Mike Cooney

Michael R. Cooney (born September 3, 1954) is an American politician who served as the 36th Lieutenant Governor of Montana from 2016 to 2021. He previously served in the Montana House of Representatives (1977–1981), as the Secretary of State of Montana (1989–2001), in the Montana Senate (2003–2011), as the President of the Montana Senate (2007–2009) and ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Montana in 2000. Cooney was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Montana in the 2020 election, losing to Republican U.S. Representative Greg Gianforte.

Mike Cooney
36th Lieutenant Governor of Montana
In office January 4, 2016 – January 4, 2021
Governor	Steve Bullock
Preceded by	Angela McLean
Succeeded by	Kristen Juras
President of the Montana Senate
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Jon Tester
Succeeded by	Robert Story
Member of the Montana Senate from the 40th district
In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Angela McLean
Succeeded by	Mary Caferro
Member of the Montana Senate from the 26th district
In office January 13, 2003 – January 3, 2005
Preceded by	Mignon Waterman
Succeeded by	Lynda Moss
17th Secretary of State of Montana
In office January 3, 1989 – January 3, 2001
Governor	Stan Stephens Marc Racicot Judy Martz
Preceded by	Verner Bertelsen
Succeeded by	Bob Brown
Member of the Montana House of Representatives from the 83rd district
In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1981
Preceded by	Al Luebeck
Succeeded by	Dave Brown
Personal details
Born	September 3, 1954 Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	DeeAnn Gribble
Children	3[1]
Relatives	Frank Henry Cooney (grandfather)
Education	University of Montana, Missoula (BS)
Website	Campaign website

Amongst other positions, Cooney has served as Executive Director of Montana Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies (2001–2006), Division Administrator of the Workforce Services Division at the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (2006–2015), Director of the Montana Historical Society (2010–2011), and Deputy Commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (2015–2016).

Early life and education

Although he was born in Washington, D.C., Cooney is a fourth-generation Montanan and was raised in Butte.[2][3] His grandfather, Frank Henry Cooney, served as the state's 9th Governor from 1933 to 1935.[4]

Growing up, Cooney played drums in local bands.[3] He worked at the family business, Cooney Food Brokerage, from 1970 to 1977.[3] He graduated from Butte High School in 1972 and, intending to become a TV news presenter, enrolled at University of Montana to study journalism.[3]

Career

Early career

Before beginning his studies, Cooney worked at KXLF-TV in Butte in 1972.[3] There, he met Max Baucus, who was campaigning for election to the Montana House of Representatives.[3] When Baucus ran for Montana's 1st congressional district against Republican incumbent Richard G. Shoup in 1974, Cooney paused his studies to work for him.[3] Cooney enjoyed himself immensely and "I decided right then and there that's what I wanted to do."[3]

State House

After Baucus won his congressional race, Cooney returned to the University of Montana and changed his major to Political Science. When a seat in the Montana House opened up in the Silver Bow County-based 83rd District in 1976, Cooney decided to run.[3] The 21 year-old Cooney defeated two other candidates in the Democratic primary with 1,044 votes (54.52%)[5] and was unopposed in the general election.[6][3]

Cooney, sworn into office at age 22, became one of the youngest state legislators in Montana history.[7] He immediately received attention as he and another Butte-based legislator voted for Hamilton Representative John Driscoll as Speaker of the House instead of fellow Butte Representative J. D. Lynch, helping Driscoll to defeat Lynch.[3] Cooney said that he thought Lynch would be able to offer "a little more diplomacy" with the Montana Senate, which was evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.[3] In 1977, Cooney sponsored successful legislation that declared Montana would process its own nuclear waste but would not accept waste from any other state.[3] He ran for re-election in 1978, defeating a single primary opponent with 1,577 votes (62.41%)[8] and again ran unopposed in the general election.[9]

In 1979, Cooney received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Montana[10] and that December, he married DeeAnn Gribble after five years of dating.[3] Cooney then felt the need to settle down in a permanent job, so he did not run for re-election in 1980.[3] The Cooneys moved to Washington, D.C. in 1982, and Cooney worked as a member of Baucus's Washington staff.[3] Following DeeAnn's law school graduation, the Cooneys moved back to Montana; Mike worked at Senator Baucus' Helena office as his wife joined a local law firm.[3]

Secretary of State of Montana

Cooney continued working for Baucus until 1988, when he was encouraged to run for Secretary of State of Montana.[3] He received permission from Baucus to run, though reluctantly, as Baucus did not want to lose him, so Cooney agreed to only campaign on evenings and weekends.[3] Cooney was unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated the Republican nominee, State Senator Pete Story, by 174,917 votes (49.28%) to 163,830 (46.16%).[11] Cooney succeeded two-term Republican Jim Waltermire as Secretary of State.[12]

