Democratic hopefuls for Montana’s Western U.S. House District gathered in Whitefish for a forum by the Beer, Buds and the Big Sky Podcast. Promoted as “No Spin, no safe spaces — Just unfiltered opinions,” the event featured candidates Ryan Busse, Russell Cleveland, Matt Rains, and Sam Forstag. Hosted by former state legislator Mike Jopek, the forum attracted about 300 attendees at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. This gathering marks their first joint appearance since GOP Rep. Ryan Zinke confirmed he won’t seek reelection, setting the stage for a competitive race targeted by Democrats.
A series of Democratic candidate forums is planned through May. Upcoming is the Mullen Newspaper Company forum at 6 p.m. at the Motherlode Theater in Butte.
RYAN BUSSE
Kalispell’s Ryan Busse, known for his family’s involvement in a landmark climate lawsuit, highlighted his long-standing presence in Flathead Valley and criticized federal representation. He pledged not to accept PAC money and addressed the “Epstein files” as “disgusting.” On military actions, he condemned misleading justifications for the Iran war. Busse argued for policies reducing wealth disparity and emphasized universal health care as a priority.
RUSSELL CLEVELAND
Russell Cleveland, of St. Regis, underscored personal loss and military background to advocate for health care reform, aiming to eliminate money’s influence in politics. Speaking against PAC funding, he urged legal action over the Epstein case. Cleveland stressed Congress should authorize military actions, not the president. His affordability strategy includes education reform, wage hikes, and universal health care.
MATT RAINS
Simms rancher Matt Rains emphasized his legacy with Montana and his role in pioneering a USDA meat processing facility. He refused to reject potentially helpful funds for winning against Republicans. Rains linked the plight of missing Indigenous women with Epstein’s case. He insisted Congress should authorize wars and advocated tax reforms favoring the middle class.
SAM FORSTAG
Missoula’s Sam Forstag, a seasonal smokejumper, critiqued Trump-era cuts to the Forest Service. He vowed to refuse PAC donations and criticized the protection of powerful figures in scandals like Epstein’s. Forstag condemned the fiscal impacts of the Iran conflict and proposed a minimum income tax for millionaires to fund universal services like health care and housing.
Highlights from the March 10 candidate debate in Butte will be added.
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