council. She vice-chaired the Water Policy Interim Committee. She also served for years on the Board of the Greater Gallatin Watershed Council and DEQ’s Water Pollution Control Advisory Council. She will hit the ground running in DC to reinstate and protect crucial environmental protections that have been rolled back or threatened by this Administration. ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE Montana’s new reality is hotter, drier, longer summers, earlier runoff, and more intense wildfire seasons. We are also experiencing aggravated forest health issues and longer and more intense fire seasons. Last year’s historic wildfires burned nearly 1,000,000 acres in Montana, cost the state $53.7 million in direct expenditures and $300 million total. Two firefighters lost their lives. As an expert in water planning and policy, Kathleen has seen the effects of climate change first hand and has worked to address them. She has spent much of her career brokering win-win-win solutions for senior water right holders, irrigators, and Montana’s rivers. In Congress, Kathleen will:
Kathleen worked to advance alternative energy legislation and projects in the state Legislature. She is personally committed to moving away from fossil fuels, having installed solar panels on her home. She drives a plug-in hybrid. These personal choices matter, but national action is still needed. In Congress, Kathleen will consider any reasonable proposal that reduces our greenhouse gas emissions in an efficient, cost-effective way. CREATING HIGH-PAYING JOBS Kathleen was first elected to the Legislature during the Great Recession. She quickly built a reputation for defending Montana’s small businesses and creating jobs. Kathleen was honored by the Montana Chamber of Commerce for advancing creative business ideas that diversified Montana’s economy. She strongly values supporting farmers and ranchers who choose to stay on their land, and keeping their land productive. One of her biggest successes was passing Montana’s cottage food bill, which allowed the production and sale of certain products made in a home kitchen. This bill created hundreds of new businesses and thousands of new Montana products in just two years. To create and retain jobs, Kathleen will:
Advance renewable energy. The industry fosters many small businesses, well-paying jobs, and helps us advance the ability to combat climate change.
OPPORTUNITY THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION Kathleen is the proud product of public schools: K-12 and degrees from two land grant universities. When it comes to education, it’s simple: Kathleen will make sure that needed federal funds go to public schools. Public schools are the great equalizer in America; their resources should not be siphoned off to pay for private education. Public education in Montana and across America is also threatened by Betsy DeVos and her efforts to privatize education and remove student protections. In Congress, Kathleen will exercise her oversight authorities to fight for the following:
AGRICULTURE AND RURAL JOBS Montana deserves a member of Congress who will deal comprehensively with issues facing rural Montana. We need to support our farmers, ranchers, and our rural communities. Kathleen will oppose reckless trade wars that harm Montana’s agricultural economy. She will support free, fair, and consistent trade policies that open the world to Montana’s best-in-class products, and programs that advance value-added products and income diversification. In Congress, Kathleen will represent all of Montana. She will:
