Political party strength in Montana

The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Montana:

The table also indicates the historical party composition in the:

For years in which a presidential election was held, the table indicates which party's nominees received the state's electoral votes.

Pre-statehood (1864–1889)

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Year Executive offices Territorial Legislature U.S. Congress
Governor Senate House Delegate
1864 Sidney Edgerton (R) [?] no such office
1865 Thomas Francis Meagher (D)[a] Samuel McLean (D)
1866 Green C. Smith (D)
1867 James M. Cavanaugh (D)
1868 James Tufts (R)[a]
1869 James Mitchell Ashley (R)
Wiley Scribner (R)[a]
1870 Benjamin F. Potts (R)
1871 William H. Clagett (R)
1872
1873 Martin Maginnis (D)
1882
1883 John Schuyler Crosby (R)
1884 B. Platt Carpenter (R)
1885 Samuel Thomas Hauser (D) Joseph Toole (D)
1886
1887 Preston Leslie (D)
1888
1889 Benjamin F. White (R) Thomas H. Carter (R)[b]

1889–1976

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Year Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress Electoral
votes
Governor Lt. Governor Secretary
of State
Attorney
General
Treasurer Auditor Supt. of
Pub. Inst.
Senate House Senator
(Class I)
Senator
(Class II)
House
1889 Joseph Toole (D) John E. Rickards (R) Louis Rotwitt (R) Henri J. Haskell (R) Richard O.
Hickman (R)
Edwin A.
Kenney (R)
John
Gannon
8D, 8R[c][1] 25R, 25D[d][1] Wilbur F. Sanders (R) Thomas C. Power (R) Thomas H.
Carter
(R)[b]
1890
1891 10D, 6R 28R, 27D William W.
Dixon
(D)
1892 Harrison/
Reid (R)  N
1893 John E. Rickards (R) Alexander Campbell
Botkin
(R)
Frederick W. Wright (R) Andrew B.
Cook (R)
Eugene A.
Steere (R)
9D, 7R 26D, 26R,
3Pop[e]
vacant[f] Charles S.
Hartman
(R)
1894
1895 13R, 5D,
2Pop, 1Fus
44R, 14Pop,
3D
Lee Mantle (R)[g] Thomas H. Carter (R)
1896 Lee Mantle (SvR) 2 – Bryan/
Sewall (D/Sv)  N
1 – Bryan/
Watson (Pop)  N
1897 Robert Burns Smith (D) Archibald E. Spriggs (D) Thomas S. Hogan (Pop) C. B. Nolan (D) Timothy E. Collins (D) Thomas W.
Poindexter Jr. (D)
Evans A.
Carleton (R)
12R, 8D,
3Pop
42D, 18Pop,
8R
1898
1899 17D, 6R,
1Pop
57D, 9R,
4SvR
William A. Clark (D)[h] Albert J.
Campbell
(D)
1900 vacant Bryan/
Stevenson (D)  N
1901 Joseph Toole (D)[i] Frank G. Higgins (D) George M. Hayes (D) James Donovan (D) A. H. Barret (D) James H.
Calderhead (Pop)
W. W.
Welch (D)
14D, 9R,
1Pop
28D, 23R, 8Lab,
6Pop, 5ID[j]
Paris Gibson (D) William A. Clark (D) Caldwell
Edwards
(Pop)
1902
1903 14D, 12R 47R, 11Lab,
8D, 6A-T
Joseph M.
Dixon
(R)
1904 Roosevelt/
Fairbanks (R)  Y
1905 Edwin L. Norris (D) Abraham N. Yoder (R)[k] Albert J. Galen (R) James H. Rice (R) Henry R.
Cunningham (R)
Wilfred E.
Harmon (R)
16R, 10D 38R, 24D,
7Lab, 3A-T
Thomas H. Carter (R)
1906
1907 18R, 9D 57R, 16D Joseph M. Dixon (R) Charles
Nelson
Pray
(R)
1908 Edwin L. Norris (D)[l] Benjamin F. White (R)[a] Taft/
Sherman (R)  Y
1909 William Allen (R) Elmer E. Esselstyn (R) 17R, 10D 38D, 33R
1910
1911 C. M.
McCoy
16R, 12D 42D, 32R Henry L. Myers (D)
1912 Thomas M. Swindlehurst (D) Wilson/
Marshall (D)  Y
1913 Sam V. Stewart (D) W. W. McDowell (D) Adelbert M. Alderson (D) Daniel M. Kelly (D) William C. Rae (D) William
