More than 60 candidates for state and federal offices are on ballots for consideration by voters across Montana as the state conducts its June 4, 2024, primary election, which selects party nominees to advance to the November general election.
Polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday evening. Montana Free Press staff will update this story periodically as results become available. For results as they’re reported in all races, see our live results dashboard, courtesy of the Associated Press. For more information on specific candidates, see MTFP’s 2024 election guide.
U.S. Senate | U.S. House MT-01 (Western District) | U.S. House MT-02 (Eastern District) | Governor | Secretary of State | Attorney General | Superintendent of Public Instruction | State Auditor | Montana Legislature | Montana Supreme Court | Montana Public Service Commission
FEDERAL DELEGATION
U.S. Senate
Incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, has a nominal primary challenge from U.S. Navy veteran Michael Hummert, but is almost certain to head into the November general election as his party’s nominee.
On the Republican side, Bozeman businessman Tim Sheehy, who has the backing of the national GOP establishment, is the perceived front-runner in a race against former Montana Secretary of State Brad Johnson and Helena environmental contractor Charles Walkingchild.
Green Party voters will pick between Billings resident Robert Barb and Helena resident Michael Downey. Libertarian Sid Daoud, a Kalispell City Council member, does not have a primary competitor and will advance to the general election.
Background reading
U.S. House MT-01 (Western District)
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican, faces a nominal primary challenge from Kalispell pastor Mary Todd. Democrat Monical Tranel, a Missoula attorney, has an uncontested primary. Dennis Hayes and Ernie Noble are both on the Libertarian ballot, though Noble said in April that he was suspending his campaign and endorsing Hayes.
U.S. House MT-02 (Eastern District)
A broad array of Republican candidates are vying for the party’s nomination, which will likely secure them an easy path into the November general election in the Republican-leaning district. The highest-profile contenders are State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen, State Auditor Troy Downing, and former Congressman Denny Rehberg, with additional competition from Billings pharmacist Kyle Austin, state Sen. Ken Bogner, former state Sen. Ric Holden, former state Rep. Joel Krautter, and former Drug Enforcement Agency official Stacy Zinn. Former state Sen. Ed Walker is also on the ballot, though he announced the end of his campaign in April.
On the Democratic side, the party nomination is a four-way contest between Billings resident Ming Cabrera, former Public Service Commissioner John Driscoll, Helena resident Kevin Hamm, and Broadus resident Steve Held.
Background reading
STATE OFFICIALS
Governor
Incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte faces a primary challenge from Lakeside state Rep. Tanner Smith, who has sought to capitalize on discontent with the governor among some in the party’s hard-right flank.
Democrat Ryan Busse, a former firearms sales executive, is the party’s likely nominee for governor but faces a nominal primary challenge from Helena attorney Jim Hunt. Helena tech entrepreneur and standup comedian Kaiser Leib is unopposed on the Libertarian ticket.
Background reading
Secretary of State
Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, Democrat challenger Jesse Mullen, and Libertarian candidate John Lamb will each advance to the November general election without contested primaries.
Attorney General
Incumbent Attorney General Austin Knudsen, a Republican, faces a nominal primary challenge from Daniels County attorney Logan Olson but will almost certainly be nominated for re-election. Democratic candidate Ben Alke has no primary opponent.
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Republicans Sharyl Allen and Susie Hedalen are vying for the Republican nomination to fill the seat vacated as incumbent superintendent Elsie Arntzen, facing term limits in her current office, makes a bid for Congress.
Democratic candidate Shannon O’Brien, a current state senator, is unopposed in her primary.
Background reading
State Auditor
On the Republican side, Public Service Commission President James Brown and Helena-area insurance salesman John Jay Willoughby are vying for the GOP nomination. Democrat John Repke, a retired business executive, is unopposed.
MONTANA LEGISLATURE
Primary ballots include 44 contested Republican and 15 contested Democratic primaries in state house and senate districts. In many cases, those primaries cover areas that have overwhelmingly favored a single political party in past elections, meaning many of tonight’s winners will likely cruise to easy victories in November.
As primary results come in, MTFP staff are paying particular attention to Republican contests featuring clear rivalries between the party’s hardline and comparatively moderate Solutions Caucus wings. With Democrats likely to remain in the legislative minority heading into the 2025 session, a swing toward one wing of the state’s Republican Party could tilt the Legislature’s political balance on key issues, including renewal of the state’s expanded Medicaid program in the 2025 session.
Gov. Greg Gianforte, who has been criticized by some Republicans for cooperating with prominent Solutions Caucus lawmakers, endorsed candidates in 24 contested GOP primaries. Additionally, the Solutions Caucus-aligned Conservatives4MT political committee has spent about $240,000 trying to influence Republican primaries, backing a list of 27 candidates that has substantial overlap with the governor’s endorsements.
Here’s where those races stand:
Notable Democratic primaries include contests between SK Rossi and Pete Elverum in central Helena’s House District 82, as well as a three-way primary between Anne Woodland, Emily Harris, and Luke Muszkiewicz in southwest Helena’s House District 79.
Other competitive Democratic primaries include:
- House District 3, north Whitefish and West Glacier, where Debo Powers is facing Guthrie Quist.
- West Missoula’s House District 97, where Melody Cunningham and Lisa Verlanic Fowler are competing.
- West Bozeman’s House District 62, where Rio Roland and Josh Seckinger are competing.
- West Bozeman’s House District 63, where Peter Strand and John Hansen are competing
- Central and north Bozeman’s House District 65, where Anja Wookey-Huffman and Brian Close are competing.
- Downtown Missoula’s House District 100, where current state Rep. SJ Howell faces a challenge from Tim Garrison.
- Senate District 21, which spans the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations, where current lawmaker Sharon Stewart-Peregoy faces a challenge from former lawmaker Rae Peppers.
- Butte and Anaconda’s Senate District 36, where Jessica Wicks and Sara Novak are competing.
- North Missoula and Ronan’s Senate District 46, where CB Pearson is competing with Jacinda Morigeau.
MONTANA SUPREME COURT
Races for two open seats on the Montana Supreme Court, one of them the chief justice seat, have each drawn three nominally nonpartisan candidates. The top two vote-getters in each race will advance to the November general election.
The chief justice candidates are former federal magistrate judge Jerry Lynch, Carbon County Attorney Doug Marshall, and Broadwater County Attorney Cory Swanson.
The candidates for the other Supreme Court justice position, Seat 3, are State District Court Judge Katherine Bidegaray, former State Sen. Jerry O’Neil, and State District Court Judge Dan Wilson.
Ballots also include partisan elections for the position of Clerk of the Montana Supreme Court. Incumbent clerk Bowen Greenwood, a Republican, is facing a primary challenge from Senate President Jason Ellsworth. On the Democratic side, Helena attorney Erin Farris-Olsen is competing against U.S. Navy veteran Jordan Ophus. Libertarian candidate Roger Roots is unopposed in his primary.
MONTANA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
PSC District 2
On the Republican side, former commissioner Kirk Bushman is running against state senator and former commissioner Brad Molnar.
Democratic candidate Susan Bilo is unopposed in her primary.
PSC District 3
The Republican primary features a three-way contest between Harlowton IT professional Rob Elwood, metallurgical engineer Suzann Nordwick, and state Sen. Jeff Welborn.
Democratic candidate Leonard Williams is unopposed in his primary.
PSC District 4
Incumbent Commissioner Jennifer Fielder is unopposed in the Republican primary. She also has no Democratic challengers for the District 4 seat, though Elena Evans of Missoula is mounting a campaign as an independent.
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