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Montana Legislative Leadership

House and Senate 1889 - Present

The names of Senate presidents and House speakers are followed by their party affiliation and county of residence.

D = Democrat
R = Republican

Session Senate President House Speaker

2007

Mike Cooney (D-Lewis & Clark) Scott Sales (R-Gallatin)
2005

Jon Tester (D-Chouteau)

Gary Matthews (D-Custer)

2003

Bob Keenan (R-Flathead)

Doug Mood (R-Missoula)

2001

Tom Beck (R-Powell)

Dan McGee (R-Yellowstone)

1999

Bruce Crippen (R-Yellowstone)

John Mercer (R-Lake)

1997

Gary Aklestad (R-Toole)

John Mercer (R-Lake)

1995

Bob Brown (R-Flathead)

John Mercer (R-Lake)

1993

Fred Van Valkenburg (D-Missoula)

John Mercer (R-Lake)

1991

Joe Mazurek (D-Lewis & Clark)

Hal Harper (D-Lewis & Clark)

1989

Jack Galt (R-Meagher)

John Vincent (D-Gallatin)

1987

Bill Norman (D-Missoula)

Bob Marks (R-Jefferson)

1985

Bill Norman (D-Missoula)

John Vincent (D-Gallatin)

1983

Stan Stephens (R-Hill)

Dan Kemmis (D-Missoula)

1981

Jean Turnage (R-Lake)

Bob Marks (R-Jefferson)

1979

William Mathers (R-Custer)

Harold Gerke (D-Yellowstone)

1977

W. Gordon McOmber (D-Teton)

John Driscoll (D-Ravalli)

1975

W. Gordon McOmber (D-Teton)

Pat McKittrick (D-Cascade)

1974 W. Gordon McOmber (D-Teton) Harold Gerke (D-Yellowstone)
1973

Bill Christiansen (D-Bighorn)*

Harold Gerke (D-Yellowstone)

1971

Tom Judge (D-Lewis & Clark)

James Lucas (R-Custer)

1969

Tom Judge (D-Lewis & Clark)

James Lucas (R-Custer)

1967

Ted James (R-Cascade)

James Felt (R-Yellowstone)

1965

Eugene Mahoney (D-Sanders)**

Ray Wayrynen (D-Silver Bow)

1963

David James (D-Liberty)**

Frank Hazelbaker (R-Beaverhead)

1961

Tim Babcock (R-Yellowstone)

Clyde Hawks (R-Bighorn)

1959

Paul Cannon (D-Silver Bow)

John J. MacDonald (D-Garfield)

1957

Paul Cannon (D-Silver Bow)

Eugene Mahoney (D-Sanders)

1955

George Gosman (R-Beaverhead)

Leo Graybill (D-Cascade)

1953

George Gosman (R-Beaverhead)

Dean Chaffin (R-Gallatin)

1951

Paul Cannon (D-Silver Bow)

Ory Armstrong (R-Flathead)

1949

Paul Cannon (D-Silver Bow)

Leo Graybill (D-Cascade)

1947

Ernest Eaton (R-Yellowstone)

Charles Scofield (R-Powder River)

1945

Ernest Eaton (R-Yellowstone)

George O'Connor (R-Carbon)

1943

Ernest Eaton (R-Yellowstone)

George O'Connor (R-Carbon)

1941

Ernest Eaton (R-Yellowstone)

E.J. Stromnes (D-Cascade)

1939

Hugh Adair (D-Lewis & Clark)

D.M. Manning (D-Treasure)

1937

Hugh Adair (D-Lewis & Clark)

H.D. Rolph (D-Liberty)

1935

W. Elmer Holt (D-Custer)***

W. P. Pilgeram (D-Cascade)

1933

Frank Cooney (D-Missoula)

Dennis Dellwo (D-Lake)

1931

Frank A. Hazelbaker (R-Beaverhead)

W. R. Flachsenhar (R-Prairie)

1929

Frank A. Hazelbaker (R-Beaverhead)

Ralph Bricker (R-Judith Basin)

1927

W. S. McCormack (R-Flathead)

Glenn Davis (R-Wibaux)

1925

W. S. McCormack (R-Flathead)

Ralph Bricker (R-Judith Basin)

1923

Nelson Story, Jr. (R-Gallatin)

Calvin Crumbaker (R-Chouteau)

1921

Nelson Story, Jr. (R-Gallatin)

Fred Gibson (R-Park)

1919

W. W. McDowell (D-Silver Bow)

O. W. Belden (R-Fergus)

1917

W. W. McDowell (D-Silver Bow)

Jas. F. O'Connor (D-Park)

1915

W. W. McDowell (D-Silver Bow)

George Ramsey (D-Lewis & Clark)

1913

W. W. McDowell (D-Silver Bow)

Alexander MacDonald (D-Flathead)

1911

William R. Allen (R-Deer Lodge)

W. W. McDowell (D-Silver Bow)

1909

William R. Allen (R-Deer Lodge)

W. W. McDowell (D-Silver Bow)

1907

Edwin Norris (D-Beaverhead)

E. W. King (R-Gallatin)

1905

Edwin Norris (D-Beaverhead)

Wyllis Hedges (R-Fergus)

1903

Frank Higgins (D-Missoula)

Benjamin White (R-Beaverhead)

1901

Frank Higgins (D-Missoula)

F. E. Corbett (D-Silver Bow)

1899

Archibald Spriggs (Populist-Meagher)

Henry Stiff (D-Missoula)

1897

Archibald Spriggs (Populist-Meagher)

Jacob M. Kennedy (D-Deer Lodge)

1895

Alexander Botkin (R-Lewis & Clark)

Wilbra Swett (R-Silver Bow)

1893

Alexander Botkin (R-Lewis & Clark)

Thomas Matthews (Populist-Silver Bow)

1891

John Rickards (R-Silver Bow)

Harry Comly (D-Lewis & Clark)

1889

John Rickards (R-Silver Bow)

Charles Blakely (D-Gallatin)
Aaron Witter (R-Beaverhead)****

* Before 1974, the lieutenant governor served as president of the Senate.

** In 1963 and 1965, there was no president of the Senate. Eugene Mahoney and David James served as president pro tem.

*** In 1935, there was no president of the Senate. W. Elmer Holt served as president pro tem.

**** In 1889, voting irregularities led to a dispute over the outcome of legislative elections in Silver Bow County. The dispute was never resolved because the law didn't clearly explain how to certify the election of legislators. So each party sent its own five legislators to Helena, and Montana actually had a Democrat House and a Republican House, which met separately.

Sources:
Atlas of Montana Elections 1889-1976, compiled by Ellis Waldron and Paul B. Wilson, 1978.
Laws of Montana, 1889-2007.
Montana Directory of Public Affairs, compiled by Ralph E. Owings, 1956.
Vertical files, Montana Historical Society.


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