2020 Montana gubernatorial election

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.

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. 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.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Mike Cooney, Lieutenant Governor of Montana and former Secretary of State of Montana and candidate in 2000
  • Running mate: Casey Schreiner, Minority Leader of the Montana House of Representatives

Eliminated in primary

• Whitney Williams, businesswoman and daughter of former U.S. Representative Pat Williams
  • Running mate: Buzz Mattelin, farmer and president of the National Barley Growers Association

Withdrawn

• Reilly Neill, former state representative
• Casey Schreiner, Minority Leader of the Montana House of Representatives (running for Lieutenant Governor)

Declined

• Ryan Busse, businessman
• Wilmot Collins, Mayor of Helena and former 2020 candidate for the U.S. Senate
• John Heenan, attorney and candidate for Montana's at-large congressional district in 2018
• Michael Punke, writer and former U.S. Ambassador to the World Trade Organization
• Brian Schweitzer, former Governor of Montana (endorsed Williams)
• Kathleen Williams, former state representative and nominee for Montana's at-large congressional district in 2018 (running for the U.S. House)

Endorsements

Polling

Polls with a sample size of <100 have their sample size entries marked in red to indicate a lack of reliability.

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Greg Gianforte, incumbent U.S. Representative for Montana's at-large congressional district and nominee for Governor of Montana in 2016

• Running mate: Kristen Juras, businesswoman and attorney

Eliminated in primary

• Tim Fox, Attorney General of Montana

• Running mate: Jon Knokey, former state representative

• Albert Olszewski, state senator and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2018

• Running mate: Kenneth Bogner, state senator

Withdrawn

• Gary Perry, former state senator
• Corey Stapleton, Secretary of State of Montana, candidate for Governor of Montana in 2012 and candidate for the U.S. House in 2014 (running for the U.S. House)
• Pete Ziehli

Declined

• Matt Rosendale, Montana State Auditor and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2018 (running for the U.S. House)
• Ryan Zinke, former United States Secretary of Interior and former U.S. Representative for Montana's at-large congressional district

Endorsements

Polling

Polls with a sample size of <100 have their sample size entries marked in red to indicate a lack of reliability.

Results

Other candidates

Libertarian Party

Nominee

• Lyman Bishop, founder and CEO of Hoplite Armor
  • Running mate: John Nesper

Withdrawn

• Ron Vandevender, nominee for lieutenant governor in 2016 and nominee for governor in 2012

Green Party

Disqualified

• Robert Barb
  • Running mate: Joshua Thomas

Results

General election

Debate

Predictions

Endorsements

Polling

Results

Results by county

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Cascade (largest city: Great Falls)
• Hill (largest city: Havre)
• Lake (largest city: Polson)
• Park (largest city: Livingston)

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links

Official campaign websites

• Lyman Bishop (L) for Governor
• Mike Cooney (D) for Governor
• Greg Gianforte (R) for Governor