United States Senate election in Montana, 2008

United States Senate election in Montana, 2008

2002 ← November 4, 2008 → 2014

Nominee Max Baucus Robert Kelleher Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 345,937 128,762 Percentage 72.92% 27.08%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Max Baucus Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Max Baucus Democratic

The 2008 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Max Baucus won re-election to a sixth term.

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. Only two Republicans have ever served as U.S. Senator, Zales Ecton and Conrad Burns. Currently, both Senator Max Baucus and Senator Jon Tester are Democrats. 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

Democratic Party primary results[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage
	Democratic	Max Baucus (inc.)	165,050	100.00%
Totals			165,050	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Kirk Bushman, businessman
• Bob Kelleher, attorney
• Michael Lange, State Representative
• Patty Lovaas, accountant
• Anton Pearson, rancher
• Garnett Shay, engineer

Campaign

All Republican candidate all trailed Baucus badly. Garnett Shay had legal problems, preventing him from running an effective campaign.^[2]

Results

Republican Party primary results[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage
	Republican	Bob Kelleher	26,936	36.32%
	Republican	Michael Lange	17,044	22.98%
	Republican	Kirk Bushman	15,507	20.91%
	Republican	Patty Lovaas	7,632	10.29%
	Republican	Anton Pearson	4,257	5.74%
	Republican	Shay Joshua Garnett	2,788	3.76%
Totals			74,164	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Max Baucus (D), incumbent five-term U.S. Senator.
• Bob Kelleher (R),^[4]

Campaign

Senator Baucus defeated Kelleher as a Democratic incumbent running in a year that was very successful for his party in general. The Montana Senate race 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 is pro-life, advocates a Parliamentary system of government for the United States, and supports nationalization of the American oil and gas industry and a single-payer health care system.^[5]

Polling

Poll Source	Dates administered	Baucus	Kelleher
Public Policy Polling	November 2, 2008	71%	26%
Rasmussen Reports	September 7, 2008	64%	31%

Results

United States Senate election in Montana, 2008[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Max Baucus	348,289	72.92%	+10.18%
	Republican	Bob Kelleher	129,369	27.08%	-4.65%
Majority			218,920	45.84%	+14.84%
Turnout			477,658
	Democratic hold		Swing

References

1. ^ http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/archives/2000s/2002/2002-PrimState.pdf
2. ^ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/records_show_baucus_challenger_has_outstanding_warrant_in_indiana/2848/
3. ^ http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/archives/2000s/2002/2002-PrimState.pdf
4. ^ Bob Kelleher for U.S. Senate
5. ^ http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/06/05/news/local/news03.txt
6. ^ http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2008/2008Stat.htm

See also

• United States Senate elections, 2008

External links

• 2008 Election Information from the Montana Secretary of State
• U.S. Congress candidates for Montana at Project Vote Smart
• Montana, U.S. Senate from CQ Politics
• Montana U.S. Senate from OurCampaigns.com
• Montana U.S. Senate race from 2008 Race Tracker
• Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.org
• Kelleher (R) vs Baucus (D-i) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com

• Election 2008 full National coverage from The Missoulian
• Official campaign websites
  • Max, Montana's Senator
  • Bob Kelleher for U.S. Senate

Preceded by 2006 Max Baucus

Montana U.S. Senate elections 2006

Succeeded by 2012