AP Photo/Eliza Wiley, File
- Democrat Kathleen Williams will face Republican Matt Rosendale in Montana’s At-Large Congressional District.
- The district is comprised of the entire state of Montana. Both Williams and Rosendale have run to represent the At-Large District in the past but neither have succeeded
- Williams most recently ran against Rep. Greg Gianforte in 2018 where she lost by 4.7 percentage points.
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Democrat Kathleen Williams will face off against Matt Rosendale for an open House seat to in Montana’s At-Large Congressional District after two-term incumbent Rep. Greg Gianforte announced his plans to leave the seat to run for governor.
The candidates
Williams is a former Montana state representative for the state’s 61st District, a position she held for six years. She is currently an advisor for the Western Landowners Alliance, a group consisting of landowners from nine states and the Canadian province of Alberta. She is also the former executive director of the Instream Flow Council, an organization devoted to conserving aquatic ecosystems around the country.
She previously ran to represent the At-Large District in 2018, but lost to Gianforte by 4.7 percentage points. Her 2020 campaign platform centers on growing Montana’s economy, combatting the effects of climate change and protecting the state’s extensive public lands, and expanding access to affordable healthcare.
Rosendale is currently the state auditor of Montana. He is a former state senator and was the majority leader during his time in the state legislature. Rosendale’s campaign platform is centered around securing the border, protecting public lands, and supporting veterans.
In 2018, Rosendale ran for the U.S. Senate to challenge Sen. Jon Tester, but did not win. He previously ran to represent the state’s At-Large District in 2014, but was also unsuccessful.
The district
Montana’s At-Large Congressional District is composed of the entire state. In the 2016 presidential election, the state voted for President Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in a 57-36 percent split of the vote, according to Daily Kos. The state has not used its electoral votes for a Democratic presidential candidate since President Bill Clinton in 1992.
Since being re-established in 1993, the district has only been represented by one Democrat: Pat Williams, who retired in 1997.
The money race
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Williams has raised about $2.4 million for her campaign, just $600,000 more than Rosendale’s $1.8 million. With $1.6 million in cash on had, Williams also has a $400,000 advantage over Rosendale who has $1.2 million left to spend as the November election approaches.
What experts say
The race between Williams and Rosendale is rated as “leans Republican” by Inside Elections and the Cook Political Report. It is also rated as “likely Republican” by Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
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