Matt Rosendale defeated Kathleen Williams in Montana’s at-large congressional district.
Both the Cook Political Report and Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated the district as “lean Republican.” The incumbent, Republican Greg Gianforte, retained the seat in 2018 by a 4-point margin. Gianforte won his battle against Democrat Mike Cooney to be the state’s governor.
With 88% of the vote reported, Rosendal had 55.1%, while Williams had 44.9%, according to the New York Times.
Williams was trying to be the first Democrat to win the seat since Pat Williams retired in 1997. She served in the Montana House of Representatives from 2011 to 2017. This was the second attempt by Williams, who lost to Gianforte in 2018. In June 2019, Gianforte announced his run for governor, leaving the seat open.
It was also Rosendale’s second try at the seat. He first ran in 2014 but lost in the Republican primary to eventual winner Ryan Zinke, who eventually went on to become President Trump’s first interior secretary.
Rosendale is the current state auditor of Montana, a position he was elected to in 2016. He had previously served in the Montana House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013 and the state Senate from 2013 to 2017.
