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 70% of the vote and carrying every county in the state, despite RepublicanJohn McCain's narrow victory in the state in the concurrent presidential election. Baucus was later appointed as the United States Ambassador to China on February 6, 2014, having already announced his intention to retire at the end of term on April 23, 2013.
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.[2]
Bob Kelleher (R), attorney and perennial candidate
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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.[3] He received no support from the Montana Republican Party.[4]
^ abBrown, Bob (June 4, 2002). (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 11, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
^Gouras, Matt (March 26, 2008). "Recors Show Baucus Challenger has Outstanding Warrant in Indiana". Flathead Beacon. from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
^McKee, Jennifer (June 5, 2008). "16th time a charm for veteran candidate". from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
^Johnson, Chuck. "Frequent candidate Kelleher dies at 88". from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
^"2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23, 2008". The Cook Political Report. from the original on June 25, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^. CQ Politics. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
^"2008 Senate ratings". Inside Elections. from the original on June 25, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
^"2008 RCP Averages & Senate Results". Real Clear Politics. from the original on October 2, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
^"Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives". from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
Election 2008 full National coverage from The Missoulian
Official campaign websites (Archived)
December 15, 2023
2008, united, states, senate, election, montana, held, november, 2008, incumbent, senator, baucus, election, sixth, term, landslide, winning, more, than, vote, carrying, every, county, state, despite, republican, john, mccain, narrow, victory, state, concurren. 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 70 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 was later appointed as the United States Ambassador to China on February 6 2014 having already announced his intention to retire at the end of term on April 23 2013 2008 United States Senate election in Montana 2002 November 4 2008 2014 Nominee Max Baucus Bob KelleherParty Democratic RepublicanPopular vote 345 937 128 762Percentage 72 9 27 1 County resultsBaucus 50 60 60 70 70 80 80 90 U S senator before electionMax BaucusDemocratic Elected U S Senator Max BaucusDemocraticAs of 2023 this is the last time a Democrat was elected to the Class 2 Senate seat in Montana Contents 1 Background 2 Democratic primary 2 1 Candidates 2 2 Results 3 Republican primary 3 1 Candidates 3 2 Campaign 3 3 Results 4 General election 4 1 Candidates 4 2 Campaign 4 3 Predictions 4 4 Polling 4 5 Results 4 5 1 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksBackground editMontana 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 Democratic primary editCandidates edit Max Baucus incumbent U S SenatorResults edit Democratic primary results 1 Party Candidate Votes Democratic Max Baucus incumbent 165 050 100 00 Total votes 165 050 100 00 Republican primary editCandidates edit Kirk Bushman businessman Bob Kelleher attorney and perennial candidate Michael Lange State Representative Patty Lovaas accountant Anton Pearson rancher Garnett Shay engineerCampaign edit 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 2 Results edit Republican primary results 1 Party Candidate Votes Republican Bob Kelleher 26 936 36 32 Republican Michael Lange 17 044 22 98 Republican Kirk Bushman 15 507 20 91 Republican Patty Lovaas 7 632 10 29 Republican Anton Pearson 4 257 5 74 Republican Garnett Shay 2 788 3 76 Total votes 74 164 100 00 General election editCandidates edit Max Baucus D incumbent U S Senator Bob Kelleher R attorney and perennial candidateCampaign edit 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 3 He received no support from the Montana Republican Party 4 Predictions edit Source Ranking As ofThe Cook Political Report 5 Safe D October 23 2008CQ Politics 6 Safe D October 31 2008Rothenberg Political Report 7 Safe D November 2 2008Real Clear Politics 8 Safe D November 4 2008Polling edit Poll Source Dates administered MaxBaucus D BobKelleher R Rasmussen Reports September 7 2008 64 31 Public Policy Polling November 2 2008 71 26 Results edit General election results 9 Party Candidate Votes Democratic Max Baucus incumbent 348 289 72 92 10 18 Republican Bob Kelleher 129 369 27 08 4 65 Total votes 477 658 100 00 N ADemocratic holdCounties that flipped from Republican to Democratic edit Carter largest city Ekalaka Sweet Grass largest city Big Timber See also edit2008 United States Senate elections 2008 Montana gubernatorial electionReferences edit a b Brown Bob June 4 2002 2002 Statewide Primary Canvass PDF Archived from the original PDF on January 11 2011 Retrieved April 22 2011 Gouras Matt March 26 2008 Recors Show Baucus Challenger has Outstanding Warrant in Indiana Flathead Beacon Archived from the original on July 26 2011 Retrieved June 13 2010 McKee Jennifer June 5 2008 16th time a charm for veteran candidate Archived from the original on September 18 2008 Retrieved July 2 2008 Johnson Chuck Frequent candidate Kelleher dies at 88 Archived from the original on June 4 2011 Retrieved September 10 2012 2008 Senate Race ratings for October 23 2008 The Cook Political Report Archived from the original on June 25 2021 Retrieved April 1 2021 Race Ratings Chart Senate CQ Politics Archived from the original on October 28 2010 Retrieved April 16 2023 2008 Senate ratings Inside Elections Archived from the original on June 25 2021 Retrieved April 1 2021 2008 RCP Averages amp Senate Results Real Clear Politics Archived from the original on October 2 2021 Retrieved August 31 2021 Office of the Clerk U S House of Representatives Archived from the original on June 29 2011 Retrieved April 22 2011 External links edit2008 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 Bob Kelleher for U S Senate Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2008 United States Senate election in Montana amp oldid 1187635792, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
