One week ago, Montana voters went to the polls and made a bold statement that the old political math is no longer relevant. State Auditor John Morrison is a big money, big connections, DLC candidate -- the template of the DC Establishment manufactured candidate that has been so trendy on the DC cocktail circuit over the last few losing election seasons. State Senate President Jon Tester is a bold leader who ran a grasssroots campaign, he ran on the issues without worrying about the polls or offending anyone.

John Morrison had been elected twice statewide, had higher name recognition, twice the money, and lead in the polls. Jon Tester had been elected to a legislative district so rural that he actually represents a greater land mass than 18 members of the U.S. Senate.

Jon Tester won in a 26 point LANDSLIDE, winning many counties by a 2:1 margin and some by more:

So what happened and why? Here are what some people are saying about he results...

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Jon Tester's come from behind landslide victory in Montana's senate primary is all the more remarkable when you begin looking at the geographical distribution of his victory.

As Democrats pursue a 50 state strategy nationally, it is clear that Tester has a viable 56 county strategy in Montana.

Bandwidth warning, Montana maps in extended entry

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Before I get into my final thoughts on the race, here are some handy websites for election results:

• Montana Secretary of State (this website had better info back in the '90s when a Dem was SecState than it does now)


• Bozeman Daily Chronicle


• Billings Gazette (flagship of Lee Newspapers which also include Helena Independent Record and Missoulian).


• Great Falls Tribune


• Left in the West (so you can be part of the mob that destroys Matt's server)


• I'll be following at Bay to the Beltway

Yesterday, the Hotline'sChuck Todd wondered:

Does a Tester victory mark the first true netroots-created win? We know there are other races where the Democratic netroots played a major factor, but a Tester victory would give even more legitimacy to the lefty blogosphere's political power.

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In 2004, the buzz-word with blog campaigning was nationalization. In 2006, the trend seems to be localization. Several states are doing an amazing job at building local blogospheres that work as a team to advance common goals. From the Ohio blogs that made it so we all know the name Paul Hackett, to the Connecticut blogs that catapulted Ned Lamont, to the Washington state blogs' support for Darcy Brunner there is amazing stuff going on locally.

On Tuesday, Democrats in Montana will go to the polls in a primary election that could decide control of the U.S. Senate. The Montana bloggers have been pushing to beat Senator Conrad Burns for over a year, and in the final week there is a lot of great blogging going on.

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For the past year, an uphill battle has been fought in Montana. Insurgent candidate Jon Tester started well behind presumptive nominee John Morrison in the race for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. Morrison has already won statewide twice and is known for his intense fundraising ability. Tester was President of the Senate, but still worked his farm full time and had never had to raise more than $15,000 for a race in his life.

But if there was ever a time when you've got believe, the time is now. Because Jon Tester, a prairie populist in the mold of Tom Harkin, Byron Dorgan, and Brian Schweitzer, is now poised to win the Democratic primary just one week from today. But he still needs your help.

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