Their voting behavior does not match their proclaimed political philosophy. Or maybe they are trying to get federal programs geared only for their own benefit. Good luck there, Montanans. Or maybe it’s just being overrun by CA transplants. Even fore the CA arrive in such huge numbers though, MT was still Democrat. For years Mike Mansfield and Lee Metcalf were untouchable. I wonder if 2012 will be a bit different than 2006.
Lee Metcalf was a VERY weak incumbent, actually. That seat was the scene of very close races. In 1942, Metcalf’s predecessor, James Murray, barely held off Jeanette Rankin’s brother, Wellington, 49-48%. In 1954, Murray virtually tied the race against GOP Congressman Wesley D’Ewart, 50-50%. In 1960, Metcalf only won 51-49% against former Congressman Orvin Fjare. In 1966, he again won by just 53-47% against Gov. Tim Babcock. In 1972, he won by just 52-48% against State Sen. Hank Hibbard. He was likely set to retire for 1978, but died before he could.
Even Mansfield, who barely defeated the GOP incumbent, Zales Ecton, 51-49%, in 1952, rode high for awhile, but after an uncomfortable race in 1970 where he got painted as a liberal gun-grabber as Majority Leader, he opted to retire in 1976 (although he could’ve continued to run for at least 12 if not 18 more years... he didn’t die until 2001 at the age of 98).