HELENA — After an often-wild two-month filing period, we now have a clear picture of which major-party candidates will be running in Montana’s 2024 elections.
The candidate filing period opened on Jan. 11 and closed at 5 p.m. on March 11.
The Montana Secretary of State’s Office processed more than 440 filings — including more than 50 on the final day. Here is a closer look at how some of the major races are shaping up:
U.S. Senate:
The most-watched race in Montana this year will be for the U.S. Senate, where Democratic Sen. Jon Tester is seeking his fourth term.
The seat could end up determining which party controls the Senate, and it’s expected several hundred million dollars could be spent in this race.
In the race for the Republican nomination, three candidates ended up filing.
The apparent frontrunner is Tim Sheehy, a business owner and Navy veteran from Gallatin County, who has secured endorsements from U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, the national Senate Republican campaign arm Daines chairs, former President Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Gianforte.
Also running for the GOP nomination is Brad Johnson, a former Montana Secretary of State and Public Service Commissioner from East Helena, who has sharply criticized state and national Republican leadership for putting their weight behind Tester instead of letting primary voters decide who the best candidate is.
The third candidate is Charles Walking Child, of Helena, who ran unsuccessfully against Rosendale in the 2022 GOP primary for Montana’s eastern district U.S. House seat.
Tester also drew one challenger in the Democratic primary, a political newcomer named Michael Hummert, of Helena.
In addition, three third-party candidates filed — all in the last few days. Sid Daoud, chair of the Montana Libertarian Party and Kalispell city councilman, is running unopposed in the Libertarian primary after a second candidate filed and then dropped out.
Two candidates — Robert Barb of Darby and Michael Downey of Helena — filed to run in the Green Party primary.
U.S. House:
By far the most crowded race is for the 2nd District U.S. House seat, which is an open position after Rosendale announced last Friday that he wouldn’t seek reelection.
MTN News
In the 1st congressional district, Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke of Whitefish and his 2022 Democratic opponent, Missoula attorney Monica Tranel, are both running again.
Republican Mary Todd, a business owner and pastor from Kalispell who challenged Zinke in the 2022 GOP primary, also filed to run again.
In addition, two Libertarian candidates – Dennis Hayes and Ernie Noble — are running.
That district covers western Montana, including Kalispell, Missoula, Butte and Bozeman.
MTN News
Montana Supreme Court:
Two positions are open on the Montana Supreme Court: chief justice and an associate justice. Incumbents Mike McGrath and Dirk Sandefur are not running again.
Three candidates filed for each position – meaning the top two vote-getters in each primary will move on to the general election.
For chief justice, former federal magistrate judge Jerry Lynch and Broadwater County Attorney Cory Swanson had already announced runs. They were joined last week by attorney Doug Marshall.
District court judges Katherine Bidegaray of Sidney and Dan Wilson of Flathead County were the previously announced candidates for the associate justice position.
On Monday, Jerry O’Neil, a former Republican state lawmaker from Columbia Falls, also filed to run.
