2026 Primary Election: In Competitive House District 4, Two Challenge Incumbent Legislator in Republican Primary

Lyn Bennett first won election to serve constituents in the Flathead Valley’s northern tip in 2024, but after two years and a vote on a controversial property tax bill, Bennett is facing down two Republican challengers in order to make it out of the primary in her district.

Those challengers come in the form of Flathead County GOP and state GOP endorsed Shaun Pandina, and Nathan Purdy. The district, like several others around the state with similar dynamics, where GOP-endorsed candidates are challenging incumbents, has seen hefty outside noise in the form of mailers, advertisements and social media posts.

The Beacon sent candidate questionnaires to the email addresses listed with the Montana Secretary of State’s filing website for all three candidates in HD 4’s primary race.

Nathan Purdy, a business owner and rancher, did not respond to the questionnaire. Purdy does, however, have an active campaign website, where he states he’ll champion affordable living, accountable government, protecting the Montana way of life and promoting a strong local economy as campaign priorities. The website states he is running “to represent the people of this community with honesty, responsibility, and a focus on real results.”

Bennett and Pandina did respond to the questionnaires. Their answers can be found below.

The primary election takes place June 2. Ballots were mailed out to absentee voters May 8. Voters can check their registration status here: https://voterportal.mt.gov/WhereToVote.aspx, and find their legislative district here: https://www.legmt.gov/districts/.

Candidate questions

1. Why did you decide to run for the legislature, and what makes you a strong candidate?
2. What do you think will be the most pressing issue facing the legislature in 2027, and how would you propose tackling that issue?
3. During the last legislative session, property taxes emerged as a flashpoint issue, and the consequences of the legislature’s property tax reform has been a topic rife for debate since. What are your thoughts on the property tax reform passed during the last session?
4. How might the state continue to work on this issue?
5. One prominent storyline in the state over the course of the past two years has been divisions within your party. How do you view the state of the Montana GOP, and where do you hope to see it move in the future?

NAME: Lyn Bennett

HOMETOWN: Whitefish, has lived in the Flathead Valley for 15 years

EDUCATION LEVEL: Bachelor of Science in nursing

OCCUPATION: State representative for House District 4, worked as a registered nurse for 20 years and previously worked at the Clerk of Court’s office

PREVIOUSLY HELD OFFICES: Current Montana state representative. Served on the Health & Human Services and State Administration Committees in 2025, currently serving on the Tribal Relations interim committee. Past president of Glacier Country Pachyderm.

1. Serving Columbia Falls and Whitefish as your State Representative is the greatest honor of my professional life. I am running for re-election to keep Montana the “Last Best Place” for our families, veterans, and small businesses.

I’m the only candidate with a proven record of delivering results for House District 4. In my first term, I helped pass major tax reform, supported local businesses, and fought bureaucracy that drives up costs. As a registered nurse, a mom, and the wife of a Navy veteran, I bring a perspective shaped by service, family, and real-world experience. I answer to the people of the Flathead, not party bosses or outside interests, and I will remain “unbought and unbossed.”

2. The 2027 session must focus on fiscal discipline, economic efficiency, and affordability. We need to balance our budget, maintain Montana’s unique debt-free status, and keep the state more affordable for the people who live and work here. That means lowering property taxes and income taxes, reducing unnecessary regulations on businesses and housing, and continuing to streamline government programs while cutting excessive bureaucracy. We should also support responsible energy development, natural resource growth, and policies that create more good-paying jobs.

3. Lowering property taxes was one of my top priorities this past legislative session. The homestead exemption was a strong step toward long-term relief for Montana’s homeowners, especially those in their primary residence. It delivered lower rates for many Montana property owners and offered a rebate that helped more than 235,000 homeowners. Around 33 percent of all residential taxable value is billed to out of state voters. As a legislator I support putting Montanans first.

4. Working together in the next legislative session from day one in order to refine parts of the homestead exemption, House Bill 231 and Senate Bill 542, is a priority for me. Looking for ways to continue lowering property taxes for hardworking Montanans, seeking ways to protect those with family cabins, improving the system’s fairness and transparency, and supporting policies to strengthen the economy.

5. I am concerned about the pressure to vote based on scorecards and special interest groups rather than the Montana constituents we represent. We are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year. Free speech is a foundational freedom I will always defend, but integrity and good character are also essential in those who serve as representatives. Crossing the line into slander and misrepresentation for political gain — without regard for the impact on individuals and their families — is not honorable, and in some recent cases, that line has been crossed.