Kathleen has traveled from Superior to Ekalaka, listening to the hopes, struggles, and dreams of Montanans on their farms, on their ranches, and in their towns. In April, Kathleen launched her Montana Opportunity Tour, a 1,044-mile tour of Montana in her truck camper, where she spoke about fostering opportunity with Montanans in Anaconda, Choteau, Browning, Cut Bank, Havre, Rocky Boy, Malta, Glasgow, Wolf Point, Scobey, Plentywood, Sidney, Glendive, Miles City, and in communities and homes in between. She will continue continue to seek out and listen to Montanans across the state, during the campaign and in Congress. WORKING WITH, AND FOR, MONTANA'S TRIBES First and foremost, we must respect tribal sovereignty and ensure federal policy incorporates tribal interests. Too often, our government makes misguided policy on behalf of our Native communities without including them in the process. Montana’s reservations far too often lack opportunities available in other parts of the state. Kathleen will work with tribal representatives to address the intertwined issues of poverty, jobs, wages, and education on our reservations. She also understands that we must confront addiction, suicide, and domestic violence head on. While economic opportunity must be the starting point, these issues demand their own solutions. Kathleen has a detailed plan for Indian Country, developed alongside leaders on Montana's reservations and in our urban Indian communities. FIGHTING FOR LGBTQIA+ RIGHTS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION Government should never sanction discrimination. In Congress, Kathleen will stand with the LGBTQIA+ community in Montana and tirelessly fight discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Kathleen has a record of winning these fights. The day before Indiana adopted their "religious freedom" bill, an even worse version came up for a floor vote in the Montana House. The bill would have prohibited any state or local law or policy from “burdening” religious freedom without providing a compelling interest that it couldn’t be achieved any other way. It was sweeping, dangerous legislation. Kathleen was the last person to speak on the House floor that day, and she spoke vehemently against the bill. Her speech noted that “religion” wasn’t defined, except for a “sincerely held belief” and that limiting protections of fundamental rights under the guise of religious freedom would open the floodgates. Her colleagues knew Kathleen’s husband had recently spent time in Iraq. She argued that the world was at war with religious extremists, and that this bill would have fostered extremism at home in Montana. The bill then failed in a tie vote, despite being a 59-41 Republican House. Kathleen isn’t scared to call out discrimination and extremism. She uses arguments that work, and sways her colleagues across the aisle. That’s what we need in Washington to defend equal rights for everyone. To heal our nation, we need a member of Congress with policy chops, that both knows how to lay the groundwork for successful policy change, and how to craft it. Someone who truly represents you and seeks your best interest, not their own. Together, we can heal our nation and ensure Washington works for us not against us. FOSTERING A PEACEFUL WORLD Our national security is dependent on a stable, peaceful world. As the daughter of a WWII veteran and wife of a Vietnam-era veteran who went to Iraq as a civilian in 2009 to help rebuild their agricultural sector, Kathleen is deeply committed to advancing peace in the world. Kathleen believes Congress must reassert itself in foreign policy. With this Administration in the lead, we have an incoherent, unstable, and confusing approach to international affairs that is dangerous and has damaged America’s reputation across the world. We need Congress to fund and staff our diplomatic corps, take responsibility for effective roles in alliances and international institutions, and broadcast a consistent message to the world on where the United States stands on foreign policy and what can be expected of us. We need to minimize conflict where we can and not needlessly risk the lives and limbs of our service members. At a time when so many Montana families are already strained, peace is simply the most economically effective defense program we can have. PROTECTING SCHOOLS FROM GUN MASSACRES Kathleen has the courage to say enough is enough; it’s time to do something about the all-too-frequent massacres in our schools. On the campaign trail, Kathleen has talked to