Sam Forstag

Sam Forstag's campaign website says he paid his own way through the University of Montana; it does not name a degree. He joined the U.S. Forest Service and became a smokejumper, a wildland firefighter who parachutes into remote fires, and is vice president of his union local, per the campaign. Between fire seasons he organized across Montana and advocated at the state legislature; Fox News reported he was a registered lobbyist from 2021 to 2023 for the ACLU of Montana, Planned Parenthood, the Montana Library Association and the City of Missoula. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports he lives in Missoula. In the June 2, 2026 Democratic primary for Montana's 1st Congressional District, open because Rep. Ryan Zinke did not seek reelection, he defeated Ryan Busse, Russell Cleveland and Matt Rains. Busse led early returns, then conceded after Forstag pulled ahead by about 2,900 votes; the Associated Press called the race June 3, per Montana Free Press. He faces Republican Aaron Flint and Libertarian Nick Sheedy on November 3, 2026.