Political party strength in Montana

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Politics in the US state of Montana

The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Montana:

* Governor
* Lieutenant Governor
* Secretary of State
* Attorney General
* State Treasurer
* State Auditor
* Superintendent of Public Instruction

The table also indicates the historical party composition in the:

* State Senate
* State House of Representatives
* State delegation to the United States Senate
* State delegation to the United States House of Representatives

For years in which a presidential election was held, the table indicates which party's nominees received the state's electoral votes.

## Pre-statehood (1864–1889)

[edit]

Year | Executive offices | Territorial Legislature | U.S. Congress

|
|
|

Governor | Senate | House | Delegate
1864  | Sidney Edgerton (R) | [?] | no such office
1865  | Thomas Francis Meagher (D)[a] | Samuel McLean (D)
1866  | Green C. Smith (D)
1867  | James M. Cavanaugh (D)
1868  | James Tufts (R)[a]
1869  | James Mitchell Ashley (R)
Wiley Scribner (R)[a]
1870  | Benjamin F. Potts (R)
1871  | William H. Clagett (R)
1872
1873  | Martin Maginnis (D)

1882
1883  | John Schuyler Crosby (R)
1884  | B. Platt Carpenter (R)
1885  | Samuel Thomas Hauser (D) | Joseph Toole (D)
1886
1887  | Preston Leslie (D)
1888
1889  | Benjamin F. White (R) | Thomas H. Carter (R)[b]

## 1889–1976

[edit]

Year | Executive offices | State Legislature | United States Congress | Electoral
votes

|
|
|
|

Governor | Lt. Governor | Secretary
of State | Attorney
General | Treasurer | Auditor | Supt. of
Pub. Inst. | Senate | House | Senator
(Class I) | Senator
(Class II) | House
1889  | Joseph Toole (D) | John E. Rickards (R) | Louis Rotwitt (R) | Henri J. Haskell (R) | Richard O.
Hickman (R) | Edwin A.
Kenney (R) | John
Gannon  | 8D, 8R[c][1] | 25R, 25D[d][1] | Wilbur F. Sanders (R) | Thomas C. Power (R) | Thomas H.
Carter (R)[b] |
1890
1891  | 10D, 6R  | 28R, 27D  | William W.
Dixon (D)
1892  | Harrison/
Reid (R) N
1893  | John E. Rickards (R) | Alexander Campbell
Botkin (R) | Frederick W. Wright (R) | Andrew B.
Cook (R) | Eugene A.
Steere (R) | 9D, 7R  | 26D, 26R,
3Pop[e] | vacant[f] | Charles S.
Hartman (R)
1894
1895  | 13R, 5D,
2Pop, 1Fus  | 44R, 14Pop,
3D  | Lee Mantle (R)[g] | Thomas H. Carter (R)
1896  | Lee Mantle (SvR) | 2 – Bryan/
Sewall (D/Sv) N
1 – Bryan/
Watson (Pop) N
1897  | Robert Burns Smith (D) | Archibald E. Spriggs (D) | Thomas S. Hogan (Pop) | C. B. Nolan (D) | Timothy E. Collins (D) | Thomas W.
Poindexter Jr. (D) | Evans A.
Carleton (R) | 12R, 8D,
3Pop  | 42D, 18Pop,