Keating (D)
Henry A.
Davee (D)
17D, 13R,
2Prog
49D, 20R,
16Prog, 1Sv
Thomas J. Walsh (D)[k] 2D
1914
1915 Joseph Poindexter (D) 19R, 16D,
5Prog, 1I[m]
55D, 36R,
3Sv, 1I
1916
1917 Charles T. Stewart (R)[n] Sam C. Ford (R) H. L. Hart (R) Rufus G.
Poland (D)
May
Trumper (R)
28R, 13D 49D, 46R 1D, 1R
1918
1919 George P.
Porter (R)
31R, 12D 65R, 33D
1920 Harding/
Coolidge (R)  Y
1921 Joseph M. Dixon (R) Nelson Story Jr. (R) Wellington D. Rankin (R) J. W. Walker 41R, 13D 98R, 9D, 1I 2R
1922
1923 O. H. Junod (R) 38R, 16D 56R, 44D Burton K. Wheeler (D) 1D, 1R
1924 Coolidge/
Dawes (R)  Y
1925 John E. Erickson (D)[o] W. S. McCormack (R) L. A. Foot (R) Wilfred E. Harmon (R) 39R, 16D,
1FL
66R, 34D,
2FL
1926
1927 Robert N. Hawkins (D)[p] 40R, 15D,
1FL
61R, 39D,
2FL
William Powers[p]
1928 John W. Mountjoy (D) Hoover/
Curtis (R)  Y
1929 Frank A. Hazelbacker (R) William E. Harmon (R) F. E. Williams (R) Elizabeth
Ireland (R)
39R, 16D,
1FL
69R, 33D
1930
1931 41R, 15D 59R, 43D
1932 Roosevelt/
Garner (D)  Y
1933 Frank Henry Cooney (D) Sam W. Mitchell (D)[k] Raymond T. Nagle (D) James Brett (D) John J.
Holmes (D)
33R, 22D, 1I 72D, 30R John E. Erickson (D)[g] 2D
Frank Henry Cooney (D)[q][k] Tom Kane (R)[a]
1934
1935 Ernest T. Eaton (R)[a] 28D, 27R, 1I[r] 69D, 33R James E. Murray (D)
1936 Elmer Holt (D)[s] William R. Pilgeram (D)[a] Enor K. Matson (D)
1937 Roy E. Ayers (D) Hugh R. Adnair (D) Harrison J. Freebourn (D) Ray Shannon (D) Ruth
Reardon (D)
29D, 27R 81D, 21R
1938
1939 31D, 25R 58D, 44R 1D, 1R
1940 Roosevelt/
Wallace (D)  Y
1941 Sam C. Ford (R) Ernest T. Eaton (R) John W. Bonner (D) Thomas E. Carey (D) Elizabeth
Ireland (R)
35R, 21D 55D, 47R
1942 Howard M. Gullickson (D)
1943 R. V. Bottomly (D) 37R, 19D 51R, 39D 2D
1944 T. H. MacDonald (R) Roosevelt/
Truman (D)  Y
1945 George P. Porter (R) 39R, 17D 53R, 37D 1D, 1R
1946
1947 41R, 15D 58R, 31D, 1ID Zales Ecton (R)
1948 Truman/
Barkley (D)  Y
1949 John W. Bonner (D) Paul Cannon (D) Arnold Olsen (D) Neil Fisher (D)[k] Mary M.
Condon (D)
31R, 23D, 2I 54D, 36R
1950 Alta E. Fisher (D)
1951 John E. Henry (R) 28R, 26D, 2I 49R, 41D
1952 Eisenhower/
Nixon (R)  Y
1953 J. Hugo Aronson (R) George M. Gosman (R) Charles L. Sheridan (R)[k] 36R, 20D 62R, 32D Mike Mansfield (D)
1954 Edna Hinman (R)
1955 33R, 23D 49D, 45R
1956 S. C. Arnold (R)[g]
1957 Paul Cannon (D) Frank Murray (D) Forrest H. Anderson (D) Horace Casey (D) Harriet
Miller
(R)
31D, 25R 59D, 35R 2D
1958
1959 38D, 17R, 1I 61D, 31R, 2I
1960 Nixon/
Lodge (R)  N
1961 Donald G. Nutter (R)[k] Tim Babcock (R) Edna Hinman (R) 54R, 40D Lee Metcalf (D)[k] 1D, 1R
1962 Tim Babcock (R)[l] David F. James (R)[a] E. V. "Sonny"
Omholt (R)
1963 35D, 21R 57R, 37D
1964 Johnson/
Humphrey (D)  Y
1965 Ted James (R) Henry H. Anderson (D) Harriet Miller (D) 32D, 24R 56D, 38R
1966
1967 30D, 25R 64R, 40D
1968 Nixon/
Agnew (R)  Y
1969 Forrest H. Anderson (D) Thomas Lee Judge (D) Robert L. Woodahl (R) Alex B. Stephenson (R) Dolores
Colburg (D)
58R, 46D 2D
1970
1971 55R, 49D 1D, 1R
1972
1973 Thomas Lee Judge (D) Bill Christiansen (D) Hollis Connors (R) 27D, 23R 54D, 46R
1974
1975 30D, 20R 67D, 33R 2D
1976 Ford/
Dole (R)  N

