1980 Montana Senate election

1980 Montana Senate election
November 4, 1980 (1980-11-04)
25 of the 50 seats in the Montana Senate
26 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Rep
Dem
Leader William L. Mathers
(retired)		 Chet Blaylock
Party Republican Democratic
Leader's seat 26th-Miles City 35th-Laurel
Last election 26 24
Seats before 27[a] 23[a]
Seats after 29 21
Seat change Increase2 Decrease2
Senate President before election

William L. Mathers[2][3]
Republican

 Elected Senate President

Jean A. Turnage[4]
Republican

The 1980 Montana Senate election took place on November 4, 1980, with the primary election held on June 3, 1980. Montana voters elected 25 of the 50 members of the Montana Senate.[5] The election coincided with United States national elections and Montana state elections, including U.S. President, U.S. House, Montana Governor, and Montana House.[6][7]

Following the previous election in 1978, Republicans held a 26-to-24 seat majority over Democrats.[8][9][10] Additionally, after being re-elected in 1978 as a Democrat, Senator John E. Manley of district 14 switched political party affiliation in 1979 to Republican, increasing the GOP's majority to 27 seats.[a]

Republicans increased their majority in the legislature to 29 seats, while Democrats held 21—giving Republicans a net gain of two seats.[8][6][7] The newly elected members served in the 47th Montana State Legislature, during which Republican Jean A. Turnage was elected President of the Montana Senate.[4]

Retiring incumbents

Democrats

  1. District 27: Cornie R. Thiessen
  2. District 45: John "Sandy" Mehrens
  3. District 49: Robert D. Watt

Republicans

  1. District 16: A. T. "Tom" Rasmussen
  2. District 26: William L. Mathers
  3. District 32: Lloyd C. Lockrem Jr.
  4. District 33: William R. "Bill" Lowe
  5. District 39: Everett R. Lensink

Incumbents defeated in primary election

Democrats

  1. District 8: Richard G. Smith
  2. District 17: Larry Fasbender

Incumbents defeated in general election

Democrat

  1. District 3: Greg Jergeson

Republican

  1. District 21: George F. Roskie

Summary of results

Italics denote an open seat held by the incumbent party; bold text denotes a gain for a party.[5][6][7] Only districts that held elections are listed below.

State senate district Incumbent Party Elected senator Outcome
1 Ed B. Smith Rep Ed B. Smith Rep hold
2 Mark Etchart Rep Mark Etchart Rep hold
3 Greg Jergeson Dem H. W. "Swede" Hammond Rep gain
8 Richard G. Smith Dem Roger H. Elliott Rep gain
10 Bob Brown Rep Bob Brown Rep hold
12 George McCallum Rep George McCallum Rep hold
13 Jean A. Turnage Rep Jean A. Turnage Rep hold
16 A. T. "Tom" Rasmussen Rep Joseph P. Mazurek Dem gain
17 Larry Fasbender Dem Gary P. Lee Rep gain
20 Bill Thomas Dem Bill Thomas Dem hold
21 George F. Roskie Rep Harry K. Berg Dem gain
24 Harold L. Dover Rep Harold L. Dover Rep hold
26 William L. Mathers Rep J. Donald Ochsner Rep hold
27 Cornie R. Thiessen Dem Larry John Tveit Rep gain
29 Carroll Graham Dem Carroll Graham Dem hold
30 Tom Hager Rep Tom Hager Rep hold
32 Lloyd C. Lockrem Jr. Rep Thomas F. Keating Rep hold
33 William R. "Bill" Lowe Rep Bruce D. Crippen Rep hold
39 Everett R. Lensink Rep Dorothy Eck Dem gain
41 Frank W. Hazelbaker Rep Frank W. Hazelbaker Rep hold
42 Robert R. "Bob" Peterson Dem Robert R. "Bob" Peterson Dem hold
43 Lawrence G. Stimatz Dem Lawrence G. Stimatz Dem hold
45 John "Sandy" Mehrens Dem Jack Haffey Dem hold
49 Robert D. Watt Dem Jan Johnson Rep gain
50 Fred Van Valkenburg Dem Fred Van Valkenburg Dem hold

Detailed results by district

District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 8 • District 10 • District 12 • District 13 • District 16 • District 17 • District 20 • District 21 • District 24 • District 26 • District 27 • District 29 • District 30 • District 32 • District 33 • District 39 • District 41 • District 42 • District 43 • District 45 • District 49 • District 50

District 1

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ed B. Smith (incumbent) 1,341 100.00%
Total votes 1,341 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ed B. Smith (incumbent) 5,611 100.00%
Total votes 5,611 100.00%
Republican hold

