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Schweitzer is a rancher from Whitefish, Montana. He was a Clinton appointee to the U.S. Agriculture Department from 1993 to 1999. In 2000 he ran for U.S. Senate against conservative Republican incumbent Conrad Burns. In a close race, Schweitzer lost by the surprisingly small margin of 51-47.
When incumbent Governor Judy Martz announced she would not run for re-election, Schweitzer announced his candidacy. His running mate was John Bohlinger , a Republican state legislator. He won the general election by a margin of 50-46 over Secretary of State Bob Brown.