MT-1 Missoula, Bozeman
Montana
Not calledR +2.0closes 10:00 pm ET
Toss-upopen seat
Who's running
Aaron FlintR
Aaron Flint is 46 and hosted the conservative radio show Montana Talks. He was state director for Rep. Ryan Zinke and is a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Trump, Zinke, and both Montana senators back him.
What they say they'll do
- Conservative talk radio host
- Former Zinke staffer and retired Guard officer
- Raised $2.9 million through Q3
Sam ForstagD
Sam Forstag is 31 and a former smokejumper, a firefighter who parachutes into wildfires. He has also been a union leader and a public school teacher. Bernie Sanders and several unions back him.
What they say they'll do
- Former smokejumper, teacher, and union leader
- Raised $4.3 million through Q3, more than Flint
- Says 30 current and former Montana officials back him, including four Republicans
The tea ☕
- The seat is open because Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican, chose not to run again. Cook moved the race from Lean Republican to Toss-up on Oct. 20.
- At their Oct. 13 debate the moderator had to step in seven times to stop the two from talking over each other. Flint called Forstag a high-paid lobbyist from Portland. Forstag said Flint could say many words without saying anything. Forstag was a registered state lobbyist in 2021 and 2023 for the Montana ACLU and the cities of Missoula and Bozeman.
Sources
- https://ballotpedia.org/Montana's_1st_Congressional_District_election,_2026
- https://dailymontanan.com/?p=39457
- https://dailymontanan.com/2026/10/17/analysts-shift-western-montana-congressional-district-to-toss-up-status/
- https://www.270towin.com/2026-house-election/table/cook-political-report-2026-house-ratings/