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Montana State Senate elections, 2014

Majority control •Qualifications

List of candidatesDistrict 1 •District 4 •District 5 •District 8 •District 9 •District 11 •District 12 •District 13 •District 14 •District 19 •District 20 •District 22 •District 24 •District 27 •District 29 •District 30 •District 32 •District 33 •District 34 •District 41 •District 42 •District 43 •District 48 •District 49 •District 50

State Legislative Election Results

Montana State Senate •2014 Montana House Elections

State legislative elections in 2014

Elections for theMontana State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014, and a general election took place onNovember 4, 2014. Thesignature filing deadline for major party candidates wishing to run in this election was March 10, 2014; minor party and independent candidates had until June 2, 2014, to file.

Montana, like many other states, saw a divide between two groups of the Republican caucus in theState Legislature. Most pronounced in the State Senate, moderate Republicans, calling themselves "Responsible Republicans," regularly split from conservative leadership to side with Democrats. Most notably, the moderate Republicans sided with the Democratic minority on key issues such as campaign spending law changes, school funding legislation and state employee pension reform.^[1]

Leaders on the conservative end of the Republican Party recruited candidates to present primary challenges to moderate Republicans. Many districts lean heavily Republican, meaning the battle over ideas took place in the primary election rather than the general election.^[1] Montana had just three Senate districts and seven House districts where the margin of victory was 5 percent or less in the general election.^[2][3]

Following the general election, there was no change to the majority control of theMontana State Senate. Both Democrats and Republicans saw no net change to their seats controlled. The Republicans continued to hold 29 seats in the chamber, and the Democrats maintained their 21 seats.

Incumbents retiring

A total of 11 incumbents did not run for re-election in 2014. Those incumbents were:

Name	Party	Current Office
Jon Sonju	Republican	Senate District 4
Verdell Jackson	Republican	Senate District 5
Shannon Augare	Democratic	Senate District 8
Anders Blewett	Democratic	Senate District 11
Mitch Tropila	Democratic	Senate District 12
Edward Walker	Republican	Senate District 29
Jason Priest	Republican	Senate District 30
Larry Jent	Democratic	Senate District 32
Art Wittich	Republican	Senate District 34
Dave Lewis	Republican	Senate District 42
David Wanzenried	Democratic	Senate District 49

Majority control

See also:Partisan composition of state senates

Heading into the November 4 election, the Republican Party held the majority in theMontana State Senate:

Qualifications

To be eligible to serve in theMontana State Senate, a candidate must be:^[4]

• A resident of the state for at least one year next preceding the general election
• A resident of the county for six months preceding the general election if it contains one or more districts or of the district if it contains all or parts of more than one county.

2014 Competitiveness Overview
Primary competition (state comparison)
Incumbents defeated •Victorious challengers • Primary competitiveness
Major party challengers (state comparison)
Candidates with no challenges at all in 2014
Open seats (state comparisons)
Impact of term limits on # of open seats Long-serving senators •Long-serving reps
Chart Comparing 2014 Results
Chart Comparing 2014 Results •Comparisons Between Years
Competitiveness Index •Absolute Index
2014 State Legislative Elections State legislative incumbent turnover in 2014
Competitiveness Studies from Other Years
2007 •2009 •2010 •2011 •2012 •2013

Competitiveness

Candidates unopposed by a major party

In 2 (8.0%) of the 25 districts up for election, there was only one major party candidate running for election. A total of two Democrats were guaranteed election in November barring unforeseen circumstances.

Two major party candidates faced off in the general election in 23 of the 25 districts up for election.

Primary challenges

A total of two incumbents faced primary competition on June 3. Eleven incumbents did not seek re-election in 2014 and another seven incumbents advanced past the primary without opposition. The state senators facing primary competition included:

• District 9: IncumbentLlew Jones (R) defeatedJoseph Large.
• District 43: IncumbentScott Boulanger (R)was defeated byHouse District 87 incumbentPat Connell.

Retiring incumbents

Eleven incumbent representatives did not run for re-election, while seven (28.0%) ran for re-election. A list of those incumbents, five Democrats and six Republicans, can be foundabove.

List of candidates

District 1

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Terence Gill: 1,041a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Chas Vincent: 2,980a - Incumbent Vincent first assumed office in 2011.

