The 2002 United States Senate election in Montana was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Max Baucus won re-election to a fifth term.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Max Baucus, incumbent U.S. Senator
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
Mike Taylor, Montana State Senator
Brad Johnson, businessman
John McDonald
Melvin Hanson
Results
General election
Candidates
Max Baucus (D), incumbent U.S. Senator
Stan Jones (L) Bob Kelleher (G), attorney Mike Taylor (R), Montana State Senator
Campaign
The 2002 Montana elections got national attention when Baucus's opponent, state senator Mike Taylor, accused Baucus of having implied that Taylor was gay in a campaign ad. The ad was paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, though designed by the Baucus campaign. The ad, which alleged that Taylor had embezzled funds from the cosmetology school he once owned, showed footage from the early 1980s of Taylor massaging another man's face while wearing a tight suit with an open shirt. Taylor dropped out of the race and Baucus won with 63 percent of the vote.