2002 United States Senate election in Montana

The 2002 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Max Baucus won re-election to a fifth term.

Candidates

 * Max Baucus, incumbent U.S. Senator

Candidates

 * Mike Taylor, Montana State Senator
 * Brad Johnson, businessman
 * John McDonald
 * Melvin Hanson

Candidates

 * Max Baucus, incumbent U.S. Senator (Democratic)
 * Stan Jones (Libertarian)
 * Bob Kelleher, attorney (Green)

Withdrew

 * Mike Taylor, State Senator (Republican) (withdrew October 10)

Campaign
The 2002 Montana elections got national attention when Baucus's opponent, state senator Mike Taylor, accused Baucus of having implied that Taylor was gay in a campaign ad. The ad was paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, though designed by the Baucus campaign. The ad, which alleged that Taylor had embezzled funds from the cosmetology school he once owned, showed footage from the early 1980s of Taylor massaging another man's face while wearing a tight suit with an open shirt. Taylor dropped out of the race and Baucus won with 63 percent of the vote.

Debates

 * Complete video of debate, September 16, 2002

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
• Beaverhead (largest city: Dillon)

• Broadwater (largest city: Townsend)

• Carter (largest city: Ekalaka)

• Daniels (largest city: Scobey)

• Fallon (largest city: Baker)

• Fergus (largest city: Lewistown)

• Flathead (largest city: Kalispell)

• Garfield (largest city: Jordan)

• Golden Valley (largest city: Ryegate)

• Granite (largest city: Philipsburg)

• Jefferson (largest city: Clancy)

• Judith Basin (largest city: Stanford)

• Liberty (largest city: Chester)

• Lincoln (largest city: Libby)

• Madison (largest city: Ennis)

• McCone (largest city: Circle)

• Meagher (largest city: White Sulphur Springs)

• Musselshell (largest city: Roundup)

• Park (largest city: Livingston)

• Petroleum (largest city: Winnett)

• Phillips (largest city: Malta)

• Pondera (largest city: Conrad)

• Powder River (largest city: Broadus)

• Powell (largest city: Deer Lodge)

• Prairie (largest city: Terry)

• Ravalli (largest city: Hamilton)

• Richland (largest city: Sidney)

• Gallatin (largest city: Bozeman)

• Lake (largest city: Polson)

• Roosevelt (largest city: Wolf Point)

• Chouteau (largest municipality: Fort Benton)

• Sanders (largest city: Thompson Falls)

• Stillwater (largest city: Columbus)

• Sweet Grass (largest city: Big Timber)

• Teton (largest city: Choteau)

• Toole (largest city: Shelby)

• Treasure (largest city: Hysham)

• Valley (largest city: Glasgow)

• Wheatland (largest city: Harlowton)

• Wibaux (largest city: Wibaux)