District 2

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ernest Kummerfeldt 1,915 100.00%
Total votes 1,915 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Etchart (incumbent) 1,190 100.00%
Total votes 1,190 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Etchart (incumbent) 3,431 54.47%
Democratic Ernest Kummerfeldt 2,868 45.53%
Total votes 6,299 100.00%
Republican hold

District 3

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Greg Jergeson (incumbent) 1,969 100.00%
Total votes 1,969 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican H. W. Hammond 1,182 100.00%
Total votes 1,182 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican H. W. "Swede" Hammond 3,472 53.37%
Democratic Greg Jergeson (incumbent) 3,034 46.63%
Total votes 6,506 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 8

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Edwin O. Woster 1,245 55.83%
Democratic Richard G. Smith (incumbent) 985 44.17%
Total votes 2,230 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger H. Elliott 1,568 100.00%
Total votes 1,568 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger H. Elliott 4,981 59.61%
Democratic Edwin O. Woster 3,375 40.39%
Total votes 8,356 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 10

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bob Brown (incumbent) 1,601 100.00%
Total votes 1,601 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bob Brown (incumbent) 6,843 100.00%
Total votes 6,843 100.00%
Republican hold

District 12

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Larry Sturm 2,222 100.00%
Total votes 2,222 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George McCallum (incumbent) 1,821 100.00%
Total votes 1,821 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George McCallum (incumbent) 5,926 69.86%
Democratic Larry Sturm 2,557 30.14%
Total votes 8,483 100.00%
Republican hold

District 13

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jean A. Turnage (incumbent) 2,105 100.00%
Total votes 2,105 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jean A. Turnage (incumbent) 6,791 100.00%
Total votes 6,791 100.00%
Republican hold

District 16

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joseph P. Mazurek 1,817 63.60%
Democratic John W. Mahan 1,040 36.40%
Total votes 2,857 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Douglas B. Kelley[b] 469 57.69%
Republican Riley Johnson 344 42.31%
Total votes 813 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joseph P. Mazurek 4,393 63.12%
Republican Bob McKay[b] 2,567 36.88%
Total votes 6,960 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 17

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Walter H. Savoy 1,215 52.62%
Democratic Larry Fasbender (incumbent) 1,094 47.38%
Total votes 2,309 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Gary P. Lee 500 100.00%
Total votes 500 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Gary P. Lee 3,198 57.03%
Democratic Walter H. Savoy 2,410 42.97%
Total votes 5,608 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 20

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Thomas (incumbent) 1,301 100.00%
Total votes 1,301 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Thomas (incumbent) 3,317 100.00%
Total votes 3,317 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 21

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Harry K. Berg 965 50.47%
Democratic John F. Kenny 947 49.53%
Total votes 1,912 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George F. Roskie (incumbent) 574 100.00%
Total votes 574 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Harry K. Berg 2,742 50.18%
Republican George F. Roskie (incumbent) 2,722 49.82%
Total votes 5,464 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 24

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Edward B. "Ed" Butcher 2,114 100.00%
Total votes 2,114 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Harold L. Dover (incumbent) 1,931 100.00%
Total votes 1,931 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Harold L. Dover (incumbent) 3,999 51.01%
Democratic Edward B. "Ed" Butcher 3,841 48.99%
Total votes 7,840 100.00%
Republican hold

District 26

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert G. "Bob" Barthelmess 1,673 100.00%
Total votes 1,673 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican J. Donald Ochsner 1,095 60.60%
Republican Lyman W. Choate 712 39.40%
Total votes 1,807 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican J. Donald Ochsner 3,428 50.07%
Democratic Robert G. "Bob" Barthelmess 3,419 49.93%
Total votes 6,847 100.00%
Republican hold

District 27

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Harold L. Mercer 1,246 60.75%
Democratic Richard Buehler 805 39.25%
Total votes 2,051 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry John Tveit 1,196 100.00%
Total votes 1,196 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry John Tveit 3,576 49.20%
Democratic Harold L. Mercer 3,085 42.45%
Independent Gene Delaney 607 8.35%
Total votes 7,268 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 29

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carroll Graham (incumbent) 1,278 100.00%
Total votes 1,278 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carroll Graham (incumbent) 4,064 100.00%
Total votes 4,064 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 30

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Duane E. Christensen 1,814 100.00%
Total votes 1,814 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Hager (incumbent) 1,907 100.00%
Total votes 1,907 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tom Hager (incumbent) 5,991 59.36%
Democratic Duane E. Christensen 4,101 40.64%
Total votes 10,092 100.00%
Republican hold

