Montana became the 41st state in the Union on November 8, 1889. The state's first two senators, Wilbur Sanders and Thomas C. Power, were sworn into office on April 16, 1890, following a hotly contested election. Montana’s longest-serving senators include James E. Murray (1934–1961) and Max Baucus (1978–2014). Among those who rose to leadership positions are Mike Mansfield, who served as Senate majority leader for 16 years, and Steve Daines, who serves as chair of the Republican Senatorial Committee.
