Schweitzer wins Democratic nod in governor’s race | Billings Gazette

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Schweitzer wins Democratic nod in governor’s race

By CHARLES S. JOHNSON
Gazette State Bureau

HELENA - Months of aggressive campaigning paid off Tuesday as Whitefish farmer Brian Schweitzer rolled to an easy win over John Vincent in the Democratic primary for governor, while Bob Brown took an early lead over Pat Davison in the four-way Republican governor's race.

Schweitzer led Vincent, a Gallatin County commissioner, with 26 percent in an unofficial Associated Press vote tally. The AP declared Schweitzer the winner at 8:56 p.m., less than an hour after the polls closed.

On the Republican side, Brown, Montana's secretary of state, staked out an early lead over Davison, a Billings businessman. Trailing them were Ken Miller and Tom Keating.

Schweitzer celebrated his victory at a Montana Democratic Party gathering in Helena.

Asked to what he owed his big victory, Schweitzer said, “I've been in all 56 counties, been in every community listening to folks. We're just responding to what we're hearing. People want leadership - leadership that will lower the cost of the health care, leadership that will attract investment to attract higher paying jobs and leadership that will invest in technology education.”

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