2008 United States Senate election in Montana

none March 2026 December 2017 2008 United States Senate election in Montana Montana presidential no 2002 United States Senate election in Montana 2002 2014 United States Senate election in Montana 2014 November 4, 2008 Portrait of Ambassador Max Baucus.jpg 150x150px Max Baucus Democratic Party (United States) 348,289 72.92% File:Bob Kelleher (cropped).jpg Bob Kelleher Republican Party (United States) 129,369 27.08% 2008 United States Senate election in Montana results map by county.svg 300px County resultsBaucus: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #3933e5 80–90% U.S. Senator Max Baucus Democratic Party (United States) Max Baucus Democratic Party (United States) 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 72% 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 as U.S. ambassador to China, having already announced his intention to retire at the end of his term on April 23, 2013. As of 2024, this is the last time Democrats won the Class 2 Senate seat in Montana, and the last Montana U.S. Senate race where any candidate won every county. 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. In 2006 the Democratic candidate for the United States Senate Jon Tester managed to defeat incumbent Republican Senator Conrad Burns and flip the seat into the Democratic column. Democratic primary Candidates Max Baucus, incumbent U.S. Senator Results Democratic primary resultsBrown Bob June 4, 2002 2002 Statewide Primary Canvass http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/archives/2000s/2002/2002-PrimState.pdf dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110111235031/http://sos.mt.gov/Elections/archives/2000s/2002/2002-PrimState.pdf January 11, 2011 April 22, 2011 Max Baucus (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 165,050 100.00% 165,050 100.00% 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.http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/records_show_baucus_challenger_has_outstanding_warrant_in_indiana/2848/ Recors Show Baucus Challenger has Outstanding Warrant in Indiana Flathead Beacon Gouras Matt March 26, 2008 June 13, 2010 July 26, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110726004654/http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/records_show_baucus_challenger_has_outstanding_warrant_in_indiana/2848/ live Results Republican primary results Bob Kelleher Republican Party (United States) 26,936 36.32% Michael Lange Republican Party (United States) 17,044 22.98% Kirk Bushman Republican Party (United States) 15,507 20.91% Patty Lovaas Republican Party (United States) 7,632 10.29% Anton Pearson Republican Party (United States) 4,257 5.74% Garnett Shay Republican Party (United States) 2,788 3.76% 74,164 100.00% 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.McKee Jennifer June 5, 2008 16th time a charm for veteran candidate http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/06/05/news/local/news03.txt live https://web.archive.org/web/20080918050618/http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/06/05/news/local/news03.txt September 18, 2008 July 2, 2008 He received no support from the Montana Republican Party.http://www.mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/article_5b96d868-8c09-11e0-9957-001cc4c002e0.html Frequent candidate Kelleher dies at 88 Johnson, Chuck September 10, 2012 June 4, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110604060321/http://www.mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/article_5b96d868-8c09-11e0-9957-001cc4c002e0.html live Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political Report2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008 https://cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings/139080 The Cook Political Report April 1, 2021 June 25, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210625160336/https://cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings/139080 live Safe DOctober 23, 2008 CQ PoliticsRace Ratings Chart: Senate http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-senate dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101028234525/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-senate October 28, 2010 April 16, 2023 CQ Politics Safe DOctober 31, 2008 Rothenberg Political Report2008 Senate ratings https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2008-senate-ratings Inside Elections April 1, 2021 June 25, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210625160805/https://www.insideelections.com/ratings/senate/2008-senate-ratings live Safe DNovember 2, 2008 Real Clear Politics2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/senate/election_2008_senate_races.html Real Clear Politics August 31, 2021 October 2, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211002063110/https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/senate/election_2008_senate_races.html live Safe DNovember 4, 2008 Polling Poll Source Dates administered MaxBaucus (D) BobKelleher (R)Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports September 7, 2008 64% 31%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling November 2, 2008 71% 26% Results General election resultshttp://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2008/2008Stat.htm Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives April 22, 2011 June 29, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110629165612/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2008/2008Stat.htm live Democratic Party (United States) Max Baucus (incumbent) 348,289 72.92% +10.18% Republican Party (United States) Bob Kelleher 129,369 27.08% -4.65% 477,658 100.00% N/A Democratic Party (United States) Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Carter (largest city: Ekalaka) Sweet Grass (largest city: Big Timber) See also 2008 United States Senate elections 2008 Montana gubernatorial election References 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 Kelleher (R) vs Baucus (D-i) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com Election 2008 full National coverage from The Missoulian Official campaign websites (Archived) Max Baucus (D) for Senate Bob Kelleher (R) for Senate 2008 Montana United States Senate