1898
1899  | 17D, 6R,
1Pop  | 57D, 9R,
4SvR  | William A. Clark (D)[h] | Albert J.
Campbell (D)
1900  | vacant | Bryan/
Stevenson (D) N
1901  | Joseph Toole (D)[i] | Frank G. Higgins (D) | George M. Hayes (D) | James Donovan (D) | A. H. Barret (D) | James H.
Calderhead (Pop) | W. W.
Welch (D) | 14D, 9R,
1Pop  | 28D, 23R, 8Lab,
6Pop, 5ID[j] | Paris Gibson (D) | William A. Clark (D) | Caldwell
Edwards (Pop)
1902
1903  | 14D, 12R  | 47R, 11Lab,
8D, 6A-T | Joseph M.
Dixon (R)
1904  | Roosevelt/
Fairbanks (R) Y
1905  | Edwin L. Norris (D) | Abraham N. Yoder (R)[k] | Albert J. Galen (R) | James H. Rice (R) | Henry R.
Cunningham (R) | Wilfred E.
Harmon (R) | 16R, 10D  | 38R, 24D,
7Lab, 3A-T | Thomas H. Carter (R)
1906
1907  | 18R, 9D  | 57R, 16D  | Joseph M. Dixon (R) | Charles
Nelson
Pray (R)
1908  | Edwin L. Norris (D)[l] | Benjamin F. White (R)[a] | Taft/
Sherman (R) Y
1909  | William Allen (R) | Elmer E. Esselstyn (R) | 17R, 10D  | 38D, 33R
1910
1911  | C. M.
McCoy  | 16R, 12D  | 42D, 32R  | Henry L. Myers (D)
1912  | Thomas M. Swindlehurst (D) | Wilson/
Marshall (D) Y
1913  | Sam V. Stewart (D) | W. W. McDowell (D) | Adelbert M. Alderson (D) | Daniel M. Kelly (D) | William C. Rae (D) | William
Keating (D) | Henry A.
Davee (D) | 17D, 13R,
2Prog  | 49D, 20R,
16Prog, 1Sv  | Thomas J. Walsh (D)[k] | 2D
1914
1915  | Joseph Poindexter (D) | 19R, 16D,
5Prog, 1I[m] | 55D, 36R,
3Sv, 1I
1916
1917  | Charles T. Stewart (R)[n] | Sam C. Ford (R) | H. L. Hart (R) | Rufus G.
Poland (D) | May
Trumper (R) | 28R, 13D  | 49D, 46R  | 1D, 1R
1918
1919  | George P.
Porter (R) | 31R, 12D  | 65R, 33D
1920  | Harding/
Coolidge (R) Y
1921  | Joseph M. Dixon (R) | Nelson Story Jr. (R) | Wellington D. Rankin (R) | J. W. Walker  | 41R, 13D  | 98R, 9D, 1I  | 2R
1922
1923  | O. H. Junod (R) | 38R, 16D  | 56R, 44D  | Burton K. Wheeler (D) | 1D, 1R
1924  | Coolidge/
Dawes (R) Y
1925  | John E. Erickson (D)[o] | W. S. McCormack (R) | L. A. Foot (R) | Wilfred E. Harmon (R) | 39R, 16D,
1FL  | 66R, 34D,
2FL
1926
1927  | Robert N. Hawkins (D)[p] | 40R, 15D,
1FL  | 61R, 39D,
2FL
William Powers[p]
1928  | John W. Mountjoy (D) | Hoover/
Curtis (R) Y
1929  | Frank A. Hazelbacker (R) | William E. Harmon (R) | F. E. Williams (R) | Elizabeth
Ireland (R) | 39R, 16D,
1FL  | 69R, 33D
1930
1931  | 41R, 15D  | 59R, 43D
1932  | Roosevelt/
Garner (D) Y