I hope that we, as Americans, can restore civility to our politics and govern ourselves in the spirit envisioned by our Founding Fathers in the pursuit of freedom and liberty: “A republic, if you can keep it,” as Benjamin Franklin said.

NAME: Shaun Pandina

AGE: 47

HOMETOWN: Flathead County resident for the last 34 years

EDUCATION LEVEL: 1997 Columbia Falls High School graduate, studied electronic engineering in college

OCCUPATION: Self-employed small business owner and entrepreneur

PREVIOUSLY HELD OFFICES: None

1. First I want to thank everyone in the district for the support they have shown me. If I missed your door, please reach out. I want to stop by and get to know you. I grew up in Columbia Falls. So I have seen firsthand how the loss of high paying jobs has hurt families and forced many to leave the community we love. As your Republican candidate, I’m committed to reversing that decline. By striving to transfer federal lands to Montana and expanding responsible logging, we can bring those high wage jobs back, rebuild the local economy and mitigate fire danger in our forests. This will create real opportunity so our kids can stay here, buy homes, raise families, prosper in the same place we did. With deep roots in this district and a proven commitment to Montana Republican values, I am the best candidate to deliver the economic freedom and brighter future our families deserve. Contact me anytime 406-309-4727. I am here to listen and bring your voice to Helena. I am endorsed by fellow Columbia Falls High School graduate Braxton Mitchell, the Montana Freedom Caucus, Montana GOP, and many others.

2. The budget will always be the most pressing issue. By law passing a balanced budget is the main requirement of the legislative session. My approach would prioritize a core strategy to cut waste and lower taxes.

• Prioritize efficiency though performance reviews: Conduct rigorous audits focused on NGO contracts and grant expenditures to identify and eliminate wasted or misused public funds, ensuring taxpayer dollars deliver measurable results.
• Grow revenue base responsibly: Promote sustainable logging on state lands to create timber jobs, boost severance taxes, and generate special revenue; expand responsible mining with modern environmental safeguards to increase royalty collections; support regulated oil and gas drilling to enhance energy production. Outcome, delivering more higher paying jobs, lower energy costs, and greater prosperity for Montanans.
• Reserve one-time funds: Limit surpluses and federal dollars to non-recurring costs only, protecting long-term stability, keeping taxes low, and raising Montanans’ prosperity.
• Expand contingencies: Tie new spending to measurable results and sunsets, ensuring every dollar drives economic growth, lowers living costs, and builds lasting prosperity for Montana families.

3. I believe the property tax reform passed in the 2025 legislative session fell short of delivering real relief for Montana families and our local economy. While it offered modest rate reductions and a one-time $400 rebate for many primary homeowners through the new tiered system (House Bill 231 and Senate Bill 542), this small benefit came at a steep cost. The reform shifted the tax burden onto businesses, commercial properties, apartment complexes, utilities, and some higher value or secondary residences. Those increased costs are ultimately passed on to consumers through higher prices for goods, services, energy bills, rent and some businesses may be forced to cut back labor.

No one truly wins here. Homeowners saw only minimal, temporary savings, while hardworking Montana families face rising everyday expenses. Small businesses and utilities struggle under the heavier load, which stifles job growth, investment, and affordability in districts like HD 4. True reform should lower taxes across the board by cutting wasteful spending and improving efficiency at the state level.

I’m committed to striving for comprehensive property tax relief that protects homeowners, supports businesses, creates jobs, and keeps costs down for everyone in HD 4.

4. I am ready to work with other legislators to restrain state spending, audit inefficient programs, and prioritize core services to create room for permanent, across-the-board tax reductions. This means no more shifting the burden between homeowners, businesses, and utilities. Instead, deliver real relief that lowers costs for everyone and unleashes opportunities to prosper. In the next session, we must work together to champion a fiscally disciplined budget that funds essentials while cutting waste, paving the way for genuine property tax relief that drives prosperity for all Montanans, homeowners, workers, and small business owners all thriving together.

5. Divisions of the past years have been challenging, but I applaud the courageous steps taken to hold legislators who run as Republicans accountable to the platform they claim to support. Montana deserves full transparency. That includes boldly exposing Democrats who run as Republicans and the PACs that support them. One example, Conservatives4MT PAC who primarily gets source funding funneled down from far left donors. I’m encouraged by this growing commitment to integrity. In the future, I hope to see our party united, energized, and laser focused on delivering results for working Montanans. By embracing real accountability and rejecting establishment games, the Montana GOP can become a bolder force for prosperity, freedom, and commonsense governance. Your vote in the June 2nd primary is vital to this effort.

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