1988 United States Senate election in Montana

1988 United States Senate election in Montana

← 1982 November 8, 1988 1994 →

Nominee Conrad Burns John Melcher Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 189,445 175,809 Percentage 51.87% 48.13%

County results Burns:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Melcher:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election John Melcher Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Conrad Burns Republican

Elections in Montana
Federal government Presidential elections 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2000 2004 2008 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1890 1895 1895 sp 1899 1901 1901 sp 1905 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1934 sp 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1954 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1889 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1945 2nd sp 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1969 2nd sp 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2017 AL sp 2018 2020 2022 2024
State government General elections 2010 2016 2018 2020 2022 Gubernatorial elections 1889 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Secretary of State elections 2020 2024 Attorney General elections 2020 2024 State Auditor elections 2024 Senate elections 2016 2018 2020 2022 House of Representatives elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Ballot measures 1894 Capital referendum 2004 Initiative 96 2012 Referendum 121 2016 Initiative 182 2020 Initiative 190
v t e

The 1988 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 8, 1988. Incumbent United States Senator John Melcher, who was first elected to the Senate in 1976 and was re-elected in 1982, ran for re-election. After winning the Democratic primary, he faced Yellowstone County Commissioner Conrad Burns in the general election, and a grueling campaign followed. Ultimately, Melcher was narrowly defeated in his bid for re-election by Burns, who became the first Republican Senator from Montana in 36 years since Zales Ecton lost re-election in 1952.