2010: A bad year for incumbents

The past election wasn't only a tough year for Democrats, it was tough for incumbents in general, in Montana and in the nation.

Many high-level incumbents across the nation, including Republicans, lost in primaries and many, many incumbents lost in the November general election.

The same was true on the local level. Even having been an incumbent previously may have been a detriment.

That was not true for Denny Rehberg, both an incumbent and a Republican. He handily won his sixth term to the U.S. House both statewide and in Hill, Blaine, Chouteau and Liberty counties.

It also was not true in one contested election in Hill County, where Democrat Gina Dahl retained her position as Hill County Attorney in a three-way, sometimes vicious, primary race.

But a sitting legislator lost the election, although he was running for another position.

Sitting Speaker of the House Bob Bergren could not run for re-election due to term limits. He filed for the seat in Senate District 17, which was losing its Democratic officeholder, Ken "Kim" Hansen of Harlem, also due to term limits.

Bergren was soundly defeated by a novice Republican candidate, Havre minister Rowlie Hutton.

Hill County Commissioner Mike Anderson lost the Democratic primary to Jim Catt, a newcomer to the political arena. Catt lost in the general to Jeff LaVoi, who ran as a Democrat against Anderson in 2004, then ran as an independent with the endorsement of the Hill County Republican party this year.

Democrat Carrie Dickson also lost her bid for re-election. The four-term Hill County treasurer and assessor lost in the primary to one of her employees, Democrat Sandy Brown.

Brown's Republican opponent, Bill Gupton, withdrew from the race after he took a job in Anaconda and moved from Hill County. The county Republican Party later declined to nominate Hill County Deputy Treasurer Wanda Larson as his replacement and Brown ran unopposed in the general election.

In Blaine County, Commissioner Don Swenson won the Democratic primary, but then lost to Republican challenger Frank DePriest in the general election.

In Liberty County, a challenger won in a nonpartisan race, with Holly Fredrickson defeating incumbent Justice of the Peace Neal Eveland.

Some other challenged county races in the area did stay with incumbents, however. In Chouteau County incumbent Republican Sheriff Vern Burdick won both a contested primary and the general election. In Liberty County, Republican Commissioner Russ Tempel withstood a primary challenge, then ran unopposed in the general election.

The past election wasn't only a tough year for Democrats, it was tough for incumbents in general, in Montana and in the nation.

Many high-level incumbents across the nation, including Republicans, lost in primaries and many, many incumbents lost in the November general election.

The same was true on the local level. Even having been an incumbent previously may have been a detriment.

That was not true for Denny Rehberg, both an incumbent and a Republican. He handily won his sixth term to the U.S. House both statewide and in Hill, Blaine, Chouteau and Liberty counties.

It also was not true in one contested election in Hill County, where Democrat Gina Dahl retained her position as Hill County Attorney in a three-way, sometimes vicious, primary race.

But a sitting legislator lost the election, although he was running for another position.

Sitting Speaker of the House Bob Bergren could not run for re-election due to term limits. He filed for the seat in Senate District 17, which was losing its Democratic officeholder, Ken "Kim" Hansen of Harlem, also due to term limits.

Bergren was soundly defeated by a novice Republican candidate, Havre minister Rowlie Hutton.

Hill County Commissioner Mike Anderson lost the Democratic primary to Jim Catt, a newcomer to the political arena. Catt lost in the general to Jeff LaVoi, who ran as a Democrat against Anderson in 2004, then ran as an independent with the endorsement of the Hill County Republican party this year.

Democrat Carrie Dickson also lost her bid for re-election. The four-term Hill County treasurer and assessor lost in the primary to one of her employees, Democrat Sandy Brown.

Brown's Republican opponent, Bill Gupton, withdrew from the race after he took a job in Anaconda and moved from Hill County. The county Republican Party later declined to nominate Hill County Deputy Treasurer Wanda Larson as his replacement and Brown ran unopposed in the general election.

In Blaine County, Commissioner Don Swenson won the Democratic primary, but then lost to Republican challenger Frank DePriest in the general election.

In Liberty County, a challenger won in a nonpartisan race, with Holly Fredrickson defeating incumbent Justice of the Peace Neal Eveland.

Some other challenged county races in the area did stay with incumbents, however. In Chouteau County incumbent Republican Sheriff Vern Burdick won both a contested primary and the general election. In Liberty County, Republican Commissioner Russ Tempel withstood a primary challenge, then ran unopposed in the general election.