By Greg Janetka
Helena, Montana: Nine state executive positions were up for election this year in the state of Montana. Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D), Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger (R), and Public Service Commissioner Brad Molnar (R) were term-limited and Attorney General Steve Bullock (D) ran for Governor. This left five incumbents who ran for re-election, three of whom won on November 6, 2012.
Here are the candidates who won election.[1]
Official Results
Governor/Lt. Governor
- See also: Montana gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2012
| Governor/Lieutenant Governor of Montana General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
 Steve Bullock and John E. Walsh |
48.9% |
236,450 |
| |
Republican |
Rick Hill and Jon Sonju |
47.3% |
228,879 |
| |
Libertarian |
Ron Vandevender and Marc Mulcahy |
3.8% |
18,160 |
| Total Votes |
483,489 |
| Election results via Montana Secretary of State |
Secretary of State
- See also: Montana secretary of state election, 2012
| Montana Secretary of State General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
Linda McCulloch Incumbent |
51.4% |
245,024 |
| |
Republican |
Brad Johnson |
45.1% |
214,976 |
| |
Libertarian |
Roger Roots |
3.5% |
16,622 |
| Total Votes |
476,622 |
| Election results via Montana Secretary of State |
Attorney General
- See also: Montana attorney general election, 2012
| Attorney General of Montana, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Republican |
Tim Fox |
53.7% |
252,916 |
| |
Democratic |
Pam Bucy |
46.3% |
218,228 |
| Total Votes |
471,144 |
| Election results via Montana Secretary of State |
Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor
- See also: Montana down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
Monica Lindeen Incumbent |
53.5% |
248,447 |
| |
Republican |
Derek Skees |
46.5% |
215,743 |
| Total Votes |
464,190 |
| Election results via Montana Secretary of State |
Superintendent of Public Instruction
- See also: Montana down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
Denise Juneau Incumbent |
50.2% |
235,397 |
| |
Republican |
Sandy Welch |
49.8% |
233,166 |
| Total Votes |
468,563 |
| Election results via Montana Secretary of State |
PSC (District 2)
- See also: Montana down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Montana Public Service Commission District 2 General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Republican |
Kirk Bushman |
52.7% |
47,385 |
| |
Democratic |
Chuck Tooley |
47.3% |
42,587 |
| Total Votes |
89,972 |
| Election results via Montana Secretary of State |
PSC (District 3)
- See also: Montana down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Montana Public Service Commission District 3 General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Republican |
Roger Koopman |
50.9% |
52,330 |
| |
Democratic |
John Vincent Incumbent |
49.1% |
50,513 |
| Total Votes |
102,843 |
| Election results via Montana Secretary of State |
PSC (District 4)
- See also: Montana down ballot state executive elections, 2012
| Montana Public Service Commission District 4 General Election, 2012 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Republican |
Bob Lake |
51.4% |
49,140 |
| |
Democratic |
Gail Gutsche Incumbent |
48.6% |
46,462 |
| Total Votes |
95,602 |
| Election results via Montana Secretary of State |
National picture
States with 2012 executive elections
There were 94 total seats up for election across 22 states this year, including 11 Governors, 9 Lt. Governors, 10 Attorneys General, 7 Secretaries of State and 57 down ballot seats.
- Before the election, 51 of these offices were held by Democrats, 38 were held by Republicans, and the remaining 4 positions were held by non partisan or Independent officers . After the election, Democrats hold 49 (net loss of 2 seats), Republicans 42 (net gain of 4 seats), and Independents/non partisans only 1 (loss of 3).
- Of the 69 incumbents who ran for election in 2012, 7 were defeated-6 Democrat and 1 Republican. Democratic Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau narrowly escaped that fate, having had to wait for her challenger to cancel a self-financed recount on December 11, 2012 before being named the official winner.[2]
- Out of 25 total open seats, 13 were won by Democrats, 11 went to Republican, and 1 went to an Independent (nonpartisan) candidate. In all, there are 34 new state executives as a result of the election.
- From the gubernatorial perspective, after the November 2012 election, there are 30 Republican and 19 Democratic governors.[3] If the GOP had taken five governor seats from Democrats on November 6, that would have given the party 34 -- the most for Republicans since 1922. As of December 2012, the number of Democratic governors in the country is at its lowest since 2001.
| 2012 State Executive Election Partisan Breakdown
|
| Party
|
Before 2012 Election
|
After 2012 Election
|
Net Change
|
| Democratic
|
51
|
50
|
-1
|
| Republican
|
38
|
43
|
+5
|
| Independent (Nonpartisan)
|
4
|
1
|
-3
|
| TOTALS
|
931 vacant
|
94
|
|
| 2012 State Executive Election Analysis
|
| Party
|
Open Seat Winners
|
Defeated Incumbents
|
New State Executives
|
| Democratic
|
13
|
6
|
15
|
| Republican
|
11
|
1
|
18
|
| Independent (Nonpartisan)
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
| TOTALS
|
25
|
7
|
34
|
See also
Steve Bullock
Rick Hill
Ron Vandevender
Bill Coate