teachers, school staff, and students who are afraid to go to work or go to school because they don’t know if they’ll come back alive. One teacher got into an argument with a parent at a parent-teacher conference, and left school because she thought he might come back with a gun. Kathleen’s family has shotguns and rifles, but they never felt the need to own an AR-15. Military-style rifles need to be confined to controlled environments, like machine guns are today. We also must regulate bump stocks and ensure our background check system keeps guns out of the hands of people who should not own them. Kathleen supports the Second Amendment. She is a gun owner. But four courts have declined to extend Second Amendment protections to military-style weapons. These are firearms designed to kill and maim quickly and broadly, not hunting equipment or for self-defense. Guns factor into domestic violence deaths. Bozeman recently witnessed gruesome murders where former partners hunted women down and shot them in their homes. Federal law protecting women from such gun violence is arbitrarily limited. The law needs to be extended to include violence committed by dating partners. Individuals killed by current dating partners make up almost half of all spouse and partner homicides. Existing federal law should also apply to convicted stalkers and others subject to a protective order. Abused husbands, parents, and siblings must also be protected. In the Montana Legislature, Kathleen voted against bills that would have deregulated guns on college campuses and allowed people to carry guns in all bars, restaurants, and churches. In Congress, she will work with anyone to pass common sense reforms that keep our children safe from gun massacres.[20] |
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| —Williams for Montana[21] | ||
Greg Gianforte
| “ |
Putting Montana First Overregulation is strangling our economy and making it difficult for Montanans to thrive. Our coal and timber jobs have been hit particularly hard. I’ll work to rein in the job-killing regulations and end senseless Washington, D.C. policies that are harming Montana job creators. I’ll stop the terrible trade deals that have hurt our economy and send jobs to places like China. I’ll always stand up for American and Montana jobs. Montana Jobs I’ve spent my life in business creating high-paying Montana jobs. I started a company here twenty years ago that grew to employ over five hundred Montanans where the average pay was almost $90K per year. This success was the result of the Montana work ethic and strong leadership. Let’s get Washington out of the way so our economy can prosper, high-paying jobs can be created, and our Montana way of life can be protected. I’ll work to rein in the out-of-touch Washington, D.C. regulations that are holding back small businesses and killing jobs. I’ll fight to protect our coal and timber jobs. And I’ll work toward commonsense solutions that encourage job creation and help Montanans get back to work in the state that we all love so Montanans don’t have to leave our great state. Standing Up for Veterans Montana is home to thousands of brave men and women who have selflessly served our nation in the Armed Forces. Our veterans gave so much to defend our country, but too often, Washington, D.C. has failed them. As your Representative, I’ll protect the promises our country has made to our veterans. I’ll work to bring accountability to the VA and ensure that our veterans receive the benefits they have earned and deserve. Defending Our 2nd Amendment Rights The Second Amendment isn’t about hunting – it’s about our Montana way of life and our freedoms guaranteed to us in our Constitution. As a lifelong sportsman and life member of the NRA, I will always protect our Second Amendment rights. There is nothing confusing about “shall not be infringed.” You can count on me to stand up to the liberal special interests and defend Montanans’ Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Protecting Access to Public Lands Montana’s public lands are second