This article was last updated at 1:15 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3.
Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag found themselves leading in their respective primaries early Wednesday morning. The Associated Press declared Flint, a conservative radio show host, the winner of the Republican primary at 8:49 p.m., with him securing 50% of the vote. His closest competitor, Christi Jacobsen, trailed with 24%.
Forstag, trailing earlier in the count, surged to 36% by 1 a.m. in the Democratic primary, passing Ryan Busse, who had 34%. They were only 935 votes apart. In the Republican race, Al Olszewski earned 20% and Ray Curtis had 7%.
Among the Democrats, Russell Cleveland from St. Regis secured 22% while Matt Rains from Simms garnered 9%. Flint’s victory positions him as the youngest Republican nominee since Denny Rehberg in 2000, potentially making him the youngest Montanan elected to the U.S. House.
Flint, 46, received high-profile endorsements from figures like President Donald Trump and former U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, who had stepped down due to health issues. Zinke backed Flint alongside other influential Republicans.
At just 31, Forstag has the potential to become the first Bernie Sanders-backed candidate to win a federal primary in Montana. Should his victory stand, he would make history as a progressive leader in the state. Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed and campaigned for him, marking a significant milestone for the progressive movement since Sanders’ primary win in 2016.
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