The 2014 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate from Montana, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. This was one of the seven Democratic-held Senate seats up for election in a state that Mitt Romney won in the 2012 presidential election.
Democratic Senator Max Baucus, who had announced he would retire and not seek a seventh term, resigned in February 2014 in order to accept an appointment as United States Ambassador to China under President Barack Obama. Democrat John Walsh, the Lieutenant Governor of Montana, who was already running for Baucus' seat when Baucus was named to the ambassadorship, was appointed to replace Baucus by Governor Steve Bullock. Despite the resignation of Baucus, Montana was the only state for the year 2014 was already planned as a normal Senate election.
Walsh won the Democratic primary on June 3 and ran for a first full term in office, but withdrew from the race on August 7, 2014, due to allegations that he had plagiarized a term paper while attending the Army War College. Democrats selected Amanda Curtis, a state representative from Butte, to replace Walsh as the party's nominee at a convention in Helena on August 16. Steve Daines, the incumbent U.S. Representative from Montana's at-large congressional district, easily won the Republican nomination.
Daines defeated Curtis 57.8% to 40.1%, while Libertarian Roger Roots won 2.1%. Daines and Arkansas' Tom Cotton became just the 18th and 19th U.S. House freshmen to win U.S. Senate races over the last 100 years, and just the third and fourth over the last 40 years. Daines became the first Republican to win this Senate seat since 1907, as well as the first to ever be popularly elected to the seat.
Democratic primary Candidates Declared Dirk Adams, rancher, businessman and former business law professor John Bohlinger, former Republican lieutenant governor of Montana John Walsh, incumbent U.S. Senator, former lieutenant governor of Montana and former adjutant general of the Montana National Guard
Declined Max Baucus, United States ambassador to China (2014–2017) and former U.S. senator (1978–2014) John Brueggeman, former Republican state senator Steve Bullock, governor of Montana Shane Colton, attorney and former commissioner of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Amanda Curtis, state representative Melinda Gopher, writer and candidate for Montana's at-large congressional district in 2010 Mike Halligan, executive director of the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation and former state senator Denise Juneau, Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Nancy Keenan, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America and former Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction John Lewis, former state director for Senator Max Baucus (ran for the U.S. House) Monica Lindeen, Montana state auditor Linda McCulloch, secretary of state of Montana and former state representative Mike McGrath, chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court and former attorney general of Montana Brian Morris, judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana and former associate justice of the Montana Supreme Court John Morrison, former Montana state auditor and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006 Stephanie Schriock, president of Emily's List and former chief of staff to Senator Jon Tester Brian Schweitzer, former governor of Montana Kendall Van Dyk, state senator Mike Wheat, justice of the Montana Supreme Court (ran for re-election) Carol Williams, former majority leader of the Montana Senate and nominee for lieutenant governor of Montana in 2000 Pat Williams, former U.S. representative Whitney Williams, former director of operations for Hillary Clinton Franke Wilmer, state representative Jonathan Windy Boy, state senator
Endorsements
Polling Poll source JohnWalsh DirkAdams JohnBohlinger Other UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling November 15–17, 2013 381 ± 5% 39% 3% 31% — 27%Harper PollingHarper Polling January 20–22, 2014 519 ± 4.3% 23% 2% 23% — 52%
Poll source MaxBaucus BrianSchweitzer Other UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 16–19, 2011 333 ± 5.4% 34% 51% — 14%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling November 28–30, 2011 573 ± 4.1% 35% 51% — 14%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling April 26–29, 2012 332 ± 5.4% 37% 48% — 15%Public Policy Polling September 10–11, 2012 201 ± 5.4% 36% 40% — 24%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling February 15–17, 2013 371 ± 5.1% 35% 54% — 11%
Poll source DeniseJuneau BrianSchweitzer Other UndecidedHarper PollingHarper Polling April 27–28, 2013 165 ± 7.63% 14% 78% — 8%
Results
Democratic convention Because Walsh withdrew, a nominating convention was held to pick a new nominee prior to August 20. The state party called a convention for August 16, and voting delegates were members of the State Central Committee, specifically: "one chair and one vice chair from each existing county central committee; one state committeeman and one state committeewoman from each county central committee; all voting members of the State Party Executive Board; the president of each chartered organization of the Montana Democratic Party; Montana State House leadership, and Montana State Senate leaders, and all Democrats currently holding statewide or federal office."
Candidates Momentary buzz was created by a movement to draft actor Jeff Bridges for the nomination, with over 1,000 people signing a petition on Change.org and a Twitter account, DudeSenator, being created online. Bridges, who lives part-time and owns property in the Paradise Valley south of Livingston, Montana, declined the offer on the Howard Stern show, noting the disapproval of his wife. Other news outlets noted that he also was not registered to vote in Montana.
