< Pivotal Montana Race Too Close to Call

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Heard on Morning Edition

November 8, 2006 - RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

Joining us now from Great Falls, Montana is NPR's Martin Kaste. And Martin, you're watching the U.S. Senate race between Democrat Jon Tester and Republican incumbent Conrad Burns. And, of course, control of the Senate hangs on this state and Virginia at the moment. You're at Tester's headquarters. How close is the race?

MARTIN KASTE: Well, it's very close. It was a long night for both campaigns. Jon Tester, the Democratic challenger, started out ahead in the count. But as the night wore on, the lead sort of dwindled as Conrad Burns, the incumbent, the Republican, closed the gap. And right as things were kind of really getting interesting, the count sort of bogged down.

And it looks like there was some problem with tabulation in Yellowstone County, which is in eastern Montana. It is generally seen to be a more Republican area. Apparently, there they had to stop and start over again - some unspecified problem with some machines involving the tabulation for the entire county, and it's one of the bigger counties. So...

MONTAGNE: So, just in a second or two, any notion of when they'll call this race?

KASTE: We're looking at, perhaps, early this morning. It's not real clear, there are no promises. But right now, everyone here is saying it's not Florida. It's just a matter of patience.

MONTAGNE: Thank you. NPR's Martin Kaste in Great Falls, Montana. And you can read results from every Senate and House race at npr.org.

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