2018 Montana Senate election

An election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect 25 members to Montana's Senate. The election coincided with elections for other offices, including the U.S Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and state house. The primary election was held on June 2, 2018.[1]

2018 Montana Senate election

← 2016 November 6, 2018 (2018-11-06) 2020 →

25 seats in the Montana Senate
26 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Scott Sales Jon Sesso
Party Republican Democratic
Leader since January 2, 2017 January 5, 2015
Leader's seat 35th-Bozeman 37th-Butte
Last election 32 18
Seats won 30 20
Seat change Decrease2 Increase2
Popular vote 128,760 99,828
Percentage 54.76% 42.45%

Results:
     Democratic gain
     Republican hold      Democratic hold
     No election

Senate President before election

Scott Sales
Republican

Elected Senate President

Scott Sales
Republican

Results summary

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Party Candi-
dates
Votes Seats
No. % No. +/– %
Republican Party 23 128,760 54.76% 30  2 60
Democratic Party 21 99,828 42.45% 20  2 40
Independent 1 4,274 1.82% 0   0
Libertarian Party 5 2,292 0.97% 0   0
Total 50 235,154 100% 50   100
Senate seats
Republican
60%
Democratic
40%
Popular vote
Republican
54.756%
Democratic
42.452%
Independent
1.818%
Libertarian
0.975%

Close races

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Districts where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. District 14, 1.48%
  2. District 12, 2.9%
  3. District 49, 3.18%
  4. District 32, 3.59% gain
  5. District 24, 7.98%
  6. District 30, 8.84%
  7. District 13, 9.26%

Incumbents defeated in the primary election

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Incumbents defeated in the general election

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Open seats that changed parties

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Summary of results by State Senate District

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State Senate District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
Montana 1 Chas Vincent Rep Mike Cuffe Rep
Montana 4 Mark Blasdel Rep Mark Blasdel Rep
Montana 5 Bob Keenan Rep Bob Keenan Rep
Montana 8 Lea Whitford Dem Susan Webber Dem
Montana 9 Llew Jones Rep Bruce Gillespie Rep
Montana 11 Edward Buttrey Rep Tom Jacobson Dem
Montana 12 Carlie Boland Dem Carlie Boland Dem
Montana 13 Brian Hoven Rep Brian Hoven Rep
Montana 14 Russel Tempel Rep Russel Tempel Rep
Montana 19 Eric Moore Rep Kenneth Bogner Rep
Montana 20 Duane Ankney Rep Duane Ankney Rep
Montana 22 Douglas Kary Rep Douglas Kary Rep
Montana 24 Mary McNally Dem Mary McNally Dem
Montana 27 Cary Smith Rep Cary Smith Rep
Montana 29 David Howard Rep David Howard Rep
Montana 30 Nels Swandal Rep John Esp Rep
Montana 32 Jedediah Hinkle Rep Pat Flowers Dem
Montana 33 Jennifer Pomnichowski Dem Jennifer Pomnichowski Dem
Montana 34 Gordon Vance Rep Gordon Vance Rep
Montana 41 Mary Caferro Dem Janet Ellis Dem
Montana 42 Jill Cohenour Dem Jill Cohenour Dem
Montana 43 Pat Connell Rep Jason Ellsworth Rep
Montana 48 Nate McConnell Dem Nate McConnell Dem
Montana 49 Diane Sands Dem Diane Sands Dem
Montana 50 Tom Facey Dem Bryce Bennett Dem

Detailed results

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[2]

Districts 1–22

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District 1

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Incumbent Republican Chas Vincent has represented the 1st district since 2011. Vincent was term-limited and couldn't seek re-election.

Montana Senate 1st district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Cuffe 7,333 83.17%
Libertarian Austen Lee Nelson 1,484 16.83%
Total votes 8,817 100%
Republican hold

District 4

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Incumbent Republican Mark Blasdel has represented the 4th district since 2014.

Montana Senate 4th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Blasdel (incumbent) 5,626 64.50%
Democratic Diane Taylor-Manhke 3,097 35.50%
Total votes 8,723 100%
Republican hold

District 5

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Incumbent Republican Bob Keenan has represented the 4th district since 2015.

Montana Senate 5th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bob Keenan (incumbent) 8,048 100%
Total votes 8,048 100%
Republican hold

District 8

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Incumbent Democrat Lea Whitford has represented the 8th district since 2015. Whitford didn't seek re-election.

Montana Senate 8th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Susan Webber 5,443 100%
Total votes 5,443 100%
Democratic hold

District 9

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Incumbent Republican Llew Jones has represented the 9th district since 2011. Jones was term-limited and successfully ran for a seat in the state house.

Montana Senate 9th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bruce Gillespie 6,347 73.25%
Democratic Kurt J. Dyer 2,318 26.75%
Total votes 8,665 100%
Republican hold

District 11

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Incumbent Republican Edward Buttrey has represented the 11th district and its predecessors since 2011. Buttrey was term-limited and successfully ran for a seat in the state house. State Representative Tom Jacobson, a Democrat, won the open seat.

Montana Senate 11th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Jacobson 4,706 57.50%
Republican Adam Rosendale 3,478 42.50%
Total votes 8,184 100%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 12

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Incumbent Democrat Carlie Boland has represented the 12th district since 2017.

Montana Senate 12th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carlie Boland (incumbent) 3,680 51.45%
Republican Steven Galloway 3,472 48.55%
Total votes 7,152 100%
Democratic hold

District 13

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Incumbent Republican Brian Hoven has represented the 13th district since 2015.

