Montana Republican Party

Montana Republican Party
Chairman	Don Kaltschmidt
Senate Majority Leader	Steve Fitzpatrick
House Majority Leader	Sue Vinton
Headquarters	Helena, Montana
Ideology	Conservatism
National affiliation	Republican Party
Colors	Red
Seats in the U.S. Senate	1 / 2
Seats in the U.S. House	2 / 2
Seats in the Montana Senate	34 / 50
Seats in the Montana House	68 / 100
Statewide Executive Offices	6 / 6
Election symbol
Website
mtgop.org
Politics of Montana Elections

The Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) is the affiliate of the Republican Party in Montana. It is headquartered in Helena. It is the dominant ruling party of the state.

The party is chaired by Don Kaltschmidt. The national committeeman Art Wittich and the national committeewoman is Debra Lamm. The party is a private corporation organized of political organizations, including political action, advocacy, and interest groups. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling both of Montana's U.S. House seats, one of the U.S. Senate seats, both houses of the state legislature, and the governorship.

Current party officers

Office	Name
Chair	Don "K" Kaltschmidt
Vice chair	Lola Sheldon-Galloway
Secretary	Brad Tschida
Treasurer	Derek Skees
National committeeman	Art Wittich
National committeewoman	Debra Lamm

Current elected officials

The Montana Republican party controls all the six statewide offices and holds majorities in the Montana House of Representatives and Senate. They also hold one U.S. Senate seat and both congressional districts.

Members of Congress

U.S. Senate

• 
  Junior U.S. Senator Steve Daines

U.S. House of Representatives

District	Member	Photo
1st	Ryan Zinke
2nd	Matt Rosendale

Statewide offices

Office	Officeholder
Governor	Greg Gianforte
Lieutenant Governor	Kristen Juras
Supt. of Public Instruction	Elsie Arntzen
Attorney General	Austin Knudsen
State Auditor	Troy Downing
Secretary of State	Christi Jacobsen

Legislative leaders

Office	Representative
President of the Senate	Mark Blasdel
Senate Majority Leader	Cary Smith
Speaker of the House	Wylie Galt
House Majority Leader	Sue Vinton

31 Members of the Montana Senate

District	Senator	Residence
1	Mike Cuffe	Eureka
2	Carl Glimm	Kila
3	Keith Regier	Kalispell
4	Mark Blasdel	Kalispell
5	Bob Keenan	Bigfork
6	Greg Hertz	Polson
7	Bob Brown	Thompson Falls
9	Bruce Gillespie	Ethridge
10	Steve Fitzpatrick	Great Falls
13	Brian Hoven	Great Falls
14	Russel Tempel	Chester
15	Ryan Osmundson	Buffalo
17	Mike Lang	Malta
18	Steve Hinebauch	Wibaux
19	Kenneth Bogner	Miles City
20	Duane Ankney	Colstrip
21	Jason Small	Busby
22	Douglas Kary	Billings
23	Tom McGillvray	Billings
26	Chris Friedel	Billings
27	Cary Smith	Billings
28	Brad Molnar	Laurel
29	David Howard	Park City
30	John Esp	Big Timber
34	Gordon Vance	Bozeman
35	Walt Sales	Manhattan
36	Jeffrey Welborn	Dillon
40	Terry Gauthier	Helena
43	Jason Ellsworth	Hamilton
44	Theresa Manzella	Hamilton
47	Daniel Salomon	Ronan

