2002 United States House of Representatives election in Montana

none February 2026 September 2023 2002 United States House of Representatives election in Montana Montana presidential no 2000 United States House of Representatives election in Montana 2000 November 5, 2002 2004 United States House of Representatives election in Montana 2004 All 2 Hawaii seats to the United States House of Representatives File:Denny rehberg.jpg 150x150px Denny Rehberg Republican Party (United States) 214,100 64.62% 3x4.svg Steve Kelly Democratic Party (United States) 108,233 32.67% Montana's at-large congressional district election, 2002 results by county.svg County resultsRehberg: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% #c21b18 80–90%Kelly: #7996e2 50–60% U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg Republican Party (United States) Denny Rehberg Republican Party (United States) The 2002 United States House of Representatives election in Montana was held on November 5, 2002, to determine who would represent the state of Montana in the United States House of Representatives. Montana has one at-large district in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census, due to its low population. Representatives are elected for two-year terms. Republican Denny Rehberg, the former lieutenant governor of Montana, sought re-election to a second term in the United States House of Representatives, winning the party's renomination unopposed in the June 4 primary. Two Democrats — rancher Robert Candee and small business owner Steve Kelly — sought their party's nomination. Kelly ultimately prevailed with 74 percent of the vote in the primary. In the general election, Rehberg won with almost 65 percent of the vote to Kelly's 33 percent, while Libertarian Mike Fellows received nearly 3 percent. Background Kelly, the Democratic nominee, had previously run for office as both an independent and a Republican, in 1994 running as an independent candidate for the US House and earning 9 percent of the vote, and in 1998 running as a candidate in the Republican primary for Gallatin County commissioner. He observed that his independent candidacy eight years earlier had displeased some Democrats, who felt that he pulled votes from the Democratic nominee. However, Kelly observed that the Democrat still won the race, so he was not a spoiler.Gransberry Jim Demo Hopeful Shoots for Upset http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2002/04/30/build/local/kelly.inc Billings Gazette June 24, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20020804093619/http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews%2F2002%2F04%2F30%2Fbuild%2Flocal%2Fkelly.inc August 4, 2002 April 30, 2002 live Democratic primary Candidates Robert Candee, rancher Steve Kelly, businessman and 1994 independent candidate for Congress Results Democratic primary resultsBrown Bob 2002 Statewide Primary Canvass https://sosmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/attachments/2002-PrimState.pdf?dt=1480457264103&dt=1480523087997&dt=1483636395345&dt=1484090685147&dt=1484090818653&dt=1484091059850&dt=1484092785123&dt=1484668556665&dt=1484676687552&dt=1485286813335&dt=1485286979901&dt=1491412807839&dt=1494348815885&dt=1494348873534&dt=1497553987845&dt=1497555053569&dt=1497555121034&dt=1497555299184&dt=1497892315130&dt=1519325848767 Montana Secretary of State June 24, 2021 PDF June 4, 2002 Steve Kelly Democratic Party (United States) 40,441 74.28% Robert Candee Democratic Party (United States) 14,003 25.72% 54,444 100.0% Republican primary Candidates Denny Rehberg, incumbent, former lieutenant governor of Montana (1990–1996), and 1996 Republican Senate nominee Results Republican primary results Denny Rehberg (incumbent) Republican Party (United States) 83,617 100% 83,617 100.0% General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball50 most competitive House races of 2002 http://www.centerforpolitics.org:80/crystalball/house-competitive.htm Sabato's Crystal Ball 6 November 2002 24 November 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20021106080608/http://www.centerforpolitics.org:80/crystalball/house-competitive.htm 6 November 2002Safe R November 4, 2002 New York Times2002 Senate, House and Governor Ratings https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/students/pop/articles/elections.html The New York Times 14 October 2002 21 December 2023 Safe R October 14, 2002 Campaign Rehberg won the endorsement of the Montana Teamsters Union, the first time in Montana history that the union endorsed a Republican statewide candidate.State: Historic First: Teamsters Endorse Rehberg For Congress http://www.gop.mcdd.net/modules.php?file=article&name=News&sid=122 Montana Republican Party June 24, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20020808105037/http://www.gop.mcdd.net/modules.php?file=article&name=News&sid=122 August 8, 2002 The candidates' first debate was held on June 22, at the annual convention of the Montana Newspaper Association.Jamison Michael House debate focuses on economy http://www.missoulian.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/June/23-850-news03.txt The Missoulian https://web.archive.org/web/20020803055546/http://www.missoulian.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=%2F2002%2FJune%2F23-850-news03.txt August 3, 2002 June 23, 2002 August 4, 2021 live Results Montana at-large congressional district election, 2002Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 2002 https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2002election.pdf U.S. Government Printing Office 25 Republican Party (United States) Denny Rehberg (inc.) 214,100 64.62 Democratic Party (United States) Steve D. Kelly 108,233 32.67 Libertarian Party (United States) Mike Fellows 8,988 2.71 331,321 100.00 Republican Party (United States) Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Missoula (largest city: Missoula) Cascade (largest city: Great Falls) Lewis and Clark (largest city: Helena) Rosebud (largest city: Colstrip) Roosevelt (largest city: Wolf Point) Hill (largest city: Havre) Blaine (largest city: Chinooko) Sheridan (largest city: Plentywood) Aftermath Kelly would go on to be the Green nominee for Senate in 2018, although he would be removed from the ballot prior to Election Day.Cates-Carney Corin Montana Green Party Removed From November Ballots https://www.mtpr.org/post/montana-green-party-removed-november-ballots Montana Public Radio June 24, 2021 July 10, 2018 References External links Denny Rehberg's campaign website (archived July 26, 2002) Steve Kelly's campaign website (archived July 26, 2002) Campaign finance information from Open Secrets 2000 elections United States House elections in Montana2002 2004 elections Category:2002 Montana elections Montana 2002