the 1960 montana gubernatorial election took place on november 8, 1960. incumbent governor of montana j. hugo aronson, who was first elected governor in 1952 and was re-elected in 1956, declined to run for re-election. donald grant nutter, a former state senator, narrowly won the republican primary, and advanced to the general election, where he was opposed by paul cannon, the lieutenant governor of montana and the democratic nominee. nutter defeated cannon by a fairly wide margin, winning his one and only term as governor, as he would die just a year into his term.