Cooney was elected to a second term in 1992, defeating Republican Bob Werner, a former Waltermire employee, by 249,359 votes (64.05%) to 139,977 (35.95%).[13] He did not face a Republican opponent in 1996, winning a third term against Libertarian Martha Oaas by 309,503 votes (83.96%) to 59,125 (16.04%).[14]

Cooney asserts that his greatest achievement as Secretary of State was persuading the Legislature to be funded entirely from fees paid for its services rather than through taxes.[3]

2000 gubernatorial election

Unable to run for a fourth term as Secretary of State because of term limits, Cooney ran for Governor of Montana in the 2000 election instead.[3] In February 2000, he announced six-term State Representative Diana Wyatt of Great Falls as his running mate,[15] calling her "a woman of vision, courage and commitment".[16] Cooney campaigned on three main goals: long-term economic development, education, and protecting Montana's environmental heritage.[17] His opponents in the Democratic primary were Montana Attorney General Joe Mazurek and Montana State Auditor and Insurance and Securities Commissioner Mark O'Keefe.[17]

In the three-way Democratic primary on June 6, Cooney finished third with 15,677 votes (16.27%) to Mazurek's 34,385 (35.69%) and O'Keefe's 46,294 (48.05%).[18] O'Keefe went on to lose the general election to Republican Lieutenant Governor Judy Martz.[19]

Cooney left office in January 2001 and was named Executive Director of Montana Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies that November.[20] He held that position until 2006.[10]

State Senate

Cooney returned to politics in 2002, running to represent the Helena-based 26th District of the Montana Senate. Unopposed in the Democratic primary, he defeated Republican Mary Jo Fox in the general election by 5,314 votes (68.12%) to 2,487 (31.88%).[21] He was redistricted to the 40th District in 2005[22] and was re-elected to a second term in 2006 against Republican Robert Leach by 5,869 votes (68.18%) to 2,739 (31.82%).[23]

In 2007, Cooney was selected by Senate Democrats to become President of the Senate, succeeding Jon Tester, who had been elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006.[24] He served as President of the Senate from 2007 to 2009, when the Democrats lost control of the Senate to the Republicans. In 2008, he used his position as Senate President to argue forcefully for the Legislature to update the state's anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories.[25] Cooney was term-limited in 2010 and left office the following year.[26]

Montana Department of Labor and Industry

Cooney in 2015

Cooney left Montana Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies in July 2006 to become the Division Administrator of the Workforce Services Division at the Montana Department of Labor and Industry,[27] a role he held until 2015. Cooney was named as the interim Director of the Montana Historical Society in November 2010.[28][29] He led the Society until September 2011, when Bruce Whittenberg took over as its permanent director.[30] In 2015, he was promoted to become the Deputy Commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, a job he performed until his selection as Lieutenant Governor.

Lieutenant Governor of Montana

Cooney's predecessor in the Lieutenant Governor's office was Angela McLean, who was appointed to the position in February 2014 following John Walsh's departure for the United States Senate.[31] McLean served less than a year in the position before leaving the Lieutenant Governor's office for a job at the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.[32]

On December 30, 2015, Bullock announced the appointment of Cooney as lieutenant governor.[33] Cooney had known and worked with Bullock for over 20 years; Bullock had served as chief legal counsel for Cooney when Cooney was Secretary of State.[34] Cooney was sworn into office on January 4, 2016.[33] His salary is $22,000 a year less than he had been receiving as Deputy Commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.[33]

Cooney was Bullock's running mate in the 2016 gubernatorial election; they defeated Republican gubernatorial nominee Greg Gianforte and his running mate, Lesley Robinson.[35][36]

2020 gubernatorial election

On July 3, 2019, Cooney announced his second run for Governor in the 2020 election, as incumbent Democratic governor Steve Bullock was term-limited and running for U.S. Senate.[37] Cooney won the Democratic primary on June 2, defeating businesswoman Whitney Williams with 56% of the vote to Williams' 44%.[38] On November 3, 2020, he was defeated in the general election by Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte.[39][40][41]

Electoral history

2020

2020 Montana Democratic gubernatorial primary results[38]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Cooney	76,411	55.6%
	Democratic	Whitney Williams	60,990	44.4%
Total votes			137,401	100.0%

2020 Montana gubernatorial election[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Greg Gianforte	328,548	54.43%	+8.08%
	Democratic	Mike Cooney	250,860	41.56%	-8.69%
	Libertarian	Lyman Bishop	24,179	4.01%	+0.61%
Total votes			603,587	100.00%

Past elections

Montana House of Representatives District 83 Democratic Primary Election, 1976
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Cooney	1,044	54.52
Democratic	Larry Buckley	450	23.50
Democratic	Jon Hughes	421	21.98

Montana House of Representatives District 83 Election, 1976
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Cooney	2,922	100.00

