Democrat Sam Forstag Leads Montana House District 1 Race
Democrat Sam Forstag holds a statewide lead in Montana's 1st Congressional District race as voters decide federal, state, and constitutional measures.
Voters across Montana cast ballots on November 3-4, 2026, for federal and state offices alongside several constitutional initiatives. In the race for the U.S. House 1st Congressional District to replace Representative Ryan Zinke, Sam Forstag holds 53% of the statewide vote as of 10:40 PM. Forstag's lead was bolstered by a strong performance in Missoula County, where he captured 71% of the vote over Republican opponent Aaron Flint.
In the U.S. Senate race, GOP nominee Kurt Alme maintains a lead of approximately 60% over Independent candidate Seth Bodnar. For the Montana State Supreme Court, Amy Eddy leads Judge Dan Wilson with 62% of the vote. The Montana Secretary of State's Office reported high engagement, with more than 300,000 mail ballots returned statewide.
At the local level in Gallatin County, voters focused on the County Commission race featuring Republicans Colter Metcalf and Dan Hill against Democrats Ryan Finn and Zach Brown. Local voter motivations included concerns over property taxes, fiscal reporting, and environmental protection. Additionally, three constitutional initiatives, including the Montana Plan and a measure for a non-partisan judiciary, are trending toward approval.
