The 2000 Montana gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Governor of Montana Marc Racicot, who was first elected in 1992 and was re-elected in 1996, was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. Judy Martz, the Lieutenant Governor of Montana under Racicot for four years, won the Republican primary and advanced to the general election, where she faced Mark O'Keefe, the Montana State Auditor and Democratic nominee. Despite the fact that George W. Bush, the Republican nominee for president in 2000, won the state in a landslide, the race between Martz and O'Keefe was close. However, Martz managed to narrowly defeat him to win her first and only term as governor. This was the last time that a Republican was elected Governor of Montana until 2020, when Greg Gianforte was elected.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Mark O'Keefe, Montana State Auditor
Joseph Mazurek, Attorney General of Montana
Mike Cooney, Secretary of State of Montana
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Judy Martz, Lieutenant Governor of Montana
Rob Natelson, conservative activist and constitutional law professor
Results
General election
Debates
Complete video of debate, October 15, 2000
Results
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Silver Bow (Largest city: Butte) Deer Lodge (Largest city: Anaconda) Missoula (Largest city: Missoula) Cascade (largest city: Great Falls) Lewis and Clark (largest city: Helena) Rosebud (largest city: Colstrip) Big Horn (largest city: Hardin) Glacier (largest city: Cut Bank) Roosevelt (largest city: Wolf Point) Hill (largest city: Havre) Blaine (largest city: Chinooko)