United States Representative District 1 in Congressional District 1, Montana

2026 Primary Election

• Ryan Busse — Senior advisor at Giffords in Missoula, MT

  Ryan Busse, a Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Montana's 1st Congressional District, is a former firearms executive, author, and senior advisor at Giffords. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, and a graduate of Bethany College, he previously ran for Montana Governor in 2024. Busse advocates for universal healthcare, fair taxation that holds billionaires accountable, and expanded federal assistance for first-time homebuyers. He is committed to protecting Montana's public lands and supports bodily autonomy, including abortion rights. Busse is running to fight against what he sees as obscene wealth and dangerous partisanship threatening Montana, aiming to secure opportunity and a level playing field for all Montanans.

• Russell Cleveland — Partnership Advisor in Saint Regis, MT

  Russell Cleveland is a candidate for United States Representative for Montana’s 1st Congressional District. His campaign is driven by the personal tragedy of losing his daughter to leukemia, which ignited his commitment to reforming the American healthcare system and ensuring no family suffers due to a rigged system. Running as an "Independent Democrat" with "Democratic Values," he advocates for Medicare for All, civil rights, and government reform, including banning corporate money in elections and term limits. He is committed to putting people, not corporations, at the forefront, funding his campaign entirely through individual contributions. Cleveland's background includes service in the U.S. Forest Service and experience in leadership roles in the private sector. He also supports an AI moratorium and the Second Amendment.

• Ray Curtis — Retired government teacher in Missoula, MT

  Ray Curtis, a retired government teacher and constitutional scholar from Missoula, Montana, is a Republican candidate for U.S. House District 1. He earned a high school diploma from Sentinel High School and holds bachelor's and graduate degrees from the University of Montana. Curtis is running to advocate for constitutional principles and believes in strengthening the middle class, encouraging responsible economic growth, and bringing discipline to the federal budget. He pledges to be a public servant accountable to voters, not donors, motivated by what he perceives as the current representative's inaction regarding constitutional overreach.

• Aaron Flint — Conservative radio host in MT

  Aaron Flint, a Republican, is seeking election to the U.S. House for Montana's 1st Congressional District in 2026. A conservative radio host for nearly a decade, Flint campaigns on a populist platform. His priorities include making the "Montana Dream affordable," improving education, boosting manufacturing and mining, and promoting trades. He also advocates for congressional reforms like single-subject bills, tying pay to budget completion, and banning congressional stock trading. Flint is part of the National Republican Congressional Committee's MAGA Majority program and is running in the primary to succeed the retiring Ryan Zinke.

• Sam Forstag — Union Vice President in Missoula, MT

  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.

• Christi Jacobsen — Incumbent Montana Secretary of State in Helena, MT

  Christi Jacobsen, a Montana native, is the state's incumbent Secretary of State, serving since 2021. With a master's degree from the University of Montana, she previously served as Deputy Secretary of State. Jacobsen, a Republican, is running for Montana's Western Congressional District (1st Congressional District) to fight for families and freedoms, emphasizing "America First." Her campaign focuses on lowering living costs, securing borders through mass deportations, and unleashing American energy. She entered the race following Rep. Ryan Zinke's decision not to seek re-election, aiming to bring her "battle-tested record" to Washington.

• Al 'Doc' Olszewski — Candidate for United States Representative in MT

  Al 'Doc' Olszewski is a Republican candidate for U.S. House District 1 in Montana's 2026 primary election. He advocates for restoring fiscal responsibility by stopping deficit spending and balancing the budget to stabilize prices and make mortgages affordable. Olszewski proposes expanding federal land access for sustainable natural resource development, including timber, mining, and energy, to create jobs. He also supports affordable, abundant energy (traditional and renewable) to lower living costs. Citing a conservative voting record, he commits to fighting for limited government, fiscal responsibility, strong national defense, and Western Montana's core values.

• Matt Rains — Rancher in Simms, MT

  Matt Rains, a U.S. Army veteran and fourth-generation Montana rancher, is a Democratic candidate for Montana's 1st Congressional District in 2026. He served as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in South Korea and Iraq. Rains emphasizes his experience as a rancher and former Chief of Staff for the Montana Farmers Union, where he helped establish a USDA-certified meat-packing co-op. Campaigning as a non-career politician, he aims to fight for Montana's way of life and address the affordability crisis. His priorities include lowering food, housing, and property costs, supporting veterans, protecting public lands, and expanding rural infrastructure and healthcare access. He advocates for country-of-origin labeling and right-to-repair for farmers.

• Nick Sheedy — Candidate for United States Representative in MT

  Nick Sheedy is the Libertarian Party candidate for U.S. House to represent Montana's 1st Congressional District in the 2026 election, having advanced directly from a canceled primary. His campaign centers on strengthening the War Powers Resolution to limit presidential authority in deploying forces and advocating for monetary reform by ending the Federal Reserve to combat inflation and restore Congress's constitutional power over currency. Sheedy emphasizes running as an independent, people-powered candidate committed to anti-corruption and civility, rejecting special interest influence.