1977–present

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Year Executive offices State Legislature United States Congress Electoral
votes
Governor Lt. Governor Secretary
of State
Attorney
General
Auditor Supt. of
Pub. Inst.
Senate House Senator
(Class I)
Senator
(Class II)
House
1977 Thomas Lee
Judge
(D)
Ted Schwinden (D) Frank Murray (D) Mike Greely (D) E. V. "Sonny"
Omholt (R)
Georgia Ruth
Rice (D)
25D, 25R[t] 57D, 43R John Melcher (D) Paul G.
Hatfield
(D)[g]
1D, 1R
1978
1979 26R, 24D 55D, 45R Max Baucus (D)[u]
1980 Ronald Reagan/
George H. W. Bush (R)  Y
1981 Ted Schwinden (D) George Turman (D)[p] Jim Waltermire (R)[k] Ed Argenbright (R) 28R, 22D 57R, 43D
1982
1983 26R, 24D 55D, 45R
1984
1985 Andrea Bennett (R) 28D, 22R 50D, 50R[v]
1986
1987 25D, 25R[w] 51R, 49D
1988 Gordon McOmber (D)[g] Verner Bertelsen (R)[g] George H. W. Bush/
Dan Quayle (R)  Y
1989 Stan Stephens (R) Allen Kolstad (R)[x] Mike Cooney (D) Marc Racicot (R) Nancy Keenan (D) 27R, 23D 52D, 48R Conrad Burns (R)
1990
1991 Denny Rehberg (R)[g] 29D, 21R 61D, 39R
1992 Bill Clinton/
Al Gore (D)  Y
1993 Marc Racicot (R) Joseph P. Mazurek (D) Mark O'Keefe (D) 30D, 20R 53R, 47D Pat Williams (D)
1994
1995 31R, 19D 67R, 33D
1996 Bob Dole/
Jack Kemp (R)  N
1997 Judy Martz (R) 34R, 16D 65R, 35D Rick Hill (R)
1998
1999 32R, 18D 59R, 41D
2000 George W. Bush/
Dick Cheney (R)  Y
2001 Judy Martz (R) Karl Ohs (R) Bob Brown (R) Mike McGrath (D) John Morrison (D) Linda McCulloch (D) 31R, 19D 58R, 42D Denny Rehberg (R)
2002
2003 29R, 21D 53R, 47D
2004
2005 Brian Schweitzer (D)[y] John Bohlinger (R)[y] Brad Johnson (R) 27D, 23R 50D, 50R[t]
2006
2007 26D, 24R 50R, 49D, 1C[z] Jon Tester (D)
2008 John McCain/
Sarah Palin (R)  N
2009 Linda McCulloch (D) Steve Bullock (D) Monica Lindeen (D) Denise Juneau (D) 27R, 23D 50D, 50R[t]
2010
2011 28R, 22D 68R, 32D
2012 Mitt Romney/
Paul Ryan (R)  N
2013 Steve Bullock (D) John Walsh (D) Tim Fox (R) 29R, 21D 61R, 39D Steve Daines (R)
2014 Angela McLean (D) John Walsh (D)[g]
2015 59R, 41D Steve Daines (R) Ryan Zinke (R)[aa]
2016 Mike Cooney (D) Donald Trump/
Mike Pence (R)  Y
2017 Corey Stapleton (R) Matt Rosendale (R) Elsie Arntzen (R) 32R, 18D Greg Gianforte (R)
2018
2019 30R, 20D 58R, 42D
2020 Donald Trump/
Mike Pence (R)  N
2021 Greg Gianforte (R) Kristen Juras (R) Christi Jacobsen (R) Austin Knudsen (R) Troy Downing (R) 31R, 19D 67R, 33D Matt Rosendale (R)
2022
2023 34R, 16D 68R, 32D 2R
2024 Donald Trump/
JD Vance (R)  Y
2025 James Brown (R) 32R, 18D 57R, 43D Tim Sheehy (R)
Key to party colors and abbreviations for members of the U.S. Congress and other politicians or officials
Alaskan Independence (AKIP)
Know Nothing (KN)
American Labor (AL)
Anti-Jacksonian (Anti-J)
National Republican (NR)
Anti-Administration (AA)
Anti-Masonic (Anti-M)
Conservative (Con)
Covenant (Cov)
Democratic (D)
Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL)
Democratic–NPL (D-NPL)
Dixiecrat (Dix),
States' Rights (SR)
Democratic-Republican (DR)
Farmer–Labor (FL)
Federalist (F)
Pro-Administration (PA)
Free Soil (FS)
Fusion (Fus)
Greenback (GB)
Independence (IPM)
Independent Democrat (ID)
Independent Republican (IR)
Jacksonian (J)
Liberal (Lib)
Libertarian (L)
National Union (NU)
Nonpartisan League (NPL)
Nullifier (N)
Opposition Northern (O)
Opposition Southern (O)
Populist (Pop)
Progressive (Prog)
Prohibition (Proh)
Readjuster (Rea)
Republican (R)
Silver (Sv)
Silver Republican (SvR)
Socialist (Soc)
Union (U)
Unconditional Union (UU)
Vermont Progressive (VP)
Whig (W)
Independent (I)
Nonpartisan (NP)
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Acting.
