The 2026 election filing period in Montana has commenced, and the Democratic primary race for Montana’s Western U.S. House District stands out. Four Democratic candidates are vying to challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke, who has been elected to Congress four times since 2014. Zinke currently represents MT-01, a district formed in 2022 that includes 18 counties, highlighting the political diversity with Gallatin and Missoula counties leaning Democratic, while Flathead County remains a Republican stronghold.
As dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump grows, Democratic hopefuls see 2026 as an opportunity. Zinke, a loyal Trump supporter, served as Interior Secretary and narrowly defeated Democrat Monica Tranel in previous races. Ryan Busse, who ran against Gov. Greg Gianforte in 2024, views this race as pivotal for turning Montana “purple” again, leveraging his improved name recognition from previous campaigns.
Democrat Sam Forstag launched his campaign with a professional video and a Bernie Sanders endorsement, focusing on affordability issues, particularly healthcare and housing. Forstag emphasized the need for change, citing the unaffordability of living in areas like Bozeman and Missoula. Russ Cleveland, the first Democrat to enter the race, highlighted medical costs and personal tragedies to connect with voters in rural communities while focusing on engaging veterans.
Simms rancher Matt Rains, a veteran, addressed affordability and criticized Trump-era tariffs affecting agricultural trade. Rains pointed out the burden on young adults paying excessive rent. Meanwhile, in Montana’s Eastern U.S. House District, Rep. Troy Downing currently faces no primary challengers.
The U.S. Senate race features Democrats Reilly Neill and Alani Bankhead aiming to contest Republican Sen. Steve Daines, who is well-funded with $4.9 million on hand. Independent Seth Bodnar intends to run for the Senate but has not registered officially. Down ballot, Montana Public Service Commission seats have attracted Republican primaries, and 190 candidates have filed for state legislative races, including 24 contested Republican primaries featuring factional grudge matches.
State legislative races include a contested battle for north-central Montana’s Senate District 9. Republicans David Bedey and Kathy Love vie to succeed Senate President Jason Ellsworth, and Billings will see a competition between Rep. Stacy Zinn and former legislator Ed Walker for House District 45. The nonpartisan race for the state Supreme Court Justice position has drawn interest with only one official candidate, Judge Dan Wilson.
Feb. 17 marked the opening of the candidate registration for the 2026 ballot, with the final registration deadline set for March 4.
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