1933  | Frank Henry Cooney (D) | Sam W. Mitchell (D)[k] | Raymond T. Nagle (D) | James Brett (D) | John J.
Holmes (D) | 33R, 22D, 1I  | 72D, 30R  | John E. Erickson (D)[g] | 2D
Frank Henry Cooney (D)[q][k] | Tom Kane (R)[a]
1934
1935  | Ernest T. Eaton (R)[a] | 28D, 27R, 1I[r] | 69D, 33R  | James E. Murray (D)
1936  | Elmer Holt (D)[s] | William R. Pilgeram (D)[a] | Enor K. Matson (D)
1937  | Roy E. Ayers (D) | Hugh R. Adnair (D) | Harrison J. Freebourn (D) | Ray Shannon (D) | Ruth
Reardon (D) | 29D, 27R  | 81D, 21R
1938
1939  | 31D, 25R  | 58D, 44R  | 1D, 1R
1940  | Roosevelt/
Wallace (D) Y
1941  | Sam C. Ford (R) | Ernest T. Eaton (R) | John W. Bonner (D) | Thomas E. Carey (D) | Elizabeth
Ireland (R) | 35R, 21D  | 55D, 47R
1942  | Howard M. Gullickson (D)
1943  | R. V. Bottomly (D) | 37R, 19D  | 51R, 39D  | 2D
1944  | T. H. MacDonald (R) | Roosevelt/
Truman (D) Y
1945  | George P. Porter (R) | 39R, 17D  | 53R, 37D  | 1D, 1R
1946
1947  | 41R, 15D  | 58R, 31D, 1ID  | Zales Ecton (R)
1948  | Truman/
Barkley (D) Y
1949  | John W. Bonner (D) | Paul Cannon (D) | Arnold Olsen (D) | Neil Fisher (D)[k] | Mary M.
Condon (D) | 31R, 23D, 2I  | 54D, 36R
1950  | Alta E. Fisher (D)
1951  | John E. Henry (R) | 28R, 26D, 2I  | 49R, 41D
1952  | Eisenhower/
Nixon (R) Y
1953  | J. Hugo Aronson (R) | George M. Gosman (R) | Charles L. Sheridan (R)[k] | 36R, 20D  | 62R, 32D  | Mike Mansfield (D)
1954  | Edna Hinman (R)
1955  | 33R, 23D  | 49D, 45R
1956  | S. C. Arnold (R)[g]
1957  | Paul Cannon (D) | Frank Murray (D) | Forrest H. Anderson (D) | Horace Casey (D) | Harriet
Miller (R) | 31D, 25R  | 59D, 35R  | 2D
1958
1959  | 38D, 17R, 1I  | 61D, 31R, 2I
1960  | Nixon/
Lodge (R) N
1961  | Donald G. Nutter (R)[k] | Tim Babcock (R) | Edna Hinman (R) | 54R, 40D  | Lee Metcalf (D)[k] | 1D, 1R
1962  | Tim Babcock (R)[l] | David F. James (R)[a] | E. V. "Sonny"
Omholt (R)
1963  | 35D, 21R  | 57R, 37D
1964  | Johnson/
Humphrey (D) Y
1965  | Ted James (R) | Henry H. Anderson (D) | Harriet Miller (D) | 32D, 24R  | 56D, 38R
1966
1967  | 30D, 25R  | 64R, 40D
1968  | Nixon/
Agnew (R) Y
1969  | Forrest H. Anderson (D) | Thomas Lee Judge (D) | Robert L. Woodahl (R) | Alex B. Stephenson (R) | Dolores
Colburg (D) | 58R, 46D  | 2D
1970
1971  | 55R, 49D  | 1D, 1R
1972
1973  | Thomas Lee Judge (D) | Bill Christiansen (D) | Hollis Connors (R) | 27D, 23R  | 54D, 46R
1974
1975  | 30D, 20R  | 67D, 33R  | 2D
1976  | Ford/
Dole (R) N

