The 2002 United States House of Representatives election in Montana was held on November 5, 2002, to determine who would represent the state of Montana in the United States House of Representatives. Montana has one at-large district in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census, due to its low population. Representatives are elected for two-year terms.
Republican Denny Rehberg, the former lieutenant governor of Montana, sought re-election to a second term in the United States House of Representatives, winning the party's renomination unopposed in the June 4 primary. Two Democrats — rancher Robert Candee and small business owner Steve Kelly — sought their party's nomination. Kelly ultimately prevailed with 74 percent of the vote in the primary. In the general election, Rehberg won with almost 65 percent of the vote to Kelly's 33 percent, while Libertarian Mike Fellows received nearly 3 percent.
Background Kelly, the Democratic nominee, had previously run for office as both an independent and a Republican, in 1994 running as an independent candidate for the US House and earning 9 percent of the vote, and in 1998 running as a candidate in the Republican primary for Gallatin County commissioner. He observed that his independent candidacy eight years earlier had displeased some Democrats, who felt that he pulled votes from the Democratic nominee. However, Kelly observed that the Democrat still won the race, so he was not a spoiler.
Democratic primary Candidates Robert Candee, rancher Steve Kelly, businessman and 1994 independent candidate for Congress
Results
Republican primary Candidates Denny Rehberg, incumbent, former lieutenant governor of Montana (1990–1996), and 1996 Republican Senate nominee
Results
General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball November 4, 2002 New York Times October 14, 2002
Campaign Rehberg won the endorsement of the Montana Teamsters Union, the first time in Montana history that the union endorsed a Republican statewide candidate. The candidates' first debate was held on June 22, at the annual convention of the Montana Newspaper Association.
Results
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Missoula (largest city: Missoula) Cascade (largest city: Great Falls) Lewis and Clark (largest city: Helena) Rosebud (largest city: Colstrip) Roosevelt (largest city: Wolf Point) Hill (largest city: Havre) Blaine (largest city: Chinooko) Sheridan (largest city: Plentywood)
Aftermath Kelly would go on to be the Green nominee for Senate in 2018, although he would be removed from the ballot prior to Election Day.
References
External links Denny Rehberg's campaign website (archived July 26, 2002) Steve Kelly's campaign website (archived July 26, 2002) Campaign finance information from Open Secrets