District 32

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sally M. M. Jordan 993 100.00%
Total votes 993 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Thomas F. Keating 1,966 60.09%
Republican Antoinette "Toni" Fraser Rosell 1,306 39.91%
Total votes 3,272 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Thomas F. Keating 6,429 75.65%
Democratic Sally M. M. Jordan 2,069 24.35%
Total votes 8,498 100.00%
Republican hold

District 33

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Norm Schoenthal 1,049 100.00%
Total votes 1,049 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Howard C. Porter[c] 1,562 100.00%
Total votes 1,562 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bruce D. Crippen[c] 4,292 66.99%
Democratic Norm Schoenthal 2,115 33.01%
Total votes 6,407 100.00%
Republican hold

District 39

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dorothy Eck 1,049 100.00%
Total votes 1,049 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joyce O. Sandquist 777 52.93%
Republican Edmund P. Sedivy Sr. 691 47.07%
Total votes 1,468 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dorothy Eck 3,371 52.15%
Republican Joyce O. Sandquist 3,093 47.85%
Total votes 6,464 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 41

Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank W. Hazelbaker (incumbent) 2,100 100.00%
Total votes 2,100 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank W. Hazelbaker (incumbent) 4,622 66.66%
Independent Douglas Allen 2,312 33.34%
Total votes 6,934 100.00%
Republican hold

District 42

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert R. "Bob" Peterson (incumbent) 2,807 100.00%
Total votes 2,807 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert R. "Bob" Peterson (incumbent) 5,073 100.00%
Total votes 5,073 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 43

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lawrence G. Stimatz (incumbent) 2,061 57.86%
Democratic Bob Kelly 1,501 42.14%
Total votes 3,562 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lawrence G. Stimatz (incumbent) 4,308 100.00%
Total votes 4,308 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 45

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Haffey 1,403 36.60%
Democratic Peter "Pete" Lorello 873 22.78%
Democratic Francis E. "Tiny" Sullivan 779 20.32%
Democratic Ron Weaver 778 20.30%
Total votes 3,833 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Haffey 3,826 100.00%
Total votes 3,826 100.00%
Democratic hold

District 49

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Terry Knight 1,188 53.80%
Democratic Sharon Solomon 1,020 46.20%
Total votes 2,208 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jan Johnson 776 100.00%
Total votes 776 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jan Johnson 3,292 51.84%
Democratic Terry Knight 3,058 48.16%
Total votes 6,350 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 50

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Fred Van Valkenburg (incumbent) 2,609 100.00%
Total votes 2,609 100.00%
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Hamp 1,447 100.00%
Total votes 1,447 100.00%
General election results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Fred Van Valkenburg (incumbent) 4,760 54.91%
Republican John Hamp 3,909 45.09%
Total votes 8,669 100.00%
Democratic hold
  1. 1 2 3 After being re-elected in district 14 in 1978 as a Democrat, Senator John E. Manley changed political party affiliation in 1979 to Republican.[1]
  2. 1 2 Although Douglas B. Kelley won the primary, Bob McKay was the Republican nominee in the general election.
  3. 1 2 Although Howard C. Porter won the primary, Bruce D. Crippen was the Republican nominee in the general election.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Towe, Thomas E. (August 2020). "The Senate Democratic Caucus Of 1975". Public Land & Resources Law Review, Vol. 43, Article 11. p. 180.
  2. ↑ "Senate Journal of the Forty-sixth Legislature of the State of Montana". Journals of the Montana Senate. January 3, 1979. p. 3.
  3. ↑ "Leadership: Senate". Montana Legislature.
  4. 1 2 "Senate Journal of the Forty-seventh Legislature of the State of Montana". Journals of the Montana Senate. January 5, 1981. p. 2.
  5. 1 2 "Officers and Members of the Montana Senate 1981". Montana State Legislature. p. ii.
  6. 1 2 3 "1980 - Primary Election: Returns for Legislative Candidates by Districts". Montana Secretary of State.
  7. 1 2 3 "1980 - General Election: Returns for Legislative Candidates by Districts" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State.
  8. 1 2 "Montana State Legislature: Party Control: Majority and Minority Party Numbers 1889-Present". Montana State Legislature.
  9. ↑ "1978 - Primary Election: Returns for Legislative Candidates by Districts". Montana Secretary of State.
  10. ↑ "1978 - General Election: Returns for Legislative Candidates by Districts". Montana Secretary of State.


This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.