A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.
Democrats have not controlled both chambers of the Montana Legislature since 1985, when Republican Ronald Reagan was President and Democrat Tom Judge Ted Schwinden was Montana’s governor. It wasn’t always that way. A list of the legislature’s party makeup from 1889–2013 is available on the legislature’s website, and from Flathead Memo you can download an Excel Spreadsheet that covers 1889–2015 in a friendlier format.
Prior to 1930, there were legislators from several third parties — Farmer-Labor, Silver, Populist, Anti-trust, Progressive, Labor, Peoples — so be sure to look at the spreadsheet or the legislature’s website if that interests you. Since Franklin Roosevelt took office, only two Independents and one Constitutional Party member have been elected to the Montana House, and eight Independents to the Montana Senate.
The column chart below displays the Democratic majority, or lack thereof, for 1931–2015 sessions, and assumes that Independents and Constitutional Party members functioned as and caucused with the Republicans. If an Independent caucused with the Democrats during this period, please let me know.
