By Emily Pierce
Congressional Quarterly

Electoral votes: 3

Delegates: 23

Chairman: Gov. Marc Racicot

Hotel: Sheraton Society Hill (215) 238-6000

1996 Election:
Dole – 44%
Clinton – 41%
Perot – 14%

Montana's unusually hot election year provides an interesting prism through which the state's delegates will view their stint in Philadelphia.

Three competitive statewide races - for governor, Senate and the state's lone U.S. House seat - loom on the Big Sky State's horizon. And Montana Republicans are hoping that the early popularity in the state of their presidential candidate, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, will have a ripple effect on their candidates.

Bush held a 18 percentage-point lead over Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic presidential candidate, in a Montana poll taken in early summer. State Republican Chairman Matt Denny subscribes to the coattails theory. "The better our presidential candidate does, the better all our candidates do," he said. "I anticipate that the presidential race will have a great impact on our [statewide] races."

The race to take over for term-limited Republican Gov. Marc Racicot - who is serving as the delegation's chairman and as Bush's Montana campaign chairman - already is a spirited competition between Republican Lt. Gov. Judy Martz and Democratic State Auditor Mark O'Keefe.

Similarly, the retirement of two-term Republican Rep. Rick Hill has spawned vigorous campaigning by former Lt. Gov. Dennis Rehberg - the 1996 Republican nominee against Democratic Sen. Max Baucus - and Democratic state School Superintendent Nancy Keenan.

GOP Sen. Conrad Burns is battling an aggressive though long-shot challenge from Democratic rancher Brian Schweitzer.

Because Montana's economy has not enjoyed the economic boom seen in other parts of the country, delegates also will be looking to Bush to meet them eye to eye on issues such as farm policy, mining and logging, said long-time Republican activist and first-time delegate Shirley Warehime.

Delegate Chuck Heringer goes way back with the Bushes. He is an old friend of former President George Bush - the father of this year's GOP hopeful - and once babysat the younger Bush along with four or five other children.

Still, Heringer said he is also concerned about George W. Bush's views on federal land management, specifically Clinton administration policies that have restricted private property use in Western states.

But delegates interviewed in June said they were already satisfied that Bush understands the state's needs and is prepared to push for tax cuts that will benefit small businesses and individuals in the largely rural state.

Social conservatives in the delegation said they hoped Bush would make a vice presidential pick who melds with his own anti-abortion views, but that a contrary decision would not necessarily shake their support for the Texas governor.

"I do think it's important that he pick a pro-life candidate [for vice president]. Bush needs to assure his consistency," said delegate Greg Franks, whose favorite for the second slot was Ohio Rep. John R. Kasich, the retiring House Budget Committee chairman. Franks was the Western States coordinator for Kasich's short-lived campaign for the 2000 presidential nomination.

MONTANA NOTABLES: Gov. Marc Racicot, delegation chairman and Montana Bush campaign chairman; Lt. Gov. Judy Martz, nominee for governor; retiring Rep. Rick Hill; Montana Republican Party Chairman Matt Denny; state Senate Majority Whip Fred Thomas; Republican National Committeewoman Ione Brownson; state House Majority Whip Karl Ohs, an alternate delegate who is the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor.