Poll: Majority of Montanans Disapprove of State Direction, Officials

Montanans express dissatisfaction with state direction; only 36% say it's right, while 53% believe it's off track.

September 22, 2026

Montana voters express skepticism about the state’s future and discontent with key officials, as revealed by a Montana Free Press-Rutgers Eagleton poll. The survey, conducted from Aug. 27 to Sept. 7, included 839 randomly selected voters from Montana’s registered voter file. Only 36% believe Montana is heading in the right direction, while 53% feel the state is on the wrong track. A small percentage was unsure.

President Donald Trump’s approval stands at 42%, with 53% disapproving. Republican support for Trump is high at 78%, whereas 97% of Democrats disapprove. Voters are divided about Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, with 46% approval, 46% disapproval, and 8% unsure. Republican-leaning voters show 77% approval, but 85% of Democrats disapprove.

Both U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy received approval ratings in the low 40s, with Daines at 41% and Sheehy at 43%. Republicans show strong support with 70% backing Daines and 77% supporting Sheehy. Meanwhile, Democrats largely disapprove, with 88% and 91% disapproving of Daines and Sheehy, respectively.

In Western Montana, 33% endorse Rep. Ryan Zinke, while 49% disapprove. Zinke receives a 61% approval rate among Republican voters. Rep. Troy Downing in Eastern Montana has a 43% approval rate, while 36% disapprove. Downing’s Republican approval stands at 68%.

The poll, part of the Montana Insights Poll series, utilized a probability-based sampling method to ensure each voter had an equal chance of selection. Its overall margin of error is +/- 4.2%. For specific U.S. House Districts, the margin is 5.8% for Downing’s district and 6% for Zinke’s district. Full details on the methodology can be found here, and detailed poll results are available here.

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