2012 United States House of Representatives election in Montana

The 2012 congressional election in Montana was held on November 6, 2012, to determine who would represent the state of Montana in the United States House of Representatives. At the time, Montana had one seat in the House. Incumbent Denny Rehberg did not run for reelection, choosing instead to run unsuccessfully for the seat in the U.S. Senate. A primary election was held on June 5, 2012. Republican businessman Steve Daines won the open seat.

2012 United States House of Representatives election in Montana

← 2010
November 6, 2012
2014 →
 
Nominee Steve Daines Kim Gillan
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 255,468 204,939
Percentage 53.3% 42.7%

County results
Daines:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Gillan:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. Representative before election

Denny Rehberg
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Steve Daines
Republican

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

  • Steve Daines, businessman and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2008
Eliminated in primary
  • Eric Brosten, author and engineer
  • Vincent Melkus, student at Colorado Mesa University and former Marine

Withdrawn

  • John Abarr, white supremacist and Ku Klux Klan organizer.

Hypothetical polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
John
Abarr
Steve
Daines
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling June 16–19, 2011 382 ± 5.0% 14% 22% 64%

Results

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Daines 82,843 71.2
Republican Eric Brosten 21,012 18.1
Republican Vincent Melkus 12,420 10.7
Total votes 116,275 100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

  • Kim Gillan, state senator from Billings

Eliminated in primary

  • Sam Rankin, real estate salesman and candidate for this seat in 2010
  • Diane Smith, businesswoman
  • Dave Strohmaier, Missoula city council member
  • Rob Stutz, attorney
  • Jason Ward, farmer and construction manager for the Crow Nation
  • Franke Wilmer, state representative from Bozeman

Declined

  • Melinda Gopher, writer and candidate for this seat in 2010
  • Brian Schweitzer, Governor of Montana

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Kim
Gillan
Sam
Rankin
Diane
Smith
Dave
Strohmaier
Rob
Stutz
Jason
Ward
Franke
Wilmer
Undecided
Public Policy Polling April 26–29, 2012 332 ± 5.4% 21% 4% 13% 9% 1% 0% 11% 41%

Results

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kim Gillan 25,077 31.0
Democratic Franke Wilmer 14,836 18.4
Democratic Diane Smith 12,618 15.6
Democratic Dave Strohmaier 11,366 14.1
Democratic Sam Rankin 9,382 11.6
Democratic Jason Ward 4,959 6.1
Democratic Rob Stutz 2,586 3.2
Total votes 80,824 100.0

Libertarian primary

Candidates

Nominee
  • David Kaiser

General election

Endorsements

Steve Daines (R)

Organizations

  • National Republican Congressional Committee "Vanguard" Program
Kim Gillan (D)

Organizations

  • Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program

Polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Steve
Daines (R)
Kim
Gillan (D)
David
Kaiser (L)
Undecided
Public Policy Polling (D) November 2–3, 2012 737 ± 3.6% 48% 44% 3% 4%
Mason-Dixon October 29–31, 2012 625 ± 4.0% 51% 40% 1% 8%
Pharos Research Group October 26–28, 2012 799 ± 4.9% 52% 45% 4%
Pharos Research Group October 19–21, 2012 400 ± 4.9% 47% 41% 12%
Public Policy Polling (D) October 8–10, 2012 737 ± 3.6% 43% 34% 10% 12%
MSU-Billings September 27–30, 2012 477 ± 4.6% 36% 23% 3% 38%
Mellman (D-Montana JET PAC) September 23–26, 2012 600 ± 4.0% 36% 34% 5% 25%
Mason-Dixon September 17–19, 2012 625 ± 4.0% 46% 38% 2% 14%
Public Policy Polling (D) September 10–11, 2012 656 ± 3.8% 40% 37% 9% 15%
Public Policy Polling (D) April 26–29, 2012 934 ± 3.2% 33% 27% 40%
Public Policy Polling (D) June 16–19, 2011 819 ± 3.4% 35% 27% 38%
Hypothetical polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
John
Abarr (R)
Kim
Gillan (D)
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling (report) June 16–19, 2011 819 ± 3.4% 30% 26% 44%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
John
Abarr (R)
Franke
Wilmer (D)
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling (report) June 16–19, 2011 819 ± 3.4% 33% 25% 42%
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Steve
Daines (R)
Franke
Wilmer (D)
Other Undecided
Public Policy Polling April 26–29, 2012 934 ± 3.2% 36% 25% 39%
Public Policy Polling June 16–19, 2011 819 ± 3.4% 35% 25% 40%

Predictions

Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report Likely R November 5, 2012
Rothenberg Safe R November 2, 2012
Roll Call Likely R November 4, 2012
Sabato's Crystal Ball Likely R November 5, 2012
NY Times Safe R November 4, 2012
RCP Likely R November 4, 2012
The Hill Likely R November 4, 2012

Results

Montana's at-large congressional district, 2012
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Steve Daines 255,468 53.25% −7.16%
Democratic Kim Gillan 204,939 42.72% +8.88%
Libertarian David Kaiser 19,333 4.03% −1.71%
Total votes 479,740 100.0% N/A
Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

  • Missoula (Largest city: Missoula)
  • Glacier (largest city: Cut Bank)
  • Roosevelt (largest city: Wolf Point)
  • Hill (largest city: Havre)
  • Blaine (largest city: Chinooko)

wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about 2012 United States House of Representatives election in Montana, What is 2012 United States House of Representatives election in Montana? What does 2012 United States House of Representatives election in Montana mean?