ELECTION results for Lincoln County, Montana (held Nov. 7, 2000), with comments on how they relate to Libby's asbestos contamination crisis


    Libby asbestos victims rights activist Gayla Benefield sent a letter to Montana's political candidates to get their positions on whether they would accept campaign contributions from the asbestos/mining industry, whether they would support legislation that bans asbestos production in the U.S., and to get their views on compsensation to victims of asbestos-related disease. Some candidates answered her letter. But some candidates didn't respond at all.

    U. S. House of Representatives

    Democratic congressional candidate Nancy Keenan, an outspoken critic of W. R. Grace and the asbestos industry, LOST to Republican candidate Dennis Rehberg, a candidate who expressed vague support for Libby's asbestos victims. Nancy Keenan (D) said taking campaign money from the asbestos industry is "morally wrong."
    Rehberg (R) did not openly criticize W. R. Grace & Co. during the congressional campaign, nor did Rehberg answer the question whether he received campaign contributions from the asbestos industry, yet he still carried the Libby area (Lincoln County) and he also won state-wide.

    Dennis Rehberg (R):...............4576 Lincoln County Votes
    Nancy Keenan (D):.................3034 Lincoln County Votes

    U. S. Senate

    Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Brian Schweitzer, an outspoken critic of W. R. Grace and the asbestos industry, LOST to incumbent Republican Senator Conrad Burns. Brian Schweitzer told Libby residents he wouldn't take contributions from the asbestos industry.

    Conrad Burns, a very weak supporter of the Libby asbestos victim's rights (external link) and widely known to have accepted political contributions from the asbestos/mining industry, won both in the Libby area (Lincoln County) and statewide.

    Conrad Burns (R) incumbent:......5010 Lincoln County Votes
    Brian Schweitzer (D):..................2629 Lincoln County Votes

    Senator Conrad Burns clashes with Libby asbestosis victims (an excerpt from the book An Air That Kills, by Andrew Schneider and David McCumber) [External link]

    Governor and Lieutenant Governor

    Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark O'Keefe, an outspoken critic of W. R. Grace & Co. and a strong supporter of legal rights of Libby's asbestos victims, LOST to Republican gubernatorial candidate Judy Martz.
    Mark O'Keefe said he hasn't received any contributions from the asbestos industry. "All Montanans deserve a governor who will work for Montana family interests, not special interests," O'Keefe said.
    Martz, a supporter of big mining company activities in Montana, did not address the asbestos issue in her campaign, and she did not return the pre-election questionnaire that asked her position on recieving campaign contributions from the asbestos/mining inducstry. Her stand on Libby's asbestos crisis is somewhat ambiguous, yet Martz/Ohs won both in the Libby area (Lincoln County) and state-wide.

    Judy Martz/Ohs (R):....................4735 Lincoln County Votes
    Mark O'Keefe/Williams (D):........2833 Lincoln County Votes


    President and Vice President

    Vice President Richard Cheney's old firm (Halliburton) backed a bill to limit asbestos industry's liability to Libby's asbestos patients.

    Bush/Cheney(R):......................5578 Lincoln County Votes (also won the state)
    Gore/Lieberman(D):..................1629 Lincoln County Votes


    What do the election results mean?

    The election results clearly show that Libby and Lincoln County residents do not consider the asbestos environmental health crisis in Libby to be a political issue. As a result, candidates who took campaign contributions from the asbestos/mining industry won big in the Libby area. In spite of massive mining pollution problems, and despite the lingering environmental health problems of its citizens, Libby, Montana still remains in the back pocket of Big Mining.
    Montana's new Republican governor, Judy Martz, acknowledged in the Missoulian newspaper (Missoula, Montana) on December 7, 2000 that she will be the "lap dog of industry", and she said that title fits her just fine.
    See also this related link (dated 3/21/2001) on Governor Martz and Libby's asbestos crisis.

    2004 election results for Lincoln County, Montana