to none. As an avid outdoorsman, Susan and I have raised our four kids in Montana hiking, fishing, hunting, climbing, rafting and skiing on Montana’s public lands. That’s why as your Representative, you can count on me to fight back against the liberal elites’ War on the West. I’ll defend our right to hunt, fish and recreate on public lands. I won’t let Washington bureaucrats lock us out. I’ll always protect our public lands because they should stay in public hands. Healthcare That Works for Montanans Big government mandates, costly regulations and double-digit hikes in healthcare costs– it’s clear that Obamacare isn’t working for Montanans. I’ll work to repeal Obamacare and replace it with real solutions that improve healthcare quality, reduce costs, and increase access for Montanans. It’s time for Montanans – not government bureaucrats – to be at the center of the healthcare equation. Protecting Montana Seniors I know how important Social Security and Medicare are to Montana seniors. That’s why I’ll fight hard to protect and secure these programs. I’ll stop the Washington politicians from cutting the retirement benefits Montana seniors earned. I will always fight hard for Montana seniors and protect Social Security and Medicare. Keeping America Safe The threats facing our country are too great to be ignored. That’s why I’ll fight every day for policies that defend our nation from those who wish to do us harm. We need to protect our border and deport criminals. We need to strengthen our military and destroy ISIS. As your Representative, I’ll always fight to keep our country safe. Drain the Swamp Washington, D.C. now has the highest median income in America. Washington insiders have rigged the system to cash-in at your expense. That’s why I want to help drain the swamp. I’ll lead the charge to bring accountability to Washington. I’ll support term limits and a ban to end members of Congress from becoming lobbyists. It’s time America and Montana come first. Stop the Reckless Spending and Balance the Budget For too long, Washington politicians’ reckless spending has been left unchecked. Our country is nearly $20 trillion in debt, and our kids and grandkids are left holding the bill. It’s time for Congress to pass a balanced budget, and stick to it – just like we do in Montana. I’ll hold the politicians accountable. If they can’t balance the budget, they shouldn’t get paid. No balanced budget, no paycheck.[20] |
” |
| —Greg for Montana[22] | ||
Social media
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Kathleen Williams
Greg Gianforte
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Three of 56 Montana counties—5.4 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
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| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Blaine County, Montana | 2.46% | 15.32% | 19.24% | ||||
| Hill County, Montana | 17.18% | 3.50% | 12.21% | ||||
| Roosevelt County, Montana | 6.49% | 15.58% | 26.27% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Montana with 56.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 35.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1892 and 2016, Montana voted Republican 65.6 percent of the time and Democratic 34.4 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Montana voted Republican all five times.[23]
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Montana. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[24][25]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 34 out of 100 state House districts in Montana with an average margin of victory of 17.6 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 28 out of 100 state House districts in Montana with an average margin of victory of 17.2 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 66 out of 100 state House districts in Montana with an average margin of victory of 28.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 72 out of 100 state House districts in Montana with an average margin of victory of 34.7 points. Trump won 14 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
