"Stunning" defeat for Montana Dems

From Eric Dondero:

For nearly a decade Republicans in Montana have focused in on one big objective; winning back the House. They've come close. But they always seemed to come up shy by one or two votes. On November 2nd the Democrats' firewall fell to the GOP.

The Missoulian : "Montana Republicans best own predictions in taking control of Legislature" Nov. 3:

Montana Republicans won control of the 2011 Legislature in stunning fashion in Tuesday's election, surprising even themselves by picking up 18 seats to craft a 68-32 majority in the Montana House.

They also increased their margin in the state Senate by at least one seat to 28-22, giving the GOP control of both houses of the Montana Legislature for the first time since 2003.

"I think Montana voters, like voters across the country, rejected the big-government, higher-taxes approach of (President Barack) Obama and (Speaker of the House Nancy) Pelosi," said Sen. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, who chaired the party's Legislative Campaign Committee. "We heard that on the doors as we campaigned, all spring, summer and fall. It led to a huge win last night."

Butte goes Republican? Believe it!

There is no more single Democrat-controlled area of the State of Montana than Butte. The legendary old mining town has been completely controlled by Unions, and Big Government interests for a century. On November 2, as part of the massive Rocky Mountain political earthquake all over the State, the Republican Party picked up a legislative seat in Butte. Continuing:

they also won in areas long held by Democrats.

They swept all three legislative seats in Havre, won three House seats in heavily Democratic Great Falls, won House District 80 in central Helena, won three seats on Indian reservations, and even won a seat in the most Democratic stronghold of all: Butte.

Republican Max Yates (photo) defeated Democrat Bob Brock in Butte's House District 74 by 40 votes, becoming only the second Republican to win a legislative seat in Butte in the last 60 years.

A slew of big-name credible candidates are already emerging to take on incumbent Democrat Senator Jon Tester for 2012. And former Montana Republican Congressman Rick Hill announced his candidacy for Governor 5 days after the election, challenging the pro-big government Brian Schweitzer administration.

From KFBB TV Channel 5:

"So make no mistake, what this administration will be about is this; taking down the barriers to good-paying jobs, two, schools that work, three, a government we can afford and four, protecting Montana from an overreaching Federal Government,” says Hill as he describes the pillars of his campaign.