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Election season got under way last Thursday with 155 candidates – a record number – filing on opening day.

Rep. Denny Rehberg was at the state Capitol to register and held a news conference and rally in which he was immersed in the middle of a sea of Republican supporters and protesters who stood by quietly clutching signs.

The congressman is running for U.S. Senate against Democratic incumbent Jon Tester in what the blog Politico has described as the most competitive Senate race in the country.

Rehberg said Tester and President Obama left him no choice but to run for Senate.

He said the nation's debt has almost doubled during the Obama administration and that Tester was the deciding vote on the president's health care reform package known as Obamacare.

Rehberg was backed by Montana Republicans who stood on the rotunda steps in Helena as he spoke. Just a few feet away a group of protesters stood with signs stating "Montana's millionaire congressman," "12 years in DC, 5 pay raises" and "Support Women – I vote pro-choice."

Rep. Gordon Vance, R-Bozeman, said Montana residents need leadership that understands that more regulations does not equate with jobs.

Sen. Taylor Brown, R-Huntley, echoed those comments and said the GOP made a huge impact during the last legislative session. And he said that progress should continue.

But not everyone was impressed.

Julianna Crowley of NARAL Pro Choice Montana said Rehberg did not have the best interest of women at heart.

"He campaigns on no government interference but it's very clear that excludes women's rights," she said.

According to the secretary of state's website, the 100 House of Representative seats are up for grabs, as are several state senate seats, the governor's office, lieutenant governor, the state attorney general, auditor, and superintendent of public instruction, secretary of state, and many others.

Also on the federal level, Rehberg's House of Representatives seat is open and the president's seat is also up for election.

Thursday's opening day of filing brought in 155 candidates, passing  the record of 106 set in 2010, state officials said. Overall, 379 candidates ran for seats that year. In 2008, 55 candidates filed on opening day.

Of the 155 candidates, 73 filed via the web and 82 brought in paperwork, Secretary of State Linda McCulloch said.

A complete list of candidate filings can be found on the secretary of state's website at sos.mt.gov/elections.

The final day to file is March 12. The primary is June 5 and the general election is Nov. 6.