Potential Dirk Adams, rancher, businessman and former business law professor John Bohlinger, former Republican Lieutenant Governor of Montana Amanda Curtis, state representative Linda McCulloch, secretary of state of Montana Anna Whiting Sorrell, former director of the state Department of Health and Human Services and former state director of the Indian Health Services
Withdrew Franke Wilmer, state representative David Wanzenried, state senator
Declined Jeff Bridges, actor and part-time Montana resident Steve Bullock, Governor of Montana Denise Juneau, Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Nancy Keenan, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America and former Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Monica Lindeen, Montana State Auditor Stephanie Schriock, president of Emily's List and former chief of staff to Senator Jon Tester Brian Schweitzer, former governor of Montana Carol Williams, former Majority Leader of the Montana Senate and nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Montana in 2000
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary Candidates Declared Susan Cundiff Steve Daines, U.S. representative and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2008 Champ Edmunds, state representative
Withdrew David Leaser, air traffic manager at Glacier Park International Airport Corey Stapleton, former state senator and candidate for governor in 2012 (running for MT-AL)
Declined Chuck Baldwin, Baptist pastor, radio host, Constitution Party nominee for vice president in 2004 and for president in 2008 John Bohlinger, former lieutenant governor of Montana (ran as a Democrat) Tim Fox, attorney general of Montana Rick Hill, former U.S. representative and nominee for governor in 2012 Krayton Kerns, state representative Marc Racicot, former governor of Montana" " Denny Rehberg, former U.S. representative, former lieutenant governor and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1996 and 2012 Scott Reichner, state representative (ran for the state senate) Matthew Rosendale, state senator (ran for the U.S. House) Jon Sonju, state senator and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2012 Larry R. Williams, author, commodity trader and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1978 and 1982 Ryan Zinke, former state senator and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2012 (ran for the U.S. House)
Endorsements
Polling Poll source SteveDaines ChampEdmunds UndecidedPublic Policy Polling November 15–17, 2013 469 ± 4.5% 66% 7% 27%
Poll source SteveDaines ChampEdmunds MarcRacicot CoreyStapleton UndecidedHarper Polling April 27–28, 2013 472 ± 4.51% 26% 3% 42% 6% 22%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling June 21–23, 2013 340 ± 5.3% 28% 5% 47% 5% 14%
Results
Libertarian nomination Candidates Declared Roger Roots, nominee for secretary of state of Montana in 2012
Independents Candidates Declined John Bohlinger, former lieutenant governor of Montana (ran as a Democrat) Sam Rankin, real estate broker (did not qualify)
General election Debates Complete video of debate, October 20, 2014
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 3, 2014 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 3, 2014 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2014 Real Clear Politics November 3, 2014
Polling Poll source SteveDaines (R) AmandaCurtis (D) Other UndecidedRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports August 18–19, 2014 750 ± 4% 55% 35% 2% 8%CBS News/NYT/YouGovCBS News/NYT/YouGov August 18 – September 2, 2014 684 ± 5% 53% 35% 1% 11%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing September 29–30, 2014 535 ± 4% 54% 41% — 5%CBS News/NYT/YouGovCBS News/NYT/YouGov September 20 – October 1, 2014 549 ± 5% 55% 34% 0% 10%The MSU-Billings PollThe MSU-Billings Poll October 6–11, 2014 410 ± 5% 47% 31% 2% 21%CBS News/NYT/YouGov October 16–23, 2014 497 ± 6% 56% 38% 0% 6%Gravis MarketingGravis Marketing October 23–24, 2014 604 ± 4% 53% 39% — 8%
With Adams Poll source DirkAdams (D) SteveDaines (R) Other UndecidedHarper Polling January 20–22, 2014 519 ± 4.3% 20% 44% — 36%
with Baucus Poll source MaxBaucus (D) SteveDaines (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling February 15–17, 2013 1,011 ± 3.1% 44% 49% — 7%
Poll source MaxBaucus (D) ChampEdmunds (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling February 15–17, 2013 1,011 ± 3.1% 47% 37% — 16%
Poll source MaxBaucus (D) TimFox (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling February 15–17, 2013 1,011 ± 3.1% 46% 43% — 11%
Poll source MaxBaucus (D) MarcRacicot (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling February 15–17, 2013 1,011 ± 3.1% 42% 47% — 11%
Poll source MaxBaucus (D) CoreyStapleton (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling February 15–17, 2013 1,011 ± 3.1% 45% 38% — 16%
With Bohlinger Poll source JohnBohlinger (D) SteveDaines (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling November 15–17, 2013 952 ± 3.2% 36% 51% — 13%Harper Polling January 20–22, 2014 519 ± 4.3% 32% 43% — 25%Harper PollingHarper Polling April 7–8, 2014 604 ± 4.3% 33% 44% — 23%
Poll source JohnBohlinger (D) ChampEdmunds (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling November 15–17, 2013 952 ± 3.2% 37% 39% — 24%
With Juneau Poll source DeniseJuneau (D) SteveDaines (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling June 21–23, 2013 807 ± 3.4% 38% 48% — 13%
Poll source DeniseJuneau (D) ChampEdmunds (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling June 21–23, 2013 807 ± 3.4% 41% 34% — 25%
Poll source DeniseJuneau (D) MarcRacicot (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling June 21–23, 2013 807 ± 3.4% 37% 52% — 11%
Poll source DeniseJuneau (D) CoreyStapleton (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling June 21–23, 2013 807 ± 3.4% 42% 38% — 21%
With Keenan Poll source NancyKeenan (D) SteveDaines (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling February 15–17, 2013 1,011 ± 3.1% 39% 49% — 12%
Poll source NancyKeenan (D) ChampEdmunds (R) Other UndecidedPublic Policy Polling February 15–17, 2013 1,011 ± 3.1% 41% 36% — 23%