Forstag Outraises Flint by Nearly $1 Million as House Race Tightens to a Toss-Up

The latest Federal Election Commission filing deadline came and went Thursday. In Montana, where last-minute switch-ups, mysterious PACs and tight races have all been hallmarks of the 2026 election cycle, the final round of filings, which ran from the start of July through the end of September, offers a last litmus test about where candidates may stand as Election Day draws close.

Of all the candidates on the ballot for federal office in western Montana, it was Democrat Sam Forstag who boasted the largest fundraising haul. The smokejumper and union leader raked in more than $2.3 million from July 1 onward, bringing his total receipts since entering the race to $3.69 million. The majority of those dollars, roughly $1.8 million, came from individual donations.

Forstag is caught in a tight race in the western district against Aaron Flint, which on Friday, was moved from a “lean Republican” rating to a “tossup,” according to the Cook Political Report. That change followed on the heels of President Donald Trump coming to Montana to stump for Flint earlier this week. Forstag’s haul outpaced Flint’s by roughly $1 million, as Flint reported $1.34 million flowing into his campaign coffers since July.

But Flint, a veteran and radio talk show host, had more left to spend at the close of the filing period, with more than $1 million remaining in his war chest to Forstag’s $855,807.18.

Flint also has the edge in outside spending: $1.2 million in independent expenditures have boosted him, while Forstag has been supported by around $250,000 of outside spending. That dynamic — where the Democrat has raised more than the Republican, but the Republican has remained competitive in part thanks to independent expenditures — is mirrored in races around the country this fall.

Most of the $250,000 spent in support of Forstag’s campaign have come from the Progressive Turnout Project, a PAC that works to boost Democratic candidates by contacting voters directly.

Flint’s outside backers are more varied. Nearly half of the $1.2 million in outside spending to support him has come from a PAC called American Mission. The group has been connected to the Leading the Future political network, which is propped up by artificial intelligence and tech industry investors. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s Leadership in Action PAC has also spent in support of Flint, along with U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke’s Seal PAC, which aims to elect military candidates, and Zinke’s Special Operations for America PAC. The lesser known “Make Montana Great” PAC has also spent in support of Flint.

On the Senate side, Republican Kurt Alme boasted the largest fundraising haul overall, though independent candidate Seth Bodnar’s team also claimed the edge.

The discrepancy comes from how the totals are counted. Alme’s numbers include money raised by several joint fundraising committees supporting the former U.S. attorney, as well as by his own campaign. Flint and Forstag each also have joint fundraising committees attached to their campaigns.

Alme’s campaign itself raised $880,805.03 in the time frame between the start of July and end of September, while Bodnar’s campaign raised more than $1.4 million. Bodnar’s campaign lauded that number in a press release, stating Bodnar outraised “both of his opponents combined.”

“Every dollar behind this campaign sends a message: Montanans are ready to take our country back from politicians who answer to Party bosses and corporate donors and send a true Independent to the Senate,” said Kelly Webster, a Bodnar spokesperson, on Friday. “MAGA D.C. insiders rigged this race, installing Kurt Alme on the ballot and propping up Alani Bankhead with nearly $1 million from his super PAC. Seth has built a movement of Republicans, Democrats and Independents across Montana, and we have the support, momentum, and resources to win.”

But Alme’s coffers also include three joint fundraising committees: Alme Victory, which raised $556,050 on his behalf during the period; Team Alme, which brought in another $420.147.95; and Accountable Leaders for Montana’s Excellence, which drew $30,774.06 on Alme’s behalf.

That puts the Republican’s fundraising total at more than $1.8 million as September drew to a close. It’s a figure his campaign heralded, writing in a release that the candidate had more than $1.59 million in cash on hand to spend as the election comes to a close. Bodnar, in comparison, had $745,104.96 left in cash on hand to spend as of Sept. 30, the end of the filing period.

“Thanks to every supporter of our grassroots campaign built on Montana common sense, we’re heading into the final weeks of this race with real strength and surging momentum,” Alme said. “Our message of making life more affordable, keeping our communities safe, and protecting our Montana way of life is clearly resonating with hardworking Montanans all across our state. We will keep pushing hard to earn the votes of all Montanans to secure victory and deliver the commonsense leadership Montana deserves.”

Nearly $600,000 of Alme’s campaign’s funds came from individual donors. Another $221,199.98 came from PACs, and $64,670.52 came as a transfer from another committee.

Alme has also been boosted by more than $2.4 million flowing in from independent expenditures to support him. Most of it has come from Americans for Prosperity Action, Inc., a conservative super PAC affiliated with the Koch brothers’ political network. That group has spent more than $2.1 million supporting Alme. The rest has come from American Mission, the same PAC backing Flint. The Montana Freedom PAC, which has spent in support of Bodnar, has also spent $217,613.96 opposing Alme.

Bodnar has received a slight boost from the Montana Freedom PAC, which has put $134,482.52 behind his bid; but even more, $972,124, has flowed in to oppose him. Most of that has come from the More Jobs, Less Government PAC that pushed for the election of U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy in 2024. The group has also spent in support of his Democratic opponent, Alani Bankhead. Leadership in Action, Knudsen’s PAC, has also spent against Bodnar.

As for Bankhead, the Democrat who was the beneficiary of PAC spending from strange bedfellows in the final days of the primary, reported her best fundraising quarter yet. She brought in $113,679.81 this quarter, pushing up her total over the campaign’s course to $179,608.87. Most of that, $109,267.28, came from individual donations. She had $38,259.48 left in the bank as of Sept. 30.

No additional outside spending has flowed in on her behalf, either from More Jobs Less Government or the mysterious Progressive Vet PAC, which had ties to groups supporting independent candidates, that helped her across the finish line during the primary.

Kyle Austin, the Libertarian running for the Senate, has funded his own campaign from the jump. He told the Beacon in an interview last month he viewed self-funding as helping him maintain his independence. Austin reported receiving only $11.04 between the start of July and end of September. He ended the reporting period with $7,896.03 on hand to spend.

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