## 1977–present

[edit]

Year | Executive offices | State Legislature | United States Congress | Electoral
votes

|
|
|
|

Governor | Lt. Governor | Secretary
of State | Attorney
General | Auditor | Supt. of
Pub. Inst. | Senate | House | Senator
(Class I) | Senator
(Class II) | House
1977  | Thomas Lee
Judge (D) | Ted Schwinden (D) | Frank Murray (D) | Mike Greely (D) | E. V. "Sonny"
Omholt (R) | Georgia Ruth
Rice (D) | 25D, 25R[t] | 57D, 43R  | John Melcher (D) | Paul G.
Hatfield (D)[g] | 1D, 1R  |
1978
1979  | 26R, 24D  | 55D, 45R  | Max Baucus (D)[u]
1980  | Reagan/
Bush (R) Y
1981  | Ted Schwinden (D) | George Turman (D)[p] | Jim Waltermire (R)[k] | Ed Argenbright (R) | 28R, 22D  | 57R, 43D
1982
1983  | 26R, 24D  | 55D, 45R
1984
1985  | Andrea Bennett (R) | 28D, 22R  | 50D, 50R[v]
1986
1987  | 25D, 25R[w] | 51R, 49D
1988  | Gordon McOmber (D)[g] | Verner Bertelsen (R)[g] | Bush/
Quayle (R) Y
1989  | Stan Stephens (R) | Allen Kolstad (R)[x] | Mike Cooney (D) | Marc Racicot (R) | Nancy Keenan (D) | 27R, 23D  | 52D, 48R  | Conrad Burns (R)
1990
1991  | Denny Rehberg (R)[g] | 29D, 21R  | 61D, 39R
1992  | Clinton/
Gore (D) Y
1993  | Marc Racicot (R) | Joseph P. Mazurek (D) | Mark O'Keefe (D) | 30D, 20R  | 53R, 47D  | Pat Williams (D)
1994
1995  | 31R, 19D  | 67R, 33D
1996  | Dole/
Kemp (R) N
1997  | Judy Martz (R) | 34R, 16D  | 65R, 35D  | Rick Hill (R)
1998
1999  | 32R, 18D  | 59R, 41D
2000  | Bush/
Cheney (R) Y
2001  | Judy Martz (R) | Karl Ohs (R) | Bob Brown (R) | Mike McGrath (D) | John Morrison (D) | Linda McCulloch (D) | 31R, 19D  | 58R, 42D  | Denny Rehberg (R)
2002
2003  | 29R, 21D  | 53R, 47D
2004
2005  | Brian Schweitzer (D)[y] | John Bohlinger (R)[y] | Brad Johnson (R) | 27D, 23R  | 50D, 50R[t]
2006
2007  | 26D, 24R  | 50R, 49D, 1C[z] | Jon Tester (D)
2008  | McCain/
Palin (R) N
2009  | Linda McCulloch (D) | Steve Bullock (D) | Monica Lindeen (D) | Denise Juneau (D) | 27R, 23D  | 50D, 50R[t]
2010
2011  | 28R, 22D  | 68R, 32D
2012  | Romney/
Ryan (R) N
2013  | Steve Bullock (D) | John Walsh (D) | Tim Fox (R) | 29R, 21D  | 61R, 39D  | Steve Daines (R)
2014 | Angela McLean (D) | John Walsh (D)[g]
2015  | 59R, 41D  | Steve Daines (R) | Ryan Zinke (R)[aa]
2016 | Mike Cooney (D) | Trump/
Pence (R) Y
2017  | Corey Stapleton (R) | Matt Rosendale (R) | Elsie Arntzen (R) | 32R, 18D  | Greg Gianforte (R)
2018
2019  | 30R, 20D  | 58R, 42D
2020 | Trump/
Pence (R) N
2021  | Greg Gianforte (R) | Kristen Juras (R) | Christi Jacobsen (R) | Austin Knudsen (R) | Troy Downing (R) | 31R, 19D  | 67R, 33D  | Matt Rosendale (R)
2022
2023  | 34R, 16D  | 68R, 32D  | 2R
2024 | Trump/
Vance (R) Y
2025  | James Brown (R) | 32R, 18D  | 57R, 43D  | Tim Sheehy (R)
Key to party colors and abbreviations for members of the U.S. Congress and other politicians or officials  | Alaskan Independence (AKIP)

Know Nothing (KN)
American Labor (AL)
Anti-Jacksonian (Anti-J)
National Republican (NR)
Anti-Administration (AA)
Anti-Masonic (Anti-M)
Conservative (Con)
Covenant (Cov)
| Democratic (D)

Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL)
Democratic–NPL (D-NPL)
Dixiecrat (Dix),
States' Rights (SR)
Democratic-Republican (DR)
Farmer–Labor (FL)
Federalist (F)
Pro-Administration (PA)
| Free Soil (FS)

Fusion (Fus)
Greenback (GB)
Independence (IPM)
Independent Democrat (ID)
Independent Republican (IR)
Jacksonian (J)
Liberal (Lib)
| Libertarian (L)

