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Elections in Montana |
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The 2024 United States presidential election in Montana took place on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, as part of the 2024 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia will participate. Montana voters will choose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote. The state of Montana has four electoral votes in the Electoral College, following reapportionment due to the 2020 United States census in which the state gained a seat.[1]
Trump once again won Montana by 19.8%, an increase from his 16.4% margin of victory in 2020, but slightly under his 20.4% margin from 2016. Prior to the election, all major news organizations considered Montana a safe red state.
Although somewhat less conservative than its neighboring states, Montana — a sparsely-populated state in the Northern Rockies and Great Plains — has not been won by a Democratic presidential candidate since Bill Clinton narrowly did so in 1992, neither has it been competitive at the presidential level since Democrat Barack Obama came up less than 3 points shy of carrying the state in 2008. With the exception of 2008, the state has been carried by Republican presidential candidates by double digits since 2000.
However, despite the state's strong Republican lean, Montana received significant attention from both parties due to the simultaneous U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democrat Jon Tester and Republican challenger Tim Sheehy, which was seen as very competitive despite Sheehy's ultimate victory by over seven points. Trump's victory is seen to have helped Sheehy win via the coattail effect, thus flipping Montana's last remaining Democratic statewide office into the Republican column.
Trump became the first Republican to win predominantly-Native American Big Horn County since Ronald Reagan in 1980. In addition, his 9.5% victory in Roosevelt County is the best for a presidential Republican since Reagan's 10.5% in 1984; the historically-Democratic county, home to much of the Fort Peck Reservation, has voted for Trump in all three of his election bids. With Clallam County, Washington voting for Harris, Blaine County now holds the longest active bellwether streak in the nation, having last voted for a losing presidential candidate in 1988, its only miss outside of its inaugural election in 1912. Trump also came within just 50 votes of winning Deer Lodge County, thus giving the best performance for a Republican there since Calvin Coolidge last won the county in 1924.
The Montana Democratic primary was held on June 4, 2024, alongside primaries in the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Actual delegate count | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pledged | Unpledged | Total | |||
Joe Biden (incumbent) | 94,587 | 91.1% | 20 | 20 | |
No preference | 9,285 | 8.9% | |||
Total: | 103,872 | 100.0% | 20 | 5 | 25 |
The Montana Republican primary was held on June 4, 2024, alongside primaries in the District of Columbia, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Actual delegate count | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bound | Unbound | Total | |||
Donald Trump | 165,678 | 90.9% | |||
No Preference | 16,570 | 9.1% | |||
Total: | 182,248 | 100.00% | 31 | 0 | 31 |
The Montana Green primary was held on June 4, 2024, alongside primaries in the District of Columbia.
Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Delegates | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Preference | 495 | 100.00% | 4 | ||
Total: | 495 | 100.00% | 4 | ||
Source:[4] |
The following presidential candidates have received ballot access in Montana:[5]
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
Cook Political Report[6] | Solid R | December 19, 2023 |
Inside Elections[7] | Solid R | April 26, 2023 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[8] | Safe R | June 29, 2023 |
Decision Desk HQ/The Hill[9] | Safe R | May 30, 2023 |
CNalysis[10] | Solid R | December 30, 2023 |
CNN[11] | Solid R | January 14, 2024 |
The Economist[12] | Safe R | June 12, 2024 |
538[13] | Solid R | September 23, 2024 |
RCP[14] | Likely R | June 26, 2024 |
NBC News[15] | Safe R | October 6, 2024 |
Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Donald Trump Republican |
Kamala Harris Democratic |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AtlasIntel[16] | November 3–4, 2024 | 752 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 59% | 39% | 2% |
Emerson College[17][A] | October 23–25, 2024 | 1,000 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 58% | 39% | 3%[b] |
59%[c] | 40% | 1% | ||||
New York Times/Siena College[18] | October 5–8, 2024 | 656 (RV) | ± 4.0% | 57% | 39% | 4% |
656 (LV) | 57% | 40% | 3% | |||
RMG Research[19][B] | September 12–19, 2024 | 491 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 59% | 38% | 3%[d] |
Fabrizio Ward (R)/ David Binder Research (D)[20][C] |
August 25–29, 2024 | 600 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 56% | 41% | 3% |
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspends his presidential campaign and endorses Donald Trump. | ||||||
Democratic National Convention concludes | ||||||
Rasmussen Reports (R)[21][D] | August 13–20, 2024 | 835 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 58% | 35% | 7% |
Democratic National Convention begins | ||||||
Emerson College[22] | August 5–6, 2024 | 1,000 (RV) | 3.0% | 55% | 40% | 5% |
58%[c] | 43% | – |
Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris vs. Cornel West vs. Jill Stein vs. Chase Oliver
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Donald Trump Republican |
Kamala Harris Democratic |
Cornel West Independent |
Jill Stein Green |
Chase Oliver Libertarian |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AtlasIntel[16] | November 3–4, 2024 | 752 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 57% | 37% | – | 2% | 0% | 4%[e] |
New York Times/Siena College[18] | October 5–8, 2024 | 656 (RV) | ± 4.0% | 56% | 38% | – | 0% | 0% | 6% |
656 (LV) | 56% | 39% | – | 0% | 0% | 5% | |||
Remington Research Group (R)[23][E] | September 16–20, 2024 | 800 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 56% | 39% | – | 2% | – | 3% |
Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vs. Cornel West vs. Jill Stein vs. Chase Oliver
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Donald Trump Republican |
Kamala Harris Democratic |
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Independent |
Cornel West Independent |
Jill Stein Green |
Chase Oliver Libertarian |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Montana State University Billings[24] | September 30 – October 16, 2024 | 760 (A) | ± 3.6% | 52% | 34% | 3% | – | 1% | 2% | 8% |
Rasmussen Reports (R)[21][D] | August 13–20, 2024 | 835 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 58% | 31% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4% |
American Pulse Research & Polling[25][F] | August 10–12, 2024 | 538 (LV) | ± 4.2% | 52% | 38% | 6% | 0% | 0% | 2% | 8% |
Emerson College[22] | August 5–6, 2024 | 1,000 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 54% | 39% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2% |
Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Donald Trump Republican |
Kamala Harris Democratic |
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Independent |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RMG Research[26][B] | August 6–14, 2024 | 540 (RV) | ± 4.2% | 57% | 39% | 2% | 2% |
Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Donald Trump Republican |
Joe Biden Democratic |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Remington Research Group (R)[27] | June 29 – July 1, 2024 | 570 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 56% | 36% | 8% |
Torchlight Strategies (R)[28][G] | June 22–26, 2024 | 649 (RV) | ± 3.9% | 51% | 35% | 14%[f] |
Public Opinion Strategies (R)[29][H] | June 11–13, 2024 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 57% | 37% | 6% |
Fabrizio, Lee & Associates (R)[30][I] | June 3–5, 2024 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 54% | 36% | 10% |
John Zogby Strategies[31][J] | April 13–21, 2024 | 301 (LV) | – | 59% | 34% | 7% |
Emerson College[32][A] | February 26 – March 2, 2024 | 1,000 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 56% | 35% | 9% |
SurveyUSA[33][F] | February 12–15, 2024 | 549 (LV) | ± 4.5% | 51% | 29% | 20% |
Emerson College[34] | October 1–4, 2023 | 447 (RV) | ± 4.6% | 49% | 28% | 23% |
Change Research (D)/Future Majority (D)[35] | September 16–19, 2023 | 1,451 (RV) | – | 54% | 37% | 9% |
J.L. Partners[36] | August 12–17, 2023 | 741 (LV) | – | 51% | 39% | 10% |
Echelon Insights[37] | August 31 – September 7, 2022 | 320 (LV) | ± 6.6% | 49% | 36% | 15% |
Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vs. Cornel West vs. Jill Stein
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Donald Trump Republican |
Joe Biden Democratic |
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Independent |
Cornel West Independent |
Jill Stein Green |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emerson College[32][A] | February 26 – March 2, 2024 | 1,000 (RV) | ± 3.0% | 49% | 28% | 8% | 1% | 1% | 13% |
Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden vs. Cornel West
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Donald Trump Republican |
Joe Biden Democratic |
Cornel West Independent |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Change Research (D)/Future Majority (D)[35] | September 16–19, 2023 | 1,451 (RV) | – | 51% | 30% | 7% | 12% |
49% | 28% | 4% | 19%[g] |
Donald Trump vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Donald Trump Republican |
Robert Kennedy Jr. Independent |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Zogby Strategies[31][J] | April 13–21, 2024 | 301 (LV) | – | 50% | 35% | 15% |
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vs. Joe Biden
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Robert Kennedy Jr. Independent |
Joe Biden Democratic |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Zogby Strategies[31][J] | April 13–21, 2024 | 301 (LV) | – | 58% | 30% | 12% |
Ron DeSantis vs. Joe Biden
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Ron DeSantis Republican |
Joe Biden Democratic |
Other / Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
J.L. Partners[36] | August 12–17, 2023 | 741 (LV) | – | 50% | 36% | 14% |
Echelon Insights[37] | August 31 – September 7, 2022 | 320 (LV) | ± 6.6% | 42% | 35% | 23% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | 343,576 | 58.5% | 1.58% | ||
Democratic | 225,519 | 38.4% | 2.15% | ||
We the People |
|
11,452 | 1.9% | N/A | |
Libertarian | 4,147 | 0.7% | 1.83% | ||
Green | 2,814 | 0.5% | N/A | ||
Write-in | |||||
Total votes |
Trump won both congressional districts.[39]
District | Trump | Harris | Representative |
---|---|---|---|
1st | 54% | 43% | Ryan Zinke |
2nd | 63% | 34% | Matt Rosendale (118th Congress) |
Troy Downing (119th Congress) |
Partisan clients