The 2000 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Governor of Montana Marc Racicot, who was first elected in 1992 and was re-elected in 1996, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. Judy Martz, the lieutenant governor of Montana under Racicot for four years, won the Republican primary and advanced to the general election, where she faced Mark O'Keefe, the Montana state auditor and Democratic nominee. Despite the fact that George W. Bush, the Republican nominee for president in 2000, won the state in a landslide, the race between Martz and O'Keefe was close. However, Martz managed to narrowly defeat him to win her first and only term as governor. This was the last time that a Republican was elected governor of Montana until 2020, when Greg Gianforte was elected.
Democratic primary
Candidates Mike Cooney, secretary of state of Montana Joseph Mazurek, attorney general of Montana Mark O'Keefe, Montana state auditor
Results
Republican primary
Candidates Judy Martz, lieutenant governor of Montana Rob Natelson, conservative activist and constitutional law professor
Results
General election Debates Complete video of debate, October 15, 2000
Results
By county County Judy MartzRepublican Mark O'KeefeDemocratic Stan JonesLibertarian Margin Total Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %Beaverhead2,88968.83%1,24629.69%621.48%1,64339.15%4,197Big Horn1,40233.65%2,69964.77%661.58%-1,297-31.13%4,167Blaine1,10240.04%1,61058.50%401.45%-508-18.46%2,752Broadwater1,31663.85%70734.30%381.84%60929.55%2,061Carbon2,73956.37%2,01941.55%1012.08%72014.82%4,859Carter50580.16%10616.83%91.43%39963.33%630Cascade14,47943.58%18,09654.47%6501.96%-3,617-10.89%33,225Chouteau1,72259.69%1,11238.54%511.77%61021.14%2,885Custer2,58251.92%2,33346.91%581.17%2495.01%4,973Daniels69163.86%37734.84%141.29%31429.02%1,082Dawson2,43357.06%1,76041.28%711.67%67315.78%4,264Deer Lodge1,21826.62%3,29772.05%611.33%-2,079-45.43%4,576Fallon87065.66%42632.15%292.19%44433.51%1,325Fergus3,82963.69%2,06134.28%1222.03%1,76829.41%6,012Flathead20,59361.22%12,29836.56%7492.23%8,29524.66%33,640Gallatin16,90952.87%14,43845.15%6341.98%2,4717.73%31,981Garfield59781.89%12517.15%70.96%47264.75%729Glacier1,41033.64%2,70064.41%821.96%-1,290-30.77%4,192Golden Valley38271.94%13725.80%122.26%24546.14%531Granite1,01063.68%52833.29%483.03%48230.39%1,586Hill2,54438.86%3,85858.93%1452.21%-1,314-20.07%6,547Jefferson2,96757.65%2,08640.53%941.83%88117.12%5,147Judith Basin90565.25%45933.09%231.66%44632.16%1,387Lake5,98352.34%5,17945.31%2682.34%8047.03%11,430Lewis and Clark13,18548.27%13,70450.17%4241.55%-519-1.90%27,313Liberty65262.27%37435.72%212.01%27826.55%1,047Lincoln4,73560.64%2,83336.28%2413.09%1,90224.36%7,809Madison2,46867.47%1,11530.48%752.05%1,35336.99%3,658McCone69961.32%42937.63%121.05%27023.68%1,140Meagher65670.16%25827.59%212.25%39842.57%935Mineral83651.32%74445.67%493.01%925.65%1,629Missoula18,21539.34%27,03458.39%1,0522.27%-8,819-19.05%46,301Musselshell1,37162.52%76634.93%562.55%60527.59%2,193Park4,00454.08%3,24343.80%1572.12%76110.28%7,404Petroleum23575.81%7022.58%51.61%16553.23%310Phillips1,59872.08%58926.57%301.35%1,00945.51%2,217Pondera1,56953.88%1,30044.64%431.48%2699.24%2,912Powder River74575.79%22923.30%90.92%51652.49%983Powell1,68859.46%1,07737.94%742.61%61121.52%2,839Prairie49867.21%23131.17%121.62%26736.03%741Ravalli9,77257.05%6,98240.76%3752.19%2,79016.29%17,129Richland2,65866.09%1,29332.15%711.77%1,36533.94%4,022Roosevelt1,36935.73%2,41763.07%461.20%-1,048-27.35%3,832Rosebud1,46641.98%1,95555.99%712.03%-489-14.00%3,492Sanders2,63356.31%1,91140.87%1322.82%72215.44%4,676Sheridan1,05254.14%86844.67%231.18%1849.47%1,943Silver Bow5,75034.23%10,83764.51%2131.27%-5,087-30.28%16,800Stillwater2,41762.10%1,39235.77%832.13%1,02526.34%3,892Sweet Grass1,38275.35%42223.01%301.64%96052.34%1,834Teton1,89257.32%1,36041.20%491.48%53216.12%3,301Toole1,28353.55%1,07144.70%421.75%2128.85%2,396Treasure30664.42%16334.32%61.26%14330.11%475Valley2,13753.79%1,75044.05%862.16%3879.74%3,973Wheatland68868.94%29829.86%121.20%39039.08%998Wibaux30259.80%18737.03%163.17%11522.77%505Yellowstone29,78751.97%26,57246.36%9561.67%3,2155.61%57,315
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Silver Bow (largest city: Butte) Deer Lodge (largest city: Anaconda) Missoula (largest city: Missoula) Cascade (largest city: Great Falls) Lewis and Clark (largest city: Helena) Rosebud (largest city: Colstrip) Big Horn (largest city: Hardin) Glacier (largest city: Cut Bank) Roosevelt (largest city: Wolf Point) Hill (largest city: Havre) Blaine (largest city: Chinook)
References