  2. ^ a b Delegate from Montana Territory until November 8, when Carter was elected U.S. Representative upon Montana statehood.
  3. ^ With a Republican Lt. Governor, the GOP organized the chamber. There was no President Pro Tempore that session.
  4. ^ There were five contested seats from Silver Bow County, and due to a lack of a contested election resolution mechanism, the Republicans and Democrats each organized their own House with the contested members of both parties from Silver Bow joining their respective parties in those chambers, and both sent bills to the Senate.
  5. ^ A coalition of Democrats and Populists elected a Populist, Thomas Matthews, as Speaker and organized the chamber.
  6. ^ Legislature failed to elect a Senator at the beginning of the 53rd United States Congress.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Initially appointed to fill a vacancy.
  8. ^ Resigned May 15, 1900 to avoid claim of election fraud.
  9. ^ Resigned due to declining health.
  10. ^ A coalition of Democrats, Labor, Populists, and Independent Democrats chose a Democrat, Frank Corbett, as Speaker, and organized the chamber.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i Died in office.
  12. ^ a b As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
  13. ^ A coalition of Republicans and Progressives elected a Republican, John Edwards, as President Pro Tempore and organized the chamber.
  14. ^ Impeached and then resigned.
  15. ^ Resigned so that his successor could appoint him to the United States Senate.
  16. ^ a b c Resigned.
  17. ^ As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
  18. ^ A bipartisan coalition elected a Republican, Ernest T. Eaton, as President Pro Tempore, and organized the chamber on a bipartisan basis. In practice, Eaton served as President of the Senate, and as such Lt. Governor, as the previous one, Frank Cooney was serving as Governor. After session, Eaton resigned, and the position of President of the Senate and Lt. Governor was filled by Democrat Elmer Holt.
  19. ^ As President of the State Senate, filled unexpired term. The Speaker of the House, William Pilgeram, took up his previous position of Lt. Governor.
  20. ^ a b c Party control granted to governor's party in the event of a tied house of the legislature.
  21. ^ Resigned February 6, 2014 in anticipation of being appointed United States Ambassador to China.
  22. ^ By statute, in the event of a tie chamber, the party of the Governor receives the Speakership. However, the committees and administration of the chamber and its committees were organized on a 50-50 basis, with an equal number of chairmen and members of both parties.[2]
  23. ^ By statute, in the event of a tie chamber, the party of the Governor receives the Presidency. However, the committees and administration of the chamber and its committees were organized on a 50-50 basis, with an equal number of chairmen and members of both parties.[2]
  24. ^ Resigned to take a presidential appointment to the International Boundary Commission.
  25. ^ a b Elected on bipartisan ticket.
  26. ^ Constitution Party member caucused with Republicans.
  27. ^ Resigned March 2017 to become the United States Secretary of the Interior.

References

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  1. ^ a b [1] Archived 2017-07-02 at the Wayback Machine Majority and Minority Party Numbers 1889 - Present
  2. ^ a b Loepp, Daniel (1999). Sharing the Balance of Power: An Examination of Shared Power in the Michigan House of Representatives, 1993-94. University of Michigan Press. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-472-09702-9.

See also

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