Forstag Shores Up Support from National Democrats in Western District Bid
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s backing of the smokejumper and local union leader is the latest indicator that the race in Montana’s western half is viewed as competitive, with both sides of the aisle investing national resources to win the seat.
By Mariah Thomas
Montana’s western congressional district has long been viewed as potentially competitive for a Democrat. On Tuesday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, or DCCC, affirmed that assessment, announcing union leader and smokejumper Sam Forstag had been named to its “Red to Blue” program.
While the DCCC had previously named the western district to its list of “Districts in Play” for the 2026 election cycle — indicating it viewed the seat as a potential pickup opportunity for Democrats — Forstag’s participation in the Red to Blue program is set to bring organizing and fundraising prowess to the Democrat’s campaign in what is shaping up to be a competitive race.
“This announcement reflects what we have known here on the ground since day one: Montana’s first is in play, and we’re building the campaign operation to win in November,” said Brandon DeMars, Forstag’s campaign manager, in a release. “People in western Montana are ready for a new generation of leadership and real working-class representation. We’re tired of political puppets like Aaron Flint who will sell out Montana to make a buck for their corporate backers.”
Forstag will face Republican Aaron Flint, an Army veteran and radio talk show host whose campaign has also garnered national support.
The National Republican Congressional Committee in April named Flint to its MAGA Majority program, which aims to back Republican candidates who “embody the Trump agenda” in battleground districts. The NRCC called Forstag a “socialist stooge” who would “sell out Montana’s values every single time” in a Tuesday statement about the DCCC naming him to the Red to Blue program.
Both Flint and Forstag — first-time candidates — proved their political prowess by making it out of competitive primary contests to qualify for their parties’ respective ballot positions for the general election. Forstag has heralded his union experience, telling the Beacon in April he wanted to bring that perspective to Congress and provide “working people a chance to fight for ourselves,” while Flint has hinged his campaign on “making the Montana dream affordable.”
While the DCCC’s support of Forstag brings resources to the Democrat’s campaign, it’s not the DCCC’s first time backing a candidate in the western district.
Monica Tranel, an attorney and Olympic rower who ran against U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke for the seat in both 2022 and 2024, was also part of the DCCC’s Red to Blue program in 2024. That support did not translate into Tranel’s electoral success.
Zinke has held the seat since the district was first redrawn in 2022. Democrats, however, have pointed to former Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s winning margin in the western in 2024 as proof of a Democrat’s potential to take the seat.
While Tester won in the western district, he lost his statewide election to now-Sen. Tim Sheehy, a Republican, in 2024. He was the Democrats’ last statewide officeholder before losing his seat.
The Cook Political Report ranks the western district race this year as “likely Republican.”
The latest polling in the race shows Forstag and Flint in a dead heat. And Forstag in the second quarter edged out Flint in fundraising, raking in $688,303.71 to Flint’s $619,142.90.