Valley County Primary Results

A primary record 62.71 percent of the registered voting population in Valley County cast ballots in the all-mail state primary on June 2. In total, 2,943 of 4,693 voters cast their ballots with 686 cast for Democrats, seven for the Green party and 2,250 cast for Republicans.

In local races, Casey Knudsen held on to his nomination over challenger Joyce Stone across HD 33. Stone managed to carry the portions of the District that reside in Valley County by 53 votes (493 to 440). She lost the overall bid significantly as Knudsen carried 68 percent of the district’s vote.

The only remaining contested local race for Valley County was for State Senate District 16. In that race the nomination fell to Mike Fox with 33 percent of the vote beating out a field of four contenders which included Jestin Dupree, Kristofer Fourstar and Bridget Smith. Valley County cast the majority of their ballots in the race for Smith who claimed over half the votes with 87 of the 162 Valley County ballots cast.

In the HD 34 primary competition, incumbent Rhonda Knudsen carried 68 percent of the district’s votes to beat out challenger Tracy Schuster. In Valley County, Knudsen received 492 votes compared to Schuster’s 305 votes. Knudsen is running uncontested in the general election and will likely continue to be the northeast Montana representative in the State House.

In contested races on the Republican ballot, the majority of the county supported Steve Daines for Senator with 1,919 votes cast in his favor over John Brian Driscoll (134 votes) and Daniel R. Larson (115). Daines won the statewide nomination as well. For U.S. Representative, Valley County supported Matt Rosendale with 982 votes cast in his favor. Rosendale won the statewide nomination as well with 48 percent of Montana Republican voters supporting him over the other contenders.

For Governor, Valley County broadly supported Greg Gianforte with 1,203 votes cast for the current Representative. Tim Fox received 584 votes from Valley County Republicans and Al Olszewski received 421 votes. Gianforte went on to win the statewide nomination.

In the Secretary of State race, Christi Jacobsen won the statewide nomination with 29 percent of the vote, but Valley County cast the majority of their ballots for her opponent, Scott Sales, who took only 25 percent of the statewide votes.

On the Attorney General race, Austin Knudsen claimed the nomination over Jon Bennion with 60 percent of the statewide votes. In Valley County Knudsen claimed 1,325 votes against Bennion’s 712 votes.

Troy Downing claimed 50 percent of the state’s Republican ballots to become the nominee over Nelly Nicol and Scott Tuxbury. Downing had slightly less success in Valley County claiming only 885 of the county’s 1,892 Republican ballots compared to Nicol’s 412 votes and Tuxbury’s 589.

The Democratic presidential nomination had a predictable ending in Montana—which nominated the last remaining candidate Joe Biden—and the county cast 500 votes supporting Joe Biden, 76 for Bernie Sanders, 50 for Elizabeth Warren and 28 for no preference.

Current Governor Steve Bullock received the Democratic nomination to take on incumbent Steve Daines in the primary for U.S. Senate. In Valley County, Bullock received 609 of the 666 democratic ballots cast in the county.

Democrats also nominated Kathleen Williams to compete for Montana’s sole House seat which will be vacated by current representative Greg Gianforte who is running, once more, for Governor. Williams received 581 of the 644 Democrat ballots cast in Valley County over her challenger Tom Winter’s 60.

For the Democrat’s nominee for Governor, Valley County followed suit with the state nomination of current Lt. Governor Mike Cooney over Whitney Williams for the Democratic nomination. In VC, Cooney received 373 votes over William’s 272.

Democrats nominated the Governor’s counsel Raph Grayill for Secretary of State over current state representative Kimberly Dudik. Graybill received 57 percent of the vote. In Valley County, Graybill claimed 349 ballots over Dudik’s 247.

For State Auditor Montana Democrats nominated Shane Morigeau with 61 percent of the vote over Mike Winsor. In Valley County, Morigeau received 280 votes while Winsor received 257.