Montana Senate 13th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Brian Hoven (incumbent) 3,315 53.22%
Democratic Bob Moretti 2,738 43.96%
Libertarian Kevin Vincent Leatherbar Row 176 2.83%
Total votes 6,229 100%
Republican hold

District 14

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Incumbent Republican Russel Tempel has represented the 14th district since 2017.

Montana Senate 14th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Russel Tempel (incumbent) 4,526 50.74%
Democratic Paul Tuss 4,394 49.26%
Total votes 8,920 100%
Republican hold

District 19

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Incumbent Republican Eric Moore has represented the 19th district and its predecessors since 2011. Moore was term-limited and successfully ran for a seat in the state house.

Montana Senate 19th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kenneth Bogner 7,334 80.85%
Democratic Mary Zeiss Stange 1,737 19.15%
Total votes 9,071 100%
Republican hold

District 20

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Incumbent Republican Duane Ankney has represented the 20th district since 2015.

Montana Senate 20th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Duane Ankney (incumbent) 8,226 100%
Total votes 8,226 100%
Republican hold

District 22

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Incumbent Republican Douglas Kary has represented the 22nd district since 2015.

Montana Senate 22nd district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Douglas Kary (incumbent) 5,120 60.46%
Democratic Jennifer Merecki 3,349 39.54%
Total votes 8,469 100%
Republican hold

Districts 24–50

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District 24

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Incumbent Democrat Mary McNally has represented the 24th district since 2015.

Montana Senate 24th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mary McNally (incumbent) 4,608 53.99%
Republican Tom McGillvray 3,927 46.01%
Total votes 8,535 100%
Democratic hold

District 27

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Incumbent Republican Cary Smith has represented the 27th district since 2015.

Montana Senate 27th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cary Smith (incumbent) 8,671 68.11%
Democratic Bryan Stafford 4,060 31.89%
Total votes 12,731 100%
Republican hold

District 29

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Incumbent Republican David Howard has represented the 29th district since 2015.

Montana Senate 29th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican David Howard (incumbent) 7,351 66.83%
Democratic Elizabeth (Betsy) Scanlin 3,649 33.17%
Total votes 11,000 100%
Republican hold

District 30

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Incumbent Republican Nels Swandal has represented the 30th district since 2015. Swandal didn't seek re-election.

Montana Senate 30th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Esp 6,254 53.16%
Democratic Dan Vermillion 5,214 44.32%
Libertarian Frank McClain 296 2.52%
Total votes 11,764 100%
Republican hold

District 32

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Incumbent Republican Jedediah Hinkle has represented the 32nd district since 2014. He lost re-election to Democrat Pat Flowers.

Montana Senate 32nd district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pat Flowers 5,979 50.38%
Republican Jedediah Hinkle (incumbent) 5,552 46.79%
Libertarian Francis Wendt 336 2.83%
Total votes 11,867 100%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 33

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Incumbent Democrat Jennifer Pomnichowski has represented the 33rd district since 2015.

Montana Senate 33rd district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jennifer Pomnichowski (incumbent) 9,627 100%
Total votes 9,627 100%
Democratic hold

District 34

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Incumbent Republican Gordon Vance has represented the 34th district since 2015.

Montana Senate 34th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Gordon Vance (incumbent) 6,395 64.79%
Democratic Sam Newville 3,475 35.21%
Total votes 9,870 100%
Republican hold

District 41

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Incumbent Democrat Mary Caferro has represented the 41st district and its predecessors since 2011. Caferro was term-limited and successfully ran for a seat in the state house. State representative Janet Ellis won the open seat.

Montana Senate 41st district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janet Ellis 6,065 57.76%
Republican John Schmidt 4,436 42.24%
Total votes 10,501 100%
Democratic hold

District 42

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Incumbent Democrat Jill Cohenour has represented the 43rd district since 2015.

Montana Senate 42nd district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jill Cohenour (incumbent) 5,556 57.07%
Republican Bob Leach 4,180 42.93%
Total votes 9,736 100%
Democratic hold

District 43

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Incumbent Republican Pat Connell has represented the 43rd district since 2015. Connell lost re-nomination to fellow Republican Jason Ellsworth.

Montana Senate 43rd district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jason Ellsworth 6,990 62.06%
Independent Laura Garber 4,274 37.94%
Total votes 11,264 100%
Republican hold

District 48

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Incumbent Democrat Nate McConnell has represented the 48th district since 2018.

Montana Senate 48th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nate McConnell (incumbent) 6,427 62.76%
Republican Adam S. Pummill 3,813 37.24%
Total votes 10,240 100%
Democratic hold

District 49

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Incumbent Democrat Diane Sands has represented the 49th district since 2015.

Montana Senate 49th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Diane Sands (incumbent) 5,579 51.59%
Republican Chase Reynolds 5,236 48.41%
Total votes 10,815 100%
Democratic hold

District 50

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Incumbent Democrat Tom Facey has represented the 50th district and its predecessors since 2011. Facey was term-limited and couldn't seek re-election. State Representative Bryce Bennett won the open seat.

Montana Senate 50th district general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bryce Bennett 8,127 72.20%
Republican Niki Sardot 3,130 27.80%
Total votes 11,257 100%
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ "Montana State Senate elections, 2018". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  2. ^ "Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton 2018 Legislative General election canvass" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved March 12, 2022.