Mixed news out of Montana

[Ediacara]

In the State House, it appears as though the Democrats have lost the majority by just one seat, with the GOP now in the lead by 50-49-1. I say appears because there are still five races that are too close to call, one of them with a difference of just 14 votes!


The medium blue districts are Dem holds, the red districts are GOP holds, brighter colors are pickups with orange being a Constitution pickup. The very pale districts are those races still to close to call with the leading party denoted as either pale pink or pale blue.

In the State Senate, the election handed us a 25-25 tie (with Dems having nominal control), but State Senator Same Kitzenberg (who was last elected in 2004) has decided to switch parties to the Democrats, giving us outright control, 26-24.


Same color coding as above. The Dem pickup in the NE part of the state is Kitzenberg's district and was not actually contested this year.

[Straight Shooter]

1. Maybe Montana will turn blue all the way.

I think Jon Tester and Brian Schweitzer will be excellent examples of Democratic leadership.

:thumbsup:

[wellstone dem]

2. excuse my ignorance, but who had control of the senate before the

election?

[Ediacara]

3. The House was tied 50-50, Dems had the Senate 27-23

[XOKCowboy]

4. A question about the map...

OK I can understand the blue areas around Billings, Helena (to a lesser extent) and the corridor from Missoula up through Kallispell being blue. What puzzles me is the blue in the north/northeast. That would seem like rural (Red) area to me. Any idea what the story is up there?

[Ediacara]

5. I am not sure, but I'd guess Native Americans

The region around Havre and Malta is slightly more urbanized and includes the Rocky Boy and Fort Belknapp Indian Reservations. The extreme NE corner includes the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, and like I indicated, the Senate seat was a party change and not a true pickup.

[XOKCowboy]

6. Ahhh that makes sense...

I forgot about the reservations. Thanks

[Leopolds Ghost]

7. Not all rural areas are Red. Some of them used to elect Socialists.

Some Montanans are Midwestern Dems, not cowboys.