November 4 General election candidates:

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Terence Gill: 1,666

Chas Vincent: 5,583

District 4

Note: IncumbentJon Sonju (R) did not seek re-election.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Elizabeth Cummings: 533a

Note: Cummings withdrew following the primary;Diane Taylor, who had been running for thestate House, was nominated as her replacement.^[5]

June 3 Republican primary:

• Mark Blasdel: 1,751a
• Tammi Fisher: 875

November 4 General election candidates:

Diane Taylor: 1,836

Mark Blasdel: 3,960

District 5

Note: IncumbentVerdell Jackson (R) did not seek re-election due to term limits.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Daniel King: 587a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Bob Keenan: 2,709a

November 4 General election candidates:

Daniel King: 1,809

Bob Keenan: 5,129

District 8

Note: IncumbentShannon Augare (D) did not seek re-election.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Lea Whitford: 1,703a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Liane Johnson: 743a

November 4 General election candidates:

Lea Whitford: 2,713

Liane Johnson: 1,295

District 9

Note: IncumbentRick Ripley (R), who was not up for re-election, was reassigned to District 10 by redistricting.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• David Brownell: 510a
• Joan Graham: 498

June 3 Republican primary:

• Llew Jones: 3,234a - Incumbent Jones first assumed office in 2011.
• Joseph Large: 1,288

November 4 General election candidates:

David Brownell: 1,801

Llew Jones: 5,647

District 11

Note: IncumbentAnders Blewett (D) did not seek re-election.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Vonnie Brown: 1,710a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Ed Buttrey: 1,651a - Incumbent Buttrey first assumed office in 2011.

November 4 General election candidates:

Vonnie Brown: 2,988

Ed Buttrey: 3,494

District 12

Note: IncumbentMitch Tropila (D) ran forMontana House District 26 due to term limits.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Mary Sheehy Moe: 1,748a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Sheridan Buck: 1,425a

November 4 General election candidates:

Mary Sheehy Moe: 3,010

Sheridan Buck: 2,596

District 13

Note: IncumbentEd Buttrey (R) won re-election in District 11.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Carlie Boland: 1,309a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Brian Hoven: 1,177a

November 4 General election candidates:

Carlie Boland: 2,283

Brian Hoven: 2,385

District 14

Note: IncumbentLlew Jones (R) won re-election in District 9.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Greg Jergeson: 1,235a - Incumbent Jergeson first assumed office in 2013.

June 3 Republican primary:

• Kris Hansen: 1,746a
• Carl Mattson: 931

November 4 General election candidates:

Greg Jergeson: 3,196

Kris Hansen: 4,080

District 19

Note: IncumbentMatthew Rosendale (R), who was not up for re-election and was reassigned to District 17 by redistricting, ran forCongress.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Bill McChesney: 845a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Frederick "Eric" Moore: 3,159a - Incumbent Moore first assumed office in 2011.

November 4 General election candidates:

Bill McChesney: 2,438

Frederick "Eric" Moore: 5,222

District 20

Note: IncumbentFrederick "Eric" Moore (R) ran in District 19.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Rod Mogena

June 3 Republican primary:

• Duane Ankney: 2,239a
• Barry Usher: 1,636

November 4 General election candidates:

Hod O'Donnell: 1,447

Duane Ankney: 6,279

Note: Mogen withdrew before the general election. O'Donnell was appointed as his replacement.

District 22

Note: IncumbentTaylor Brown (R), who was not up for re-election, was reassigned to District 28 by redistricting.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Steven Fugate: 1,124a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Doug Kary: 2,414a

November 4 General election candidates:

Steven Fugate: 2,280

Doug Kary: 4,106

District 24

Note: IncumbentRoger Webb (R), who was not up for re-election, was reassigned to District 23 by redistricting.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Kendall Van Dyk: 1,610a - Incumbent Van Dyk first assumed office in 2011.

Note: Van Dyk suspended his campaign, but remained on the primary ballot.^[6]Mary McNally was named as a replacement candidate following the primary.