National Union (NU)
Nonpartisan League (NPL)
Nullifier (N)
Opposition Northern (O)
Opposition Southern (O)
Populist (Pop)
Progressive (Prog)
| Prohibition (Proh)

Readjuster (Rea)
Republican (R)
Silver (Sv)
Silver Republican (SvR)
Socialist (Soc)
Union (U)
Unconditional Union (UU)
| Vermont Progressive (VP)

Whig (W)
Independent (I)
Nonpartisan (NP)

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Acting.
2. ^ a b Delegate from Montana Territory until November 8, when Carter was elected U.S. Representative upon Montana statehood.
3. ^ With a Republican Lt. Governor, the GOP organized the chamber. There was no President Pro Tempore that session.
4. ^ There were five contested seats from Silver Bow County, and due to a lack of a contested election resolution mechanism, the Republicans and Democrats each organized their own House with the contested members of both parties from Silver Bow joining their respective parties in those chambers, and both sent bills to the Senate.
5. ^ A coalition of Democrats and Populists elected a Populist, Thomas Matthews, as Speaker and organized the chamber.
6. ^ Legislature failed to elect a Senator at the beginning of the 53rd United States Congress.
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Initially appointed to fill a vacancy.
8. ^ Resigned May 15, 1900 to avoid claim of election fraud.
9. ^ Resigned due to declining health.
10. ^ A coalition of Democrats, Labor, Populists, and Independent Democrats chose a Democrat, Frank Corbett, as Speaker, and organized the chamber.
11. ^ a b c d e f g h i Died in office.
12. ^ a b As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
13. ^ A coalition of Republicans and Progressives elected a Republican, John Edwards, as President Pro Tempore and organized the chamber.
14. ^ Impeached and then resigned.
15. ^ Resigned so that his successor could appoint him to the United States Senate.
16. ^ a b c Resigned.
17. ^ As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
18. ^ A bipartisan coalition elected a Republican, Ernest T. Eaton, as President Pro Tempore, and organized the chamber on a bipartisan basis. In practice, Eaton served as President of the Senate, and as such Lt. Governor, as the previous one, Frank Cooney was serving as Governor. After session, Eaton resigned, and the position of President of the Senate and Lt. Governor was filled by Democrat Elmer Holt.
19. ^ As President of the State Senate, filled unexpired term. The Speaker of the House, William Pilgeram, took up his previous position of Lt. Governor.
20. ^ a b c Party control granted to governor's party in the event of a tied house of the legislature.
21. ^ Resigned February 6, 2014 in anticipation of being appointed United States Ambassador to China.
22. ^ By statute, in the event of a tie chamber, the party of the Governor receives the Speakership. However, the committees and administration of the chamber and its committees were organized on a 50-50 basis, with an equal number of chairmen and members of both parties.[2]
23. ^ By statute, in the event of a tie chamber, the party of the Governor receives the Presidency. However, the committees and administration of the chamber and its committees were organized on a 50-50 basis, with an equal number of chairmen and members of both parties.[2]
24. ^ Resigned to take a presidential appointment to the International Boundary Commission.
25. ^ a b Elected on bipartisan ticket.
26. ^ Constitution Party member caucused with Republicans.
27. ^ Resigned March 2017 to become the United States Secretary of the Interior.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b [1] Archived 2017-07-02 at the Wayback Machine Majority and Minority Party Numbers 1889 - Present
2. ^ a b Loepp, Daniel (1999). Sharing the Balance of Power: An Examination of Shared Power in the Michigan House of Representatives, 1993-94. University of Michigan Press. p. 25\. ISBN 978-0-472-09702-9.

## See also

[edit]

* Politics in Montana

* v
* t
* e

Political party strength in U.S. states

States|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Federal district|

Washington, D.C.

Territories|

* American Samoa
* Guam
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Puerto Rico
* U.S. Virgin Islands

List of third-party and independent performances in United States elections
*[Lab]: Labor
*[A-T]: Anti-Trust Party
*[C]: Constitution Party
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*[t]: Discuss this template
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