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| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 31.49% | 65.40% | R+33.9 | 24.56% | 69.61% | R+45 | R |
| 2 | 26.19% | 70.62% | R+44.4 | 19.77% | 74.94% | R+55.2 | R |
| 3 | 35.65% | 60.43% | R+24.8 | 30.90% | 61.30% | R+30.4 | D |
| 4 | 24.98% | 72.60% | R+47.6 | 20.50% | 73.71% | R+53.2 | R |
| 5 | 49.18% | 47.36% | D+1.8 | 48.70% | 43.57% | D+5.1 | D |
| 6 | 29.95% | 67.81% | R+37.9 | 28.87% | 65.58% | R+36.7 | R |
| 7 | 40.61% | 55.52% | R+14.9 | 34.89% | 56.46% | R+21.6 | R |
| 8 | 28.89% | 68.40% | R+39.5 | 25.31% | 68.36% | R+43 | R |
| 9 | 27.76% | 69.09% | R+41.3 | 23.24% | 70.16% | R+46.9 | R |
| 10 | 28.59% | 69.10% | R+40.5 | 26.23% | 69.31% | R+43.1 | R |
| 11 | 25.25% | 72.18% | R+46.9 | 21.87% | 72.64% | R+50.8 | R |
| 12 | 42.13% | 55.16% | R+13 | 36.12% | 58.17% | R+22 | R |
| 13 | 26.14% | 70.71% | R+44.6 | 18.54% | 76.04% | R+57.5 | R |
| 14 | 32.60% | 63.22% | R+30.6 | 24.35% | 67.81% | R+43.5 | R |
| 15 | 58.01% | 39.28% | D+18.7 | 55.71% | 37.44% | D+18.3 | D |
| 16 | 71.07% | 26.84% | D+44.2 | 65.23% | 28.59% | D+36.6 | D |
| 17 | 30.65% | 66.42% | R+35.8 | 22.87% | 70.58% | R+47.7 | R |
| 18 | 29.49% | 66.80% | R+37.3 | 21.44% | 71.56% | R+50.1 | R |
| 19 | 34.08% | 63.36% | R+29.3 | 25.01% | 68.81% | R+43.8 | R |
| 20 | 36.11% | 62.06% | R+25.9 | 32.46% | 62.16% | R+29.7 | R |
| 21 | 46.91% | 50.23% | R+3.3 | 36.35% | 56.76% | R+20.4 | D |
| 22 | 47.47% | 48.93% | R+1.5 | 36.16% | 54.87% | R+18.7 | R |
| 23 | 49.89% | 47.11% | D+2.8 | 42.34% | 49.63% | R+7.3 | D |
| 24 | 47.86% | 49.59% | R+1.7 | 40.35% | 51.07% | R+10.7 | D |
| 25 | 50.16% | 46.46% | D+3.7 | 39.34% | 52.01% | R+12.7 | R |
| 26 | 47.24% | 49.05% | R+1.8 | 38.78% | 51.69% | R+12.9 | D |
| 27 | 31.45% | 65.37% | R+33.9 | 24.74% | 68.78% | R+44 | R |
| 28 | 48.35% | 47.62% | D+0.7 | 35.81% | 54.70% | R+18.9 | D |
| 29 | 27.54% | 69.57% | R+42 | 20.97% | 72.91% | R+51.9 | R |
| 30 | 26.49% | 70.76% | R+44.3 | 18.35% | 74.80% | R+56.5 | R |
| 31 | 62.74% | 35.08% | D+27.7 | 49.74% | 41.79% | D+7.9 | D |
| 32 | 62.84% | 35.17% | D+27.7 | 51.75% | 41.33% | D+10.4 | D |
| 33 | 31.92% | 64.62% | R+32.7 | 20.69% | 71.73% | R+51 | R |
| 34 | 30.36% | 66.63% | R+36.3 | 20.38% | 73.24% | R+52.9 | R |
| 35 | 21.57% | 75.57% | R+54 | 13.84% | 80.63% | R+66.8 | R |
| 36 | 26.51% | 69.46% | R+42.9 | 17.30% | 77.71% | R+60.4 | R |
| 37 | 17.49% | 79.95% | R+62.5 | 11.75% | 84.38% | R+72.6 | R |
| 38 | 37.31% | 59.77% | R+22.5 | 24.89% | 67.53% | R+42.6 | R |
| 39 | 27.29% | 69.23% | R+41.9 | 15.87% | 78.77% | R+62.9 | R |
| 40 | 22.65% | 73.92% | R+51.3 | 16.45% | 78.01% | R+61.6 | R |
| 41 | 54.68% | 43.62% | D+11.1 | 42.37% | 52.19% | R+9.8 | D |
| 42 | 58.60% | 39.41% | D+19.2 | 47.51% | 45.39% | D+2.1 | D |
| 43 | 35.34% | 61.61% | R+26.3 | 26.74% | 65.15% | R+38.4 | R |
| 44 | 37.95% | 59.42% | R+21.5 | 30.87% | 59.71% | R+28.8 | R |
| 45 | 33.16% | 64.67% | R+31.5 | 29.98% | 61.13% | R+31.2 | R |
| 46 | 35.28% | 63.06% | R+27.8 | 36.58% | 57.00% | R+20.4 | R |
| 47 | 48.01% | 48.86% | R+0.8 | 47.76% | 44.03% | D+3.7 | D |
| 48 | 46.60% | 50.72% | R+4.1 | 43.66% | 47.69% | R+4 | D |
| 49 | 51.94% | 43.75% | D+8.2 | 44.93% | 43.99% | D+0.9 | D |
| 50 | 46.96% | 49.13% | R+2.2 | 38.01% | 51.03% | R+13 | D |
| 51 | 43.83% | 53.14% | R+9.3 | 35.99% | 54.64% | R+18.6 | R |
| 52 | 45.95% | 50.47% | R+4.5 | 36.84% | 54.25% | R+17.4 | R |
| 53 | 26.88% | 71.64% | R+44.8 | 24.59% | 69.45% | R+44.9 | R |
| 54 | 34.72% | 63.36% | R+28.6 | 31.02% | 61.86% | R+30.8 | R |
| 55 | 38.15% | 58.52% | R+20.4 | 26.81% | 65.43% | R+38.6 | R |
| 56 | 36.68% | 60.59% | R+23.9 | 26.13% | 67.22% | R+41.1 | R |
| 57 | 26.02% | 71.51% | R+45.5 | 18.26% | 75.81% | R+57.5 | R |
| 58 | 36.71% | 60.43% | R+23.7 | 30.64% | 62.81% | R+32.2 | R |
| 59 | 31.67% | 65.41% | R+33.7 | 30.10% | 63.92% | R+33.8 | R |
| 60 | 49.22% | 47.75% | D+1.5 | 42.90% | 48.10% | R+5.2 | D |
| 61 | 52.13% | 45.30% | D+6.8 | 55.16% | 37.34% | D+17.8 | D |
| 62 | 57.33% | 39.68% | D+17.7 | 62.26% | 28.33% | D+33.9 | D |
