Montana State Races Go Democratic

By Robert Struckman, 11-04-08

	Caption: Democrats get ready for victory at a get-out-the-vote.

Just after mid-night Tuesday night, it seemed Democrats had swept all but one of Montana’s statewide offices in what seems like a stunning referendum of the state’s modern Republican Party, leaving some GOP leaders wondering how to return to politics with something like an appealing message. Yet even as state Democrats credited the Obama effect for much of their strength, the Democratic Presidential-elect appeared likely to lose the state to John McCain.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer handily beat opponent Roy Brown of Billings, and Democrats dominated the rest of the ticket.

Steve Bullock was well ahead of Tim Fox for Attorney General, Monica Lindeen was beating Duane Grimes for State Auditor, Denise Juneau easily prevailed over Elaine Sollie Herman for Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Mike McGrath topped Ron Waterman for Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court. (All with more than 70 percent of precincts reporting.) Linda McCullough was running ahead of Brad Johnson for Secretary of State but the race remained close.

Oh, and Max Baucus beat Bob Kelleher to return to the U.S. Senate.

At a few minutes after 10 p.m., the Republican victory party at the Holiday Inn Grand in Billings had begun to thin. U.S. Rep Denny Rehberg—the Big Sky’s lone statewide winner—had given his victory speech, and gubernatorial candidate Roy Brown had given his concession.

“It’s been a real tough year for Republicans,” Brown said, speaking by telephone. “It’s one of those things where people in the country, and in Montana, want to try some chance, whether that change is good or bad. They didn’t care, because what we were doing wasn’t working.”

Caleb Weaver, spokesman for the Obama campaign in Montana, said Obama’s view from the beginning helped build the Democratic victories in Montana.

“You get on the ground and you talk to people,” Weavers said. “That’s what we did here. We had volunteers who took the time to talk to friends and neighbors. It was the hard work of those volunteers.”

One of those dedicated volunteers was Vermay Taylor, a Sioux member of the Fort Peck Tribe and retired licensed practical nurse, who made calls and knocked on doors in Wolf Point and Poplar, small towns on Montana’s high northeastern plains.

“We just all worked hard. We volunteered. We made calls, knocked on doors. We walked miles, covered every town on the rez,” Taylor said. “I’m almost in tears, I’m so happy.”