Montana’s Oil Boom Reshapes Race for Governor

The town of Sidney in northeastern Montana is at the center of an oil boom that has brought thousands of new residents to the region. The rush has helped the Montana economy far from the oil fields and has become a major issue in this year’s race for governor.

Even though the oil boom is five hours northeast of here, near the Canadian border, its effects are evident all over Montana’s largest city. Hotel rooms are hard to find. Classrooms are swelling with new students. Jobs are plentiful. And when voters in Billings discuss who should be Montana’s next governor, the talk inevitably turns to Bakken oil.

By Daniel C. Vock, Staff Writer

Full Story: http://www.pewstates.org/projects/stateline/headlines/montanas-oil-boom-reshapes-race-for-governor-85899423756