2020 Montana gubernatorial election

2020 Montana gubernatorial election

← 2016 November 3, 2020 2024 →
Turnout81.33%Increase6.89[1]
 
Nominee Greg Gianforte Mike Cooney
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Kristen Juras Casey Schreiner
Popular vote 328,548 250,860
Percentage 54.43% 41.56%

Gianforte:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Cooney:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
     No data

Governor before election

Steve Bullock
Democratic

Elected Governor

Greg Gianforte
Republican

The 2020 Montana gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the next governor of Montana, concurrently with the U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives and various state and local elections. It resulted in voters selecting Greg Gianforte over Mike Cooney. Incumbent Democratic governor Steve Bullock was term-limited and could not seek a third consecutive term in office, and he ran unsuccessfully for Montana's Class II Senate seat.[2][3]

Bullock's lieutenant governor, Mike Cooney, was the Democratic nominee, while the Republican nominee was Montana's at-large congressman Greg Gianforte, who won the election, making him the first Republican governor of Montana since Judy Martz left office in 2005.[4] This was the only gubernatorial seat to change partisan control in the 2020 elections. This election marked the first time since the 1920s that Republicans controlled all state constitutional offices and a majority of the Legislature.[5]

  1. ^ "Montana Voter Turnout". Montana Secretary of State - Christi Jacobsen. February 22, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  2. ^ Arkin, James (March 9, 2020). "Bullock enters Montana Senate race". POLITICO.
  3. ^ Pramuk, Jacob (March 9, 2020). "Montana Gov. Steve Bullock launches Senate bid, a boost in Democrats' push for majority". CNBC.
  4. ^ Gstalter, Morgan (January 18, 2021). "GOP Rep. Greg Gianforte wins Montana governor's race". The Hill.
  5. ^ Streep, Abe (January 11, 2023). "How Montana Took a Hard Right Turn Toward Christian Nationalism". NYT.