Unofficial election results show hardline conservatives doing well in GOP primaries for the state Legislature. Two Democrats are hoping to make history by being the first openly transgender Montana lawmakers.
No incumbent candidates fell to primary election challenges on Tuesday, while both the moderate and conservative factions of the state’s GOP claimed some victories.
There were few contested primaries for the Montana Legislature in southcentral and Eastern Montana, but many of those races finalized selections for state House or Senate.
Republicans have held a solid majority in the Montana Legislature for more than a decade, and that pattern appears likely to continue in 2022. That means GOP primaries could play a big role in how next year’s legislative session plays out.
Republicans are almost certain to maintain their grip on the Legislature, which strengthened to near-supermajority status following the Montana GOP’s historic success in the 2020 election.