67 Members of the Montana House of Representatives

District	Representative	Residence
1	Steve Gunderson	Libby
2	Neil Duram	Eureka
3	Braxton Mitchell	Columbia Falls
4	Matt Regier	Kalispell
6	Amy Regier	Kalispell
7	Frank Garner	Kalispell
8	John Fuller	Kalispell
9	Brian Putnam	Kalispell
10	Mark Noland	Bigfork
11	Derek Skees	Kalispell
12	Linda Reksten	Polson
13	Paul Fielder	Thompson Falls
14	Denley Loge	St. Regis
17	Ross Fitzgerald	Fairfield
18	Llew Jones	Conrad
19	Wendy McKamey	Great Falls
20	Fred Anderson	Great Falls
21	Edward Buttrey	Great Falls
22	Lola Sheldon-Galloway	Great Falls
23	Scot Kerns	Great Falls
24	Steven Galloway	Great Falls
25	Steve Gist	Cascade
26	Jeremy Trebas	Great Falls
27	Joshua Kassmier	Fort Benton
28	Ed Hill	Havre
29	Dan Bartel	Lewistown
30	Wylie Galt	Martinsdale
33	Casey Knudsen	Malta
34	Rhonda Knudsen	Culbertson
35	Brandon Ler	Savage
36	Bob Phalen	Lindsay
37	Jerry Schillinger	Circle
38	Kenneth Holmlund	Miles City
39	Geraldine Custer	Forsyth
40	Barry Usher	Billings
43	Kerri Seekins-Crowe	Billings
44	Larry Brewster	Billings
45	Katie Zolnikov	Billings
46	Bill Mercer	Billings
50	Mallerie Stromswold	Billings
51	Frank Fleming	Billings
52	Jimmy Patelis	Billings
53	Dennis Lenz	Billings
54	Terry Moore	Billings
55	Vince Ricci	Laurel
56	Sue Vinton	Billings
57	Fiona Nave	Columbus
58	Seth Berglee	Joliet
59	Marty Malone	Pray
64	Jane Gillette	Bozeman
67	Jedediah Hinkle	Bozeman
68	Caleb Hinkle	Belgrade
69	Jennifer Carlson	Manhattan
70	Julie Dooling	Helena
71	Kenneth Walsh	Twin Bridges
72	Tom Welch	Dillon
75	Marta Bertoglio	Clancy
78	Gregory Frazer	Deer Lodge
80	Becky Beard	Elliston
85	Michele Binkley	Hamilton
86	David Bedey	Hamilton
87	Ron Marshall	Hamilton
88	Sharon Greef	Florence
92	Mike Hopkins	Missoula
93	Joe Read	Ronan
96	Kathy Whitman	Missoula
97	Brad Tschida	Missoula

Platform

The Montana Republican Party Platform was adopted June 16, 2012 and can be viewed in its entirety on the Montana Republican Party website.

Conventions

According to Party Bylaws, conventions that are held within the state. The State Platform convention, which meets once every even-numbered year between the primary and general elections, the purpose of this convention, is to adopt a state platform. There is a State Delegate Convention, which meets every presidential year prior to the Republican National Committee; during this convention they elect the delegates and alternate delegates to the Republican National Convention. Then there is the State Officer's Convention, which meets in June each odd-numbered year, this is when the state chairman and state vice chairman are elected. These conventions are given notice by convention calls and they give notice to all meetings or conventions. There is a quorum for any business actions and are entitled to vote thereat, in person, or by proxy, and weighted votes are not considered. Proxies are allowed except when selecting delegates for the national convention. Voting is an individual basis and are only for people entitled to vote at the conventions. The Parliamentary practice is Roberts' Rules of Order, it governs all conventions and meetings and allows the state chairman to appoint a parliamentarian for any State Central Committee meeting or convention.

Committees

State Central Committee is made up by the county chairman, state committeemen and committee women, and finance chairman for each county. This committee is the governing body the Montana GOP and makes up all the rules and policies for the state party. State Executive Committee is made up of many members such as state chairman, vice chairman, national committeeman and committeewoman, statewide elected federal and state officeholders, elected Republican Public Service Commissioners, the highest-ranking Republican leader from state Senate and House of Representatives, and many other Republican groups or clubs within Montana. The main purpose of this committee is to execute policies and programs of the Montana GOP between the State Central Committees. The terms of these members last as long as the chairman's term and can also end by resignation or removal. County Central Committee is found in each county in Montana and only consists of elected or appointed committeemen and committeewomen from each precinct of the county and hold officer for two years. The committee elects county chairman and vice chairman, secretary and treasurer, state and Congressional committeeman and committee woman, finance chairman, and anything else that seems important. It can adopt its own rules and come up with a county executive committee that executes the counties rules and policies. There are also other committees such as the Rules Committee. The members are appointed by the chairman and they consider or recommend rules and rule changes. Any other special committee such as the Rules Committee can be appointed by the chairman if needed.

Elected officers

Chairman is the leader of the party and is responsible of the hiring and firing of any employees. The chairman can appoint all committees except the executive committee. The chairman has the power of supervision and management. The chairman also works with the treasurer to make sure the right resources are provided. Vice chairman performs all the duties assigned by the chairman. Secretary keeps the minutes for all meetings and anything assigned by the chairman. Treasurer controls the financial record keeping and practices of the party. Assistant treasurer is there to become familiar with the responsibilities of the treasurer and will perform any duties assigned by the chairman and treasurer.

