Sam Forstag

Sam Forstag is a candidate for United States Representative District 1 Primary Election in 2026 in Congressional District 1, Montana.

Union Vice President in Missoula, MT

Also running: Ryan Busse, Russell Cleveland, Ray Curtis, Aaron Flint, Christi Jacobsen, Al 'Doc' Olszewski, Matt Rains, Nick Sheedy.

Sam Forstag is a Democratic candidate for U.S. Representative in Montana's 1st Congressional District in 2026. Born in Ohio and raised in Oregon, he moved to Missoula in 2012, graduating from the University of Montana. A former smokejumper and current union Vice President for USFS workers, Forstag has a background in political organizing, advocating for homelessness solutions, libraries, and criminal justice reform. He gained attention at a 2025 rally with Senator Bernie Sanders, speaking against federal land-management agency cuts. Endorsed by the American Federation of Government Employees, he focuses his campaign on public education, libraries, healthcare, and constitutional freedoms.