Forstag Jumps into Democratic Primary for Western House District
The smokejumper and union leader’s candidacy came with an endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont. He joins two other Democrats vying for a chance to run in the general election against Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke.
By Mariah Thomas
A third candidate entered the Democratic primary for Montana’s western congressional district Monday, in the hopes of taking on Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke in the general election this fall.
Sam Forstag, a smokejumper and local federal employee union leader based in Missoula, announced his candidacy Monday morning in a video posted to social media.
“It’s become too damn hard for most Montanans to afford basic things like housing, healthcare, child care and even groceries,” Forstag said in his campaign announcement release. “I’m running for Congress because I’m done pretending the rich and powerful are gonna take care of us. We take care of us, and we deserve one of us fighting for Montanans in Congress.”
Forstag’s focus on affordability echoes Democrats in other states, who have credited focus on that issue with delivering electoral victories in 2025’s off-year elections.
Forstag, in addition to his leadership of the union and work as a smokejumper, has a history of lobbying at the state level. He worked for the Montana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union as a lobbyist in 2021. He also helped build and manage the Montana Coalition to Solve Homelessness, which brought together partners and stakeholders from across the state to advocate for and secure funding to tackle homelessness. A graduate of the University of Montana, Forstag served as the president of the university’s student government and worked as a lobbyist for Montana Associated Students as a student.
In April, Forstag spoke at Sen. Bernie Sanders’, I-Vermont, and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez’s, D-N.Y., “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, which stopped in Missoula. At the event, Forstag’s comments focused on his personal thoughts about the plight of federal employees and public lands.
Sanders took to social media Monday to endorse Forstag’s campaign hours after he announced his run. Forstag also received an endorsement from the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) on Monday. Forstag served as a local chapter vice president for that union before his run for Congress. The chapter Forstag served in leadership for represents 800 U.S. Forest Service workers across the Lolo, Bitterroot, and Custer-Gallatin national forests, the R1 Regional Office and the Aerial Fire Depot, according to a press release from NFFE-IAM.
Forstag joins Russell Cleveland, a rancher and Navy veteran from Saint Regis, and Matt Rains, a West Point grad from Simms who previously worked as chief of staff for the Montana Farmers’ Union, in the Democratic primary.
The western district is widely seen as Democrats’ best chance at winning a high-profile race in a state that’s seen a shift to the right in recent years. Montana hasn’t elected a Democrat as a U.S. representative in 30 years, since Pat Williams held the state’s western district, then at-large seat, for a span of nearly two decades.
While Forstag’s entry into the race generated fanfare Monday, Cleveland and Rains — his primary challengers — have also trumpeted endorsements rolling in as their campaigns press on.
Cleveland has earned a few prominent endorsements, including one from “Hunger Games” star Josh Hutcherson and at least one state senator’s support in Sen. Susan Webber, D-Browning. Rains’ campaign has received support from a pair of state representatives, Rep. Jill Cohenour, D-Helena and Rep. Paul Tuss, D-Havre.
The winner of the Democratic primary will likely face off against Zinke in the general election. The Whitefish Republican has held the western district seat since 2023.
In his races in 2022 and 2024, Zinke bested Democratic challenger Monica Tranel. He also served a stint as Montana’s at-large congressman from 2015-2017, and in President Donald Trump’s cabinet as Secretary of the Interior from 2017-2019. During his time in Congress, Zinke has carved out a brand as a Republican willing to take a stand on public lands issues. The president has already endorsed Zinke’s bid for reelection.
“Sam Forstag represents Mamdani not Montana,” wrote Heather Swift, Zinke’s campaign manager, in response to the news about Forstag’s entry into the race on X. The rest of her message critiqued Forstag’s work with the ACLU.
“Forstag may have national money but he won’t have Montana’s votes,” Swift wrote.
Candidate filing for Montana’s primary closes March 4, and the primary election will take place June 2. This year’s general election is slated for Nov. 3.