Appointed officers

Executive director is appointed by the chairman after approval from the executive committee. The main duty is to preserve all permanent records of the State Central Committee and any other duty assigned by the chairman. finance chairman is appointed exactly like the executive director. The main duty of this officer is to raise funds for the Republican Party.

General Counsel is also appointed the same way as the first two officers. The main duty of the General Counsel is to advise the chairman, State Central Committee, and all other officers and committees on all legal matters. The General Counsel is licensed to practice law within the state.

There can be other types of officers that are appointed by the chairman. These types are only appointed if needed for a particular purpose.

Nominations

The State Central Committee will appoint a nominee to fill a vacancy for a party candidate and the person who receives the most votes is the nominee. If one or two Congressional Districts for the state need to be filled, a committee appointed by the County Central Committee will make the appointment and the person with the most votes wins the nomination. The votes entitled to the certain members shall be weighted by comparing the Republican primary vote in each county and the Republican primary vote for the office being voted for. For each two percent or less of the total vote, there are four votes awarded to the county. Anything higher than two percent will be awarded an extra vote. The delegates at the meetings will divide the votes to each county and then the delegates will individually cast their votes.

Voting trends

Montana is considered to be a moderately Republican state. There is a small percentage of Hispanic and African American votes. There is a significant number of votes from the Native American population as well. Montana has voted Republican in almost every single presidential election after the national Democratic landslide of 1964, with the sole exception of Bill Clinton's narrow plurality victory in 1992. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won Montana in 2020 with 56.9% of the total statewide vote over Democrat Joe Biden, who received 40.5%.

During the 2022 midterms Republicans gained super-majority status in the state legislature, capturing 34 of 50 senate seats and 68 of 100 house seats. [1]

Historical figures

Benjamin Potts

Benjamin F Potts

Potts was a Republican governor of Montana Territory who worked with Democrat political and business leaders to sustain a successful program of financial responsibility and economy of government during a boom period in Montana's territorial era. He was the longest-serving territorial governor in U.S. history.

Wilbur F. Sanders

Sanders was a lawyer, Civil War veteran that was considered to be known as the essence of Montana Republicanism.

Jeannette Rankin

Jeannette Rankin

Rankin was a Republican from Montana and was also an important figure with the women's suffrage movement. Her efforts were rewarded when Montana gave women the right to vote in 1914. In 1916 she was the first woman to be elected to Congress. During her term in Congress she voted against U.S. entry in World War I. She left Congress in 1919 but was reelected in 1940. Once again she voted for peace and opposed U.S. entry in World War II.