| 63 | 55.23% | 40.35% | D+14.9 | 49.37% | 36.73% | D+12.6 | D |
| 64 | 40.23% | 56.95% | R+16.7 | 38.79% | 52.50% | R+13.7 | R |
| 65 | 51.99% | 44.48% | D+7.5 | 52.43% | 36.25% | D+16.2 | R |
| 66 | 59.07% | 37.20% | D+21.9 | 60.50% | 27.72% | D+32.8 | D |
| 67 | 36.06% | 60.39% | R+24.3 | 31.16% | 58.18% | R+27 | R |
| 68 | 29.86% | 66.53% | R+36.7 | 26.12% | 64.60% | R+38.5 | R |
| 69 | 27.48% | 69.83% | R+42.3 | 23.90% | 68.84% | R+44.9 | R |
| 70 | 29.72% | 67.70% | R+38 | 23.68% | 69.44% | R+45.8 | R |
| 71 | 30.43% | 67.06% | R+36.6 | 25.87% | 68.31% | R+42.4 | R |
| 72 | 30.12% | 66.71% | R+36.6 | 24.63% | 68.26% | R+43.6 | R |
| 73 | 67.29% | 29.51% | D+37.8 | 51.69% | 39.47% | D+12.2 | D |
| 74 | 67.84% | 28.48% | D+39.4 | 54.64% | 35.06% | D+19.6 | D |
| 75 | 36.01% | 61.13% | R+25.1 | 31.30% | 60.96% | R+29.7 | R |
| 76 | 62.60% | 35.45% | D+27.1 | 54.57% | 37.65% | D+16.9 | D |
| 77 | 54.71% | 41.78% | D+12.9 | 42.42% | 49.42% | R+7 | D |
| 78 | 49.90% | 46.76% | D+3.1 | 34.39% | 56.64% | R+22.3 | D |
| 79 | 52.38% | 45.20% | D+7.2 | 51.09% | 40.64% | D+10.5 | D |
| 80 | 29.81% | 67.67% | R+37.9 | 23.46% | 70.02% | R+46.6 | R |
| 81 | 53.84% | 43.72% | D+10.1 | 46.71% | 44.07% | D+2.6 | D |
| 82 | 50.97% | 46.39% | D+4.6 | 46.83% | 44.43% | D+2.4 | D |
| 83 | 51.40% | 45.43% | D+6 | 48.20% | 43.23% | D+5 | D |
| 84 | 47.66% | 49.40% | R+1.7 | 43.56% | 46.97% | R+3.4 | D |
| 85 | 28.10% | 69.34% | R+41.2 | 23.44% | 71.16% | R+47.7 | R |
| 86 | 38.39% | 58.67% | R+20.3 | 33.89% | 59.62% | R+25.7 | R |
| 87 | 28.26% | 68.87% | R+40.6 | 24.22% | 70.13% | R+45.9 | R |
| 88 | 36.82% | 60.50% | R+23.7 | 30.21% | 63.77% | R+33.6 | R |
| 89 | 55.35% | 42.16% | D+13.2 | 53.30% | 37.59% | D+15.7 | D |
| 90 | 62.36% | 35.39% | D+27 | 60.12% | 31.87% | D+28.3 | D |
| 91 | 74.07% | 23.34% | D+50.7 | 74.47% | 17.31% | D+57.2 | D |
| 92 | 44.75% | 51.56% | R+6.8 | 35.48% | 55.99% | R+20.5 | R |
| 93 | 45.74% | 51.67% | R+5.9 | 36.57% | 57.09% | R+20.5 | D |
| 94 | 52.31% | 44.47% | D+7.8 | 47.39% | 44.39% | D+3 | D |
| 95 | 67.27% | 28.91% | D+38.4 | 63.09% | 24.62% | D+38.5 | D |
| 96 | 45.17% | 51.93% | R+6.8 | 40.48% | 51.14% | R+10.7 | R |
| 97 | 42.65% | 54.90% | R+12.3 | 38.02% | 54.75% | R+16.7 | R |
| 98 | 55.62% | 40.95% | D+14.7 | 48.67% | 42.15% | D+6.5 | D |
| 99 | 53.76% | 43.36% | D+10.4 | 51.66% | 39.94% | D+11.7 | D |
| 100 | 74.33% | 22.27% | D+52.1 | 71.30% | 18.23% | D+53.1 | D |
| Total | 41.71% | 55.36% | R+13.7 | 35.94% | 56.47% | R+20.5 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
District history
2017
| U.S. House, Montana At-Large Special Election, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Greg Gianforte |
50% | 190,520 | |
| Democratic | Rob Quist | 44.4% | 169,214 | |
| Libertarian | Mark Wicks | 5.7% | 21,682 | |
| Total Votes | 381,416 | |||
| Source: Montana Secretary of State | ||||
The election was held to replace Ryan Zinke (R), who was confirmed as secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior on March 1, 2017.[26]
Republican Greg Gianforte defeated Democrat Rob Quist and Libertarian Mark Wicks, earning more than 50 percent of the vote. Gianforte was sworn in as a member of the United States House of Representatives on June 21, 2017.[27]
Primary elections were not held in the race. Instead, party leaders chose the nominees at conventions. Democrats selected musician Rob Quist at the party's convention on March 5, 2017, while Republicans nominated businessman Greg Gianforte at the party's convention on March 6, 2017. A third candidate, Libertarian Mark Wicks, was also on the ballot.[28][29][30][31]
Ballotpedia compiled the following resources to help voters better understand the policy positions of the candidates prior to the general election on May 25, 2017:
- An overview of each candidate's career and policy priorities;
- Background information about each candidate's policy positions, campaign themes, and debate performance; and
- The politicians and influencers involved in the race, including those releasing ads and fundraising.