June 3 Republican primary:

• Rodney Garcia: 552
• Tonya Shellnutt: 1,162a
• Keith Winkler: 464

November 4 General election candidates:

Mary McNally: 3,581

Tonya Shellnutt: 3,049

District 27

Note: IncumbentElsie Arntzen (R), who was not up for re-election and was reassigned to District 26 by redistricting, ran forCongress.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Eric Johnson: 1,208a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Donald Roberts: 1,752
• Cary Smith: 2,673a

November 4 General election candidates:

Eric Johnson: 2,506

Cary Smith: 6,351

District 29

Note: IncumbentEdward Walker (R) did not seek re-election.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Elli Elliott: 937a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Joanne Blyton: 1,696
• David Howard: 1,823a

November 4 General election candidates:

Elli Elliott: 2,879

David Howard: 5,605

District 30

Note: IncumbentJason Priest (R) did not seek re-election.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Mary Murphy: 1,165a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Nels Swandal: 3,273a

November 4 General election candidates:

Mary Murphy: 2,684

Nels Swandal: 5,861

District 32

Note: IncumbentLarry Jent (D) did not seek re-election due to term limits.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Franke Wilmer: 749a

Note:Harry Pennington was removed from the ballot before the primary.

June 3 Republican primary:

• Jedediah Hinkle: 1,069a
• Bruce Robertson: 821

November 4 General election candidates:

Franke Wilmer: 3,030

Jedediah Hinkle: 3,840

District 33

Note: IncumbentMike Phillips (D), who was not up for re-election, was reassigned to District 31 by redistricting.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• JP Pomnichowski: 1,170a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Bryan Rogan: 991a

Libertarian candidate:

• Joan Stanleya

November 4 General election candidates:

JP Pomnichowski: 4,012

Bryan Rogan: 2,474

Joan Stanley: 451

District 34

Note: IncumbentScott Sales (R), who was not up for re-election, was reassigned to District 35 by redistricting. IncumbentArt Wittich (R) withdrew from the primary and filed to run inHouse District 68, winning election.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Michael Comstock: 186
• April Buonamici: 535a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Gordon Vance: 1,181a
• Ted Washburn: 1,033

November 4 General election candidates:

April Buonamici: 1,963

Gordon Vance: 4,518

District 41

Note: IncumbentChristine Kaufmann (D), who was not up for re-election, was reassigned to District 40 by redistricting.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Mary Caferro: 2,291a - Incumbent Caferro first assumed office in 2011.

June 3 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Mary Caferro

District 42

Note: IncumbentDave Lewis (R) did not seek re-election due to term limits.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Jill Cohenour: 1,348a
• Dan Guzynski: 1,006

June 3 Republican primary:

• Joe Dooling: 866a
• Marissa Stockton: 843

November 4 General election candidates:

Jill Cohenour: 4,028

Joe Dooling: 3,451

District 43

Note: IncumbentGene Vuckovich (D), who was not up for re-election, was reassigned to District 39.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Robert Schumacher: 684a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Scott Boulanger: 2,369 - Incumbent Boulanger first assumed office in 2013.
• Pat Connell: 2,403a

November 4 General election candidates:

Robert Schumacher: 2,445

Pat Connell: 5,929

District 48

Note: IncumbentTom Facey (D) ran in District 50.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Cynthia Wolken: 1,452a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Kevin Blackler: 810a

Note: Blackler withdrew after the primary;Mike Hopkins was named as his replacement.^[7]

November 4 General election candidates:

Cynthia Wolken: 3,528

Mike Hopkins: 2,590

District 49

Note: IncumbentDavid Wanzenried (D) did not seek re-election due to term limits.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Douglas Coffin: 756
• Diane Sands: 1,636a

June 3 Republican primary:

• Mike Hopkins: 669
• Dick Haines: 930a

November 4 General election candidates:

Diane Sands: 3,933

Dick Haines: 3,902

Note: This race was subject to a recount, which did not change the outcome; the results shown above are from the official canvass.

District 50

Note: IncumbentCliff Larsen (D), who was not up for re-election, was reassigned to District 47 by redistricting.

June 3 Democratic primary:

• Tom Facey: 2,512a - Incumbent Facey first assumed office in 2011.

June 3 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Tom Facey

See also

• Montana State Senate
• Montana State Legislature
• State legislative elections, 2014

External links

Suggest a link

• Montana Secretary of State, official general election results
• Montana Secretary of State, official primary election results
• Montana Secretary of State, "2014 Candidate Filing List: Legislative"

Footnotes

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