Election results

Presidential

Montana Republican Party presidential election results

Election	Presidential ticket	Votes	Vote %	Electoral votes	Result
1892	Benjamin Harrison/Whitelaw Reid	18,871	42.44%	3 / 3	Lost
1896	William McKinley/Garret Hobart	10,509	19.71%	0 / 3	Won
1900	William McKinley/Theodore Roosevelt	25,409	39.79%	0 / 3	Won
1904	Theodore Roosevelt/Charles W. Fairbanks	34,932	54.21%	3 / 3	Won
1908	William Howard Taft/James S. Sherman	32,333	46.98%	3 / 3	Won
1912	William Howard Taft/Nicholas M. Butler	18,512	23.19%	0 / 4	Lost
1916	Charles E. Hughes/Charles W. Fairbanks	66,750	37.57%	0 / 4	Lost
1920	Warren G. Harding/Calvin Coolidge	109,430	61.13%	4 / 4	Won
1924	Calvin Coolidge/Charles G. Dawes	74,138	42.50%	4 / 4	Won
1928	Herbert Hoover/Charles Curtis	113,300	58.37%	4 / 4	Won
1932	Herbert Hoover/Charles Curtis	78,078	36.07%	0 / 4	Lost
1936	Alf Landon/Frank Knox	63,598	27.59%	0 / 4	Lost
1940	Wendell Willkie/Charles L. McNary	99,579	40.17%	0 / 4	Lost
1944	Thomas E. Dewey/John W. Bricker	93,163	44.93%	0 / 4	Lost
1948	Thomas E. Dewey/Earl Warren	96,770	43.15%	0 / 4	Lost
1952	Dwight D. Eisenhower/Richard Nixon	157,394	59.39%	4 / 4	Won
1956	Dwight D. Eisenhower/Richard Nixon	154,933	57.13%	4 / 4	Won
1960	Richard Nixon/Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.	141,841	51.10%	4 / 4	Lost
1964	Barry Goldwater/William E. Miller	113,032	40.57%	0 / 4	Lost
1968	Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew	138,835	50.60%	4 / 4	Won
1972	Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew	183,976	57.93%	4 / 4	Won
1976	Gerald Ford/Bob Dole	173,703	52.84%	4 / 4	Lost
1980	Ronald Reagan/George H. W. Bush	206,814	56.82%	4 / 4	Won
1984	Ronald Reagan/George H. W. Bush	232,450	60.47%	4 / 4	Won
1988	George H. W. Bush/Dan Quayle	190,412	52.07%	4 / 4	Won
1992	George H. W. Bush/Dan Quayle	144,207	35.12%	0 / 3	Lost
1996	Bob Dole/Jack Kemp	179,652	44.11%	3 / 3	Lost
2000	George W. Bush/Dick Cheney	240,178	58.4%	3 / 3	Won
2004	George W. Bush/Dick Cheney	266,063	59.07%	3 / 3	Won
2008	John McCain/Sarah Palin	243,882	49.49%	3 / 3	Lost
2012	Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan	267,928	55.35%	3 / 3	Lost
2016	Donald Trump/Mike Pence	279,240	56.17%	3 / 3	Won
2020	Donald Trump/Mike Pence	343,602	56.92%	3 / 3	Lost
2024	Donald Trump/JD Vance	351,945	58.40%	3 / 3	Won

Gubernatorial

Montana Republican Party gubernatorial election results

Election	Gubernatorial candidate	Votes	Vote %	Result
1889	Thomas C. Power	18,991	49.04%	Lost N
1892	John E. Rickards	18,187	41.17%	Won Y
1896	Alexander C. Botkin	14,993	29.01%	Lost N
1900	David S. Folsom	22,691	35.56%	Lost N
1904	William Lindsay	26,957	40.99%	Lost N
1908	Edward Donlan	30,792	45.16%	Lost N
1912	Harry L. Wilson	22,950	28.77%	Lost N
1916	Frank J. Edwards	76,547	44.10%	Lost N
1920	Joseph M. Dixon	111,113	59.74%	Won Y
1924	Joseph M. Dixon	74,126	42.59%	Lost N
1928	Wellington D. Rankin	79,777	41.08%	Lost N
1932	Frank A. Hazelbaker	101,105	46.73%	Lost N
1936	Frank A. Hazelbaker	108,914	48.12%	Lost N
1940	Sam C. Ford	124,435	50.67%	Won Y
1944	Sam C. Ford	116,461	56.36%	Won Y
1948	Sam C. Ford	97,792	43.86%	Lost N
1952	J. Hugo Aronson	134,423	50.96%	Won Y
1956	J. Hugo Aronson	138,878	51.37%	Won Y
1960	Donald Grant Nutter	154,230	55.11%	Won Y
1964	Tim Babcock	144,113	51.29%	Won Y
1968	Tim Babcock	116,432	41.87%	Lost N
1972	Ed Smith	146,231	45.88%	Lost N
1976	Bob Woodahl	115,848	36.58%	Lost N
1980	Jack Ramirez	160,892	44.63%	Lost N
1984	Pat M. Goodover	100,070	26.41%	Lost N
1988	Stan Stephens	190,604	51.93%	Won Y
1992	Marc Racicot	209,401	51.35%	Won Y
1996	Marc Racicot	320,768	79.17%	Won Y
2000	Judy Martz	209,135	50.98%	Won Y
2004	Bob Brown	205,313	46.02%	Lost N
2008	Roy Brown	158,268	32.52%	Lost N
2012	Rick Hill	228,879	47.34%	Lost N
2016	Greg Gianforte	236,115	46.35%	Lost N
2020	Greg Gianforte	328,548	54.43%	Won Y

See also

• Political party strength in Montana
• United States presidential election in Montana, 2008
• Montana Democratic Party
• Montana Libertarian Party

External links

• Montana Republican Party
• Montana Federation of College Republicans
• Montana Young Republican Professionals