Montana Keeps Republican Senate Control, Sends Democrat to U.S. House

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - While it wasn't the "blue wave" that swept Democrats back to power across the U.S., Montana definitely experienced a tide change in Tuesday's Midterm elections, as the GOP holds on to a U.S. Senate seat but will send a "D" to represent the western half of the state in the House.

And it while the outcome of the contest showed Montana's still has an independent streak, there wasn't enough to give the Senate job to an independent candidate.

Former Montana U.S. District Attorney Kurt Alme held on to win the seat that had been filled for more than a decade by Senator Steve Daines, capturing the position that he had filled for just minutes before the door closed as Daines recanted his re-election campaign.

Results through early this morning show Alme taking 48 percent of the vote, ending former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar's "independent" bid finishing with 38 percent of the vote, trailing by more than 65-thousand.

And predictably, the split vote with Democrat Alani Bankhead, who captured 12 percent pretty much statewide, meant the difference in Bodnar's defeat.

But Bodnar also couldn't replicate the usual path that had given former Senator Jon Tester the victory in recent years. While he took 61 percent of the Missoula County vote over Alme, the former state budget director took the edge in Great Falls with 48 percent, and won big in the Flathead, also winning handily, as expected in Yellowstone County and never really yielding in Montana's rural counties. Bodnar was favored in Butte with 48 percent and in Gallatin County with 49 percent, but not by the margins Tester had seen in those areas for comeback wins.

Libertarian Kyle Austin took 2 percent of the vote.

But the race, and the outcome, was much tighter in the District 1 House race, where Democrat Sam Forstag squeezes out a win over Republican talk show host Aaron Flint, with 51 percent of the vote, holding an edge of more than 11-thousand votes by early this morning.

The battle of the newcomers was a see-saw affair as ballots were tabulated throughout the evening. Forstag jumped out to an initial lead, but then Flint came on strong as the votes were counted in his home of Flathead County, the Bitterroot and surrounding rural counties.

But Forstag saw a surge as the Missoula County votes arrived, smoking Flint with 70-percent of the vote, and eventually holding a lead of more than 20-thousand, his margin of victory.

Forstag was also favored with union voters in Butte, running at 61 percent in Silver Bow County, and 59 percent in Gallatin County.

Libertarian Nick Sheedy finished with 3 percent of the vote.

In Eastern Montana, Troy Downing had a clear path to a second term, with 58 percent of the overall vote above Democrat Brian Miller, who had only operated a somewhat limited campaign for the seat.

More liberal voters, but also independents, were in control of Montana's ballot issues as well, as all three initiatives cruised to easy wins, all finishing with between 60 and 70 percent. That includes the question of non-partisan judicial races and the so-called "Montana Plan", aimed at curbing "dark money" entering political campaigns, favoring more disclosure and accountability. That decision could easily spark more legal fights.

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Speaking of legal, in the battle of Flathead County judges, Amy Eddy put together a solid finish in nearly every county in the run for the Montana Supreme Court.

Eddy held 60 percent of the vote over Dan Wilson early this morning, and was never really challenged throughout last night's count. Wilson did capture some of the more rural, conservative counties, with Eddy holding a 3-point edge in the Flathead.

Montana didn't quite change its "red" status on the political map, but it's definitely a lighter shade of red today after a slugfest in the midterms.

In the high-profile race for the U.S. Senate, the GOP held on. Former Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme won the seat vacated by retiring Senator Steve Daines, capturing 48 percent of the statewide vote. Independent challenger and former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar finished second with 38 percent—trailing by roughly 65,000 votes.

Bodnar flashed Montana’s classic independent streak, taking 61 percent of the vote in Missoula County and narrowly leading in Butte and Bozeman. But he couldn’t reproduce the commanding margins that previously carried Democrat Jon Tester over the top. Alme ran away with rural Montana, posted strong numbers in Yellowstone County, and carried Great Falls and the Flathead. Meanwhile, Democrat Alani Bankhead captured 12 percent statewide, splintering the opposition vote, while Libertarian Kyle Austin drew two percent.

Across the divide in Montana’s Western House District, Democrats flipped a crucial seat. Newcomer Democrat Sam Forstag edged out conservative talk radio host Aaron Flint by about 11,000 votes, finishing with 51 percent. It was a seesaw count through the midnight hours: Flint surged on strong turnout across Flathead and Ravalli counties, but Forstag countered with heavy support from union voters in Butte, won nearly 60 percent in Gallatin County, and decisively buried the deficit in Missoula, where he took 70 percent of the vote. Libertarian Nick Sheedy took three percent.

Out east, Republican incumbent Troy Downing cruised comfortably to a second term in Montana’s Second Congressional District, defeating Democrat Brian Miller with 58 percent of the vote.

Voters also showed an independent, reform-minded streak on state initiatives. All three statewide ballot measures passed by decisive margins between 60 and 70 percent—including the measure cementing non-partisan judicial elections and the “Montana Plan,” which aims to force greater transparency on dark money in political campaigns, an outcome that will likely spark fresh legal battles in court.

And on the judicial front, District Judge Amy Eddy comfortably won a seat on the Montana Supreme Court over fellow Flathead County judge Dan Wilson. Montana Secretary of State results show Eddy maintaining a commanding 60-to-40 percent lead, carrying major population centers and edging Wilson by three points in their shared home county.

One local measure that could have made a major adjustment in Ravalli County never even got out of the starting gate last night.

The proposal was to change the county commissioners to 6-year terms, instead of 4, matching the terms used in many other Montana counties.

But 90 percent of the Bitterroot voters soundly rejected the idea.