Topline Takeaways

• Republicans held on to the state’s original congressional seat while gaining the state’s newest seat that was created in the most recent round of redistricting.

• Republicans also made history in the state legislature: the party held on to super-majorities in both chambers by electing 103 Republicans, the most in state history to serve on the legislature at once.

Montana’s Red Wave

Republicans have been on the rise in Montana for the past decade, slowly chipping away at Democrats’ numbers in the state legislature. The 2020 election expanded their power demonstrably as they gained a super-majority in the state House alongside the election of the first Republican governor since the early 2000s. This midterm election cemented those gains as Republicans won the party’s first bicameral super-majority in Montana history: of the state’s 150 legislative seats, a whopping 103 of them will be held by Republicans in the coming session. You’d think in the age of Trumpism that so much winning would be cause for celebration, instead Republicans are preparing for infighting amongst themselves.

Montana’s US House Races

Trump’s Secretary of the Interior and former House Rep. Ryan Zinke will be returning to the US House thanks to support from voters in Montana’s first congressional district. Democrat Monica Tranel ran a close race against Zinke, ultimately losing by only 4 points.

Democrats faced a bigger hurdle in Montana’s new second congressional district race as they were challenged by independent candidate Gary Buchanan, a self-identified LGBTQ ally and 2nd amendment defender. Buchanan ultimately came in second place with 21% of the vote, edging out Democratic candidate Penny Ronning by a single percentage point. Ultimately Ronning and Buchanan splitting the vote hardly mattered: incumbent Rep. Matt Rosendale cruised to a win with a clear majority (56% of the total vote) despite facing a crowded field of candidates.

Leftover Links

• More From Battleground: See how Montana has changed politically as its become one of the top 10 fastest growing states.

• Dive deeper into the divisions separating the wings of Montana’s Republican Party.