2000 United States Senate election in Montana

none March 2026 September 2023 2000 United States Senate election in Montana Montana presidential no 1994 United States Senate election in Montana 1994 2006 United States Senate election in Montana 2006 November 7, 2000 150x150px Conrad Burns official portrait.jpg Conrad Burns Republican Party (United States) 208,082 50.55% Brian Schweitzer official photo.jpg Brian Schweitzer Democratic Party (United States) 194,430 47.24% 2000 United States Senate election in Montana results map by county.svg 300px County results Burns: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% #c21b18 80–90% Schweitzer: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% U.S. Senator Conrad Burns Republican Party (United States) Conrad Burns Republican Party (United States) The 2000 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Conrad Burns won re-election to a third term. This was the last time until 2024 where Republicans won the Class 1 Senate seat from Montana. Brian Schweitzer, the Democratic Party nominee, would be elected governor four years later. Democratic primary Candidates John Driscoll, former Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives Brian Schweitzer, farmer and former United States Department of Agriculture employee, future Governor of Montana Results Democratic Party primary resultshttp://sos.mt.gov/Elections/archives/2000s/2000/2000Prim/2000-PrimState.pdf Archived copy 2014-07-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20131228155901/http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/Archives/2000s/2000/2000Prim/2000-PrimState.pdf 2013-12-28 dead Brian Schweitzer Democratic Party (United States) 59,189 66.18 John Driscoll Democratic Party (United States) 30,242 33.82 89,431 100.00 Republican primary Candidates Conrad Burns, incumbent U.S. Senator Results Republican Party primary results Conrad Burns (incumbent) Republican Party (United States) 102,125 100.00 102,125 100.00 Reform primary Candidates Sam Rankin Results Reform Party primary results Sam Rankin Reform Party (United States) 1,110 100.00 1,110 100.00 Though Sam Rankin won the Reform Party's nomination for the United States Senate, he dropped out of the race over the summer and was replaced by Gary Lee.http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/article_d8240cff-ebd2-5dbc-aa80-743a09693c42.html Reform candidate blasts corporations Billingsgazette.com October 13, 2000 August 15, 2012 General election Candidates Conrad Burns (R), incumbent U.S. Senator Gary Lee (Re) Brian Schweitzer (D), farmer and former United States Department of Agriculture employee Campaign Burns, in a poll released September 21, was leading Schweitzer 48% to 39%February 2010 that went down from 49% in November 1999.February 2010 Schweitzer had his polls go up by 11 points. Burns faced a surprisingly difficult reelection campaign in 2000. In February 1999, he announced that he would break his 1988 promise to only hold office for two terms, claiming "Circumstances have changed, and I have rethought my position."George Will, "...Terms Unlimited", The Washington Post, June 24, 1999 Later that same month, while giving a speech about U.S. dependence on foreign oil to the Montana Equipment Dealers Association, he referred to Arabs as "ragheads". Burns soon apologized, saying he "became too emotionally involved" during the speech.Al Kamen, "Burns's A List: African Americans, Arabs", The Washington Post, March 12, 1999. Burns faced Brian Schweitzer, a rancher from Whitefish, Montana. While Burns attempted to link Schweitzer with presidential candidate Al Gore, whom Schweitzer never met, Schweitzer "effectively portrayed himself as nonpolitical".Michael Barone, The Almanac of American Politics 2004, National Journal Group. Schweitzer primarily challenged Burns on the issue of prescription drugs, organizing busloads of senior citizens to take trips to Canada and Mexico for cheaper medicine.William Booth, "Mont. Rancher Mounts Brawny Challenge; Crusty GOP Incumbent Finds Race Tightening Against an Equally Rough-Hewn Opponent", The Washington Post, October 31, 2000 Burns charged that Schweitzer favored "Canadian-style government controls" and claimed that senior citizens went to doctors to have "somebody to visit with. There's nothing wrong with them." Burns also faced trouble regarding deaths from asbestos in Libby, Montana. While he initially supported a bill to limit compensation in such cases, he withdrew his support for the bill, under public criticism, and added $11.5 million for the town to an appropriations bill.Al Kamen, "Town Getting $ 11 Million in Salve From Burns", The Washington Post, May 12, 2000. Burns spent twice as much money as Schweitzer on the election and only defeated him by a slim margin, 51% to 47%, while the state voted 58% to 33% for Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush. Schweitzer went on to become governor in 2005. Debates Complete video of debate, October 10, 2000 Complete video of debate, October 16, 2000 Complete video of debate, October 21, 2000 Results General election resultshttp://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2000/2000Stat.htm 2000 ELECTION STATISTICS Clerk.house.gov August 15, 2012 Republican Party (United States) Conrad Burns (incumbent) 208,082 50.55% -11.82% Democratic Party (United States) Brian Schweitzer 194,430 47.24% +9.61% Reform Party (United States) Gary Lee 9,089 2.2% 13,652 3.32% -21.43% 411,601 Republican Party (United States) Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Blaine (largest city: Chinooko) Cascade (largest city: Great Falls) Hill (largest city: Havre) Lewis and Clark (largest city: Helena) Rosebud (largest city: Colstrip) Big Horn (largest city: Hardin) Glacier (largest city: Cut Bank) Roosevelt (largest city: Wolf Point) See also 2000 United States Senate elections References External links Official campaign websites (Archived) Conrad Burns (R) Brian Schweitzer (D) Montana 2000 Category:2000 Montana elections