Montana’s federal candidates are in the final stretch of the general election, powered by individual contributions and significant support from national political action committees and congressional leadership committees. Itemized donations reveal a strong Montana presence, while national fundraising mechanisms play a crucial role.
This election, individual donations, including both large and small contributions, are a major financial source. Here is a snapshot of the financial landscape for key candidates who raised at least $90,000 in individual contributions before the Nov. 3 election, highlighting significant donor locations.
U.S. Senate
Kurt Alme (Republican) has received 44.5% of his itemized individual donations from Montana, followed by California, Florida, Virginia, and Connecticut. His total itemized individual contributions reach $1.55 million of the $1.75 million reported by Oct. 22. Alme also garnered $817,699 from PACs, primarily in Washington D.C., Virginia, and Alabama.
Additional $389,911 came from Leadership PACs and joint fundraising committees, indicating strong support from Republican leaders. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee contributed $48,500 in individual donations and $5,000 from the PAC itself.
Alani Bankhead (Democrat) has 61% of her $55,555 itemized donations from Montana. California follows with 13.5%, and Colorado with 7.7%. Her total individual contributions amount to $180,123, with 59% sourced through ActBlue, a Democratic donation platform.
Bankhead reported $525 from “other committees,” and county-level Democratic committees in Montana contributed $2,575. Bankhead also contributed $4,106 to her campaign.
Seth Bodnar (Independent) raised $1.45 million from Montana residents, comprising 36.5% of his $4.7 million in total individual contributions. California and New York donors follow with 18.5% and 8.7%, respectively.
Bodnar’s PAC contributions, totaling $163,050, primarily come from political and leadership committees, with 31% from Washington D.C. Notably, Bodnar secured support through ActBlue, despite being an independent.
Western House District
Aaron Flint (Republican) received $731,369 in itemized donations from Montana, accounting for over 50% of his $1.45 million in total itemized contributions. Small-dollar contributions pushed his total to $1.9 million, with WinRed contributing 40.5%.
Flint’s campaign also benefited from $599,250 in PAC donations and $334,891 from Republican leadership joint fundraising committees.
Sam Forstag (Democrat) gathered $750,716 from Montana donors, 32.7% of his $2.295 million in total itemized contributions. California and New York follow as top donor regions. PAC donations total $400,050, with a strong labor union presence.
Forstag’s joint fundraising committees contributed $409,184, with the House Victory Project providing $330,600.
Eastern House District
Troy Downing (Republican), the lone federal incumbent, raised 30% of his $291,048 in itemized donations from Montana. He has collected $975,813 since January 2025. Downing received $905,377 from PACs, with significant contributions from business, finance, and real estate groups.
He also has a unique $1.985 million campaign debt from past loans.
The post How Montana’s federal campaigns are funded appeared first on Montana Free Press.
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