Montana House of Representatives District 83 Democratic Primary Election, 1978
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Cooney (inc.)	1,577	62.41
Democratic	Marko Lucich	950	37.59

Montana House of Representatives District 83 Election, 1978
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Cooney (inc.)	2,642	100.00

Montana Secretary of State Election, 1988
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Cooney	174,917	49.28
Republican	Pete Story	163,830	46.16
Libertarian	Larry Dodge	16,174	4.56

Montana Secretary of State Election, 1992
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Cooney (inc.)	249,359	64.05
Republican	Robert Werner	139,977	35.95

Montana Secretary of State Election, 1996
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Cooney (inc.)	309,503	83.96
Libertarian	Martha Oaas	59,125	16.04

Montana Governor Democratic Primary Election, 2000
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mark O'Keefe	46,294	48.04
Democratic	Joseph Mazurek	34,385	35.69
Democratic	Mike Cooney	15,677	16.27

Montana State Senate District 26 Election, 2002
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Cooney	5,314	68.12
Republican	Mary Jo Fox	2,487	31.88

Montana State Senate District 40 Election, 2006
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Mike Cooney (inc.)	5,871	68.19
Republican	Bob Leach	2,739	31.81

References

1. "Lt. Governor Mike Cooney". montana.gov. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
2. "Mike Cooney chosen as Montana's next lieutenant governor". Independent Record. December 30, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
3. "Mike Cooney: Blood and Shoe Leather". Independent Record. February 27, 2000. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
4. Standard, Holly Michels for The Montana. "Mike Cooney chosen as Montana's next lieutenant governor". Montana Standard.
5. "1976 Primary Election". Secretary of State of Montana. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
6. "1976 General Election". Secretary of State of Montana. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
7. "Bullock names Mike Cooney as new lieutenant governor". Missoulian. December 30, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
8. "1978 Primary Election". Secretary of State of Montana. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
9. "1978 General Election". Secretary of State of Montana. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
10. "Mike Cooney's Biography". Project Vote Smart. December 30, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
11. "MT Secretary of State 1988". OurCampaigns. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
12. "Gubernatorial Hopeful Dies in Montana Crash". The New York Times. April 10, 1988. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
13. "MT Secretary of State 1992". OurCampaigns. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
14. "MT Secretary of State 1996". OurCampaigns. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
15. "Wyatt is Cooney's running mate". Missoulian. February 17, 2000. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
16. "Cooney picks Wyatt as running mate". Missoulian. February 17, 2000. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
17. "Cooney campaigns door-to-door". Montana Standard. March 21, 2000. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
18. "MT Governor - D Primary 2000". OurCampaigns. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
19. "MT Governor 2000". OurCampaigns. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
20. "Cooney to head up health advocacy group". Montana Standard. November 2, 2001. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
21. "MT State Senate 26 2002". OurCampaigns. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
22. "MT State Senate 40 - Holdover 2004". OurCampaigns. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
23. "MT State Senate 40 2006". OurCampaigns. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
24. "MT President of the Senate 2007". OurCampaigns. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
25. "Montanans are in favor of equality". Independent Record. June 29, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
26. "Caferro handily wins Senate seat". Independent Record. November 3, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
27. "Cooney named to unadvertised position in Labor Department". Independent Record. June 22, 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
28. KXFL. "Mike Cooney to lead Montana Historical Society on interim basis". Retrieved April 10, 2011.
29. "Cooney steps down from historical society". Independent Record. June 30, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
30. "MHS pick for director job accepts position". Independent Record. August 10, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
31. Jon King (10 February 2014). "Governor Bullock Picks High School Government Teacher Angela McLean to be Next Lt. Governor". News Talk KGVO Radio. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
32. Lee Montana Newspapers staff (12 December 2015). "Bullock: McLean's frustrations as lieutenant governor 'disruptive'". missoulian.com. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
33. "Cooney sworn in as lieutenant governor". Great Falls Tribune. January 4, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
34. Holly Michels. "Mike Cooney chosen as Montana's next lieutenant governor". Helena Independent Record. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
35. "2016 Election Results" (PDF). sosmt.gov. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
36. O'Brien, Edward. "Bullock Wins 2016 Gubernatorial Election". www.mtpr.org.
37. "Montana lieutenant governor joins governor's race". Associated Press. July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
38. "Montana Governor Primary Election Results". New York Times. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
39. López, Oma Seddiq, Canela. "Republican Congressman Greg Gianforte wins Montana's gubernatorial race". Business Insider.
40. "Republican Greg Gianforte elected Montana's next governor". AP NEWS. November 3, 2020.
41. "Montana Governor Election Results". November 3, 2020 – via NYTimes.com.
42. "Montana Statewide Election Results". Montana Secretary of State. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.

External links

• Campaign website
• Government website
• Mike Cooney at Ballotpedia
• Appearances on C-SPAN

• Profile at Vote Smart