Although Montana's At-Large District seat was held by a Republican continuously from 1997, with former incumbent Ryan Zinke winning election in 2014 and 2016 by roughly 15 points, the race garnered significant national attention and fundraising. In the final week of the election alone, Quist announced that he had received $1 million, bringing his total campaign contributions to $6 million. The pro-Democrat House Majority PAC also spent $125,000 on ad buys for the election's final week. Outside organizations backing Gianforte like the Congressional Leadership Fund have spent $7 million on ad buys—approximately $4 million more than Democratic outside groups.[32][33]
On May 24, 2017, the eve of the election, Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault after he allegedly slammed a reporter to the ground and punched him. The Gianforte campaign refuted the reporter's account in a statement.[34][35]
2016
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Ryan Zinke (R) defeated Denise Juneau (D) and Rick Breckenridge (L) in the general election on November 8, 2016. No candidate faced a primary opponent in June.[36]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ryan Zinke Incumbent |
56.2% | 285,358 | |
| Democratic | Denise Juneau | 40.5% | 205,919 | |
| Libertarian | Rick Breckenridge | 3.3% | 16,554 | |
| Total Votes | 507,831 | |||
| Source: Montana Secretary of State | ||||
2014
The At-Large Congressional District of Montana held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Ryan Zinke (R) defeated John Lewis (D) and Mike Fellows (Montana) (L) in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ryan Zinke |
55.4% | 203,871 | |
| Democratic | John Lewis | 40.4% | 148,690 | |
| Libertarian | Mike Fellows | 4.2% | 15,402 | |
| Total Votes | 367,963 | |||
| Source: Montana Secretary of State | ||||
Wave election analysis
- See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)
The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?
Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.
Applying this definition to U.S. House elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose 48 seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.
The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 11 U.S. House waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.
| U.S. House wave elections | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | President | Party | Election type | House seats change | House majority[37] | |
| 1932 | Hoover | R | Presidential | -97 | D | |
| 1922 | Harding | R | First midterm | -76 | R | |
| 1938 | Roosevelt | D | Second midterm | -70 | D | |
| 2010 | Obama | D | First midterm | -63 | R (flipped) | |
| 1920 | Wilson | D | Presidential | -59 | R | |
| 1946 | Truman | D | First midterm | -54 | R (flipped) | |
| 1994 | Clinton | D | First midterm | -54 | R (flipped) | |
| 1930 | Hoover | R | First midterm | -53 | D (flipped) | |
| 1942 | Roosevelt | D | Third midterm | -50 | D | |
| 1966 | Johnson | D | First midterm[38] | -48 | D | |
| 1974 | Ford | R | Second midterm[39] | -48 | D | |
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Montana heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Republicans and Democrats each held one U.S. Senate seat.
- Republicans held Montana's At-Large Congressional District.
State executives
- As of September 2018, Republicans held six of 11 state executive positions, Democrats held two, and the remaining positions were officially nonpartisan.
- The governor of Montana was Democrat Steve Bullock. The state held elections for governor and lieutenant governor on November 3, 2020.
State legislature
- Republicans controlled both chambers of the Montana State Legislature. They had a 59-41 majority in the state House and a 32-18 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- Montana was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Steve Bullock (D) served as governor, while Republicans controlled the state legislature.
2018 elections
- See also: Montana elections, 2018
Montana held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- One U.S. Senate seat
- One U.S. House seats
- One state executive position
- 25 of 50 state Senate seats
- 100 state House seats
Demographics
| Demographic data for Montana | ||
|---|---|---|
| Montana | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 1,032,073 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 145,546 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 89.2% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 0.5% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 0.7% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 6.5% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 3.3% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 92.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 29.5% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $47,169 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 17% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Montana. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2016, Montana's three largest cities were Billings (pop. est. 109,642), Missoula (pop. est. 73,340), and Great Falls (pop. est. 58,876).[40][41]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Montana from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Montana Secretary of State.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Montana every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Montana 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 55.6% | 35.4% | 20.2% | ||
| 2012 | 55.3% | 41.7% | 13.6% | ||
| 2008 | 49.5% | 47.2% | 2.3% | ||
| 2004 | 59.1% | 38.6% | 20.5% | ||
| 2000 | 58.4% | 33.4% | 25.0% | ||
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Montana from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Montana 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | 57.9% | 40.0% | 17.9% | ||
| 2012 | 48.6% | 44.6% | 4.0% | ||
| 2008 | 72.9% | 27.1% | 45.8% | ||
| 2006 | 49.2% | 48.3% | 0.9% | ||
| 2002 | 62.7% | 31.7% | 31.0% | ||
| 2000 | 50.6% | 47.2% | 3.4% | ||
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Montana.
