2008 United States Senate election in Montana
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates | date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2008 United States Senate election in Montana
| country = Montana
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2002 United States Senate election in Montana
| previous_year = 2002
| next_election = 2014 United States Senate election in Montana
| next_year = 2014
| election_date = November 4, 2008
| image1 = Portrait of Ambassador Max Baucus.jpg
| image_size = x150px
| nominee1 = Max Baucus
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 348,289
| percentage1 = 72.92%
| image2 = File:Bob Kelleher (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = Bob Kelleher
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 129,369
| percentage2 = 27.08%
| map_image = 2008 United States Senate election in Montana results map by county.svg
| map_size = 300px
| map_caption = County results
Baucus: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}}
| title = U.S. Senator
| before_election = Max Baucus
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Max Baucus
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsMT}}
The 2008 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Senator Max Baucus won re-election to a sixth term in a landslide, winning more than 70% of the vote and carrying every county in the state, despite Republican John McCain's narrow victory in the state in the concurrent presidential election. Baucus later resigned his seat on February 6, 2014, after the Senate confirmed him to be U.S. Ambassador to China, having already announced his intention to retire at the end of term on April 23, 2013. As of 2024, this is the last time Democrats won the Class 2 Senate seat in Montana.
Background
Montana generally gives its presidential electors to Republican candidates, but historically has elected several prominent Democrats to the United States Senate, including Thomas Walsh, Burton K. Wheeler, Mike Mansfield, and Lee Metcalf. Between 1913 and 2015, only two Republicans served as U.S. Senator from Montana, Zales Ecton and Conrad Burns. In 2004, the state elected Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer, reversing a 16-year trend of electing Republicans to the Governorship. In the 2006 elections, the Republican Party took over the state House of Representatives in Montana, the only pick-up of a state legislature for the Republicans.
Democratic primary
= Candidates =
- Max Baucus, incumbent U.S. Senator
= Results =
{{Election box begin no change
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Max Baucus (incumbent)
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 165,050
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 165,050
| percentage= 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
Republican primary
= Candidates =
- Kirk Bushman, businessman
- Bob Kelleher, attorney and perennial candidate
- Michael Lange, State Representative
- Patty Lovaas, accountant
- Anton Pearson, rancher
- Garnett Shay, engineer
= Campaign =
All Republican candidates trailed Baucus badly in polls. It was revealed that Garnett Shay had an outstanding warrant for his arrest, preventing him from running an effective campaign.{{cite web|url=http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/records_show_baucus_challenger_has_outstanding_warrant_in_indiana/2848/|title=Recors Show Baucus Challenger has Outstanding Warrant in Indiana|website=Flathead Beacon|last1=Gouras|first1=Matt|date=March 26, 2008|access-date=June 13, 2010|archive-date=July 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726004654/http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/records_show_baucus_challenger_has_outstanding_warrant_in_indiana/2848/|url-status=live}}
= Results =
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Bob Kelleher
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 26,936
| percentage = 36.32%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Michael Lange
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 17,044
| percentage = 22.98%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Kirk Bushman
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 15,507
| percentage = 20.91%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Patty Lovaas
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 7,632
| percentage = 10.29%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Anton Pearson
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 4,257
| percentage = 5.74%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Garnett Shay
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 2,788
| percentage = 3.76%
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 74,164
| percentage = 100.00%
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
= Candidates =
- Max Baucus (D), incumbent U.S. Senator.
- Bob Kelleher (R), attorney and perennial candidate
= Campaign =
Senator Baucus defeated Kelleher as a Democratic incumbent running in a year that was very successful for his party in general. The U.S. Senate race in Montana was somewhat unusual, in that it was perhaps the only race that year in which the Republican candidate was more liberal than the Democratic one. Kelleher, a perennial candidate and eccentric figure in Montana politics, took many positions that were highly unorthodox by GOP standards, such as favoring more liberal drug control policies, supporting universal healthcare and affirmative action, and favoring fair trade restrictions. He was, at the time, an 85-year-old attorney and perennial candidate who has run for office on several different party tickets. Kelleher was pro-life, advocated a parliamentary system of government for the United States, and supported nationalization of the American oil and gas industry and a single-payer health care system.{{Cite web |last=McKee |first=Jennifer |date=June 5, 2008 |title=16th time a charm for veteran candidate |url=http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/06/05/news/local/news03.txt |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918050618/http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/06/05/news/local/news03.txt |archive-date=September 18, 2008 |access-date=July 2, 2008}} He received no support from the Montana Republican Party.{{cite web | url=http://www.mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/article_5b96d868-8c09-11e0-9957-001cc4c002e0.html | title=Frequent candidate Kelleher dies at 88 | author=Johnson, Chuck | access-date=September 10, 2012 | archive-date=June 4, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604060321/http://www.mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/article_5b96d868-8c09-11e0-9957-001cc4c002e0.html | url-status=live }}
= Predictions =
= Polling =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| valign=bottom
! Poll Source ! Dates administered ! style="width:100px;"| Max ! style="width:100px;"| Bob |
| align=left |Rasmussen Reports[https://web.archive.org/web/20080911110559/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_senate_elections/montana/election_2008_montana_senate Rasmussen Reports]
| September 7, 2008 | {{party shading/Democratic}} | 64% | 31% |
| align=left |Public Policy Polling[http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/surveys/2008_Archives/PPP_Release_Montana_1103623.pdf Public Policy Polling]
| November 2, 2008 | {{party shading/Democratic}} | 71% | 26% |
= Results =
{{Election box begin
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Max Baucus (incumbent)
| votes = 348,289
| percentage = 72.92%
| change = +10.18%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Bob Kelleher
| votes = 129,369
| percentage = 27.08%
| change = -4.65%
}}
{{Election box total
| votes = 477,658
| percentage = 100.00%
| change = N/A
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no swing
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}
==Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic==
- Carter (largest city: Ekalaka)
- Sweet Grass (largest city: Big Timber)
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080604191500/http://sos.mt.gov/ELB/index.asp 2008 Election Information] from the Montana Secretary of State
- [http://www.votesmart.org/election_congress_state.php?state_id=MT&go33.x=13&go33.y=11 U.S. Congress candidates for Montana] at Project Vote Smart
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080929101132/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=senate-MT Montana, U.S. Senate] from CQ Politics
- [http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=294962 Montana U.S. Senate] from OurCampaigns.com
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080622031405/http://www.2008racetracker.com/page/MT-Sen Montana U.S. Senate race] from 2008 Race Tracker
- [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=MTS2&cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] from OpenSecrets
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090107092121/http://www.pollster.com/polls/mt/08-mt-sen-ge-kvb.php Kelleher (R) vs Baucus (D-i)] graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
- [http://www.missoulian.com/election/state/ Election 2008] full National coverage from The Missoulian
- Official campaign websites (Archived)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081031225352/http://maxbaucus2008.com/ Max Baucus]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081031225353/http://www.bobkelleher2008.com/ Bob Kelleher for U.S. Senate]
{{2008 United States elections}}