| Election results (Governor), Montana 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | 50.2% | 46.4% | 3.8% | ||
| 2012 | 48.9% | 47.3% | 1.6% | ||
| 2008 | 65.5% | 32.5% | 33.0% | ||
| 2004 | 50.4% | 46.0% | 4.4% | ||
| 2000 | 51.0% | 47.1% | 3.9% | ||
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Montana in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, Montana 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016 | 100% | 0% | R+1 | ||
| 2014 | 100% | 0% | R+1 | ||
| 2012 | 100% | 0% | R+1 | ||
| 2010 | 100% | 0% | R+1 | ||
| 2008 | 100% | 0% | R+1 | ||
| 2006 | 100% | 0% | R+1 | ||
| 2004 | 100% | 0% | R+1 | ||
| 2002 | 100% | 0% | R+1 | ||
| 2000 | 100% | 0% | R+1 | ||
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Montana Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Fifteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | S | S | R | R | S | S | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
See also
- United States House election in Montana (June 5, 2018 Democratic primary)
- United States House election in Montana (June 5, 2018 Republican primary)
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2018
- U.S. House battlegrounds, 2018
- U.S. House primaries, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ If one missed the Oct. 9 deadline, he or she could have still voted in the election by registering in person at the county election office. Late registration was available until the close of polls on Election Day.
- ↑ If one missed the Oct. 9 deadline, he or she could have still voted in the election by registering in person at the county election office. Late registration was available until the close of polls on Election Day.
- ↑ DCCC, "Red to Blue," accessed October 10, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kathleen for Montana, "About Kathleen," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ YouTube, "Kathleen Williams – Love," August 22, 2018
- ↑ Kathleen for Montana, "Issues," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ YouTube, "Kathleen Williams – Fresh Start," July 18, 2018
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Greg for Montana, "About Greg," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Greg Gianforte," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ Greg for Montana, "Why I'm Running," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ YouTube, "Greg Giaforte (R) attack ad against Kathleen Williams (D)," accessed August 10, 2018
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Elinor Swanson," accessed November 1, 2018
- ↑ Warren & Swanson, PLLC, "Practice Areas," accessed November 1, 2018
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 KTVQ, "In Montana’s U.S. House race, Libertarian Swanson zeroes in on federal deficit," September 27, 2018
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Williams for Montana, "Issues," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ Greg for Montana, "Issues," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ 270towin.com, "Montana," accessed June 29, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Trump taps Montana congressman Ryan Zinke as interior secretary," December 13, 2016
- ↑ The Billings Gazette, "Gianforte set to take oath as Montana's next congressman," June 15, 2017
- ↑ Billings Gazette, "Democrats, Republicans plan for special election to replace Zinke," December 15, 2016
- ↑ KTVH, "Bullock sets soonest possible date for special election," March 1, 2017
- ↑ Billings Gazette, "Montana Democrats pick musician Rob Quist to run for U.S. House," March 5, 2017
- ↑ Billings Gazette, "Greg Gianforte wins Republican nomination for Montana's U.S. House election," March 6, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Republicans: Montana special election 'closer than it should be,'" May 24, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "GOP, Dems put more money into Montana special election," May 3, 2017
- ↑ KULR, "U.S. House candidate Greg Gianforte charged with misdemeanor assault," May 25, 2017
- ↑ KTVQ, "Greg Gianforte accused of body slamming reporter," May 24, 2017
- ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate Filing List: Non-Legislative," accessed March 15, 2016
- ↑ Denotes the party that had more seats in the U.S. House following the election.
- ↑ Lyndon Johnson's (D) first term began in November 1963 after the death of President John F. Kennedy (D), who was first elected in 1960. Before Johnson had his first midterm in 1966, he was re-elected president in 1964.
- ↑ Gerald Ford's (R) first term began in August 1974 following the resignation of President Richard Nixon (R), who was first elected in 1968 and was re-elected in 1972. Because Ford only served for two full months before facing the electorate, this election is classified as Nixon's second midterm.
- ↑ Montana Demographics, "Montana Cities by Population," accessed September 4, 2018
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Montana," accessed September 4, 2018
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