State Senator District 18 in Montana State Senate District 18, Montana

2026 Primary Election

• Greg Kmetz — Incumbent State Representative in Miles City, MT

  Greg Kmetz, a Republican, is a current member of the Montana House of Representatives, having served District 38 and now District 36. Born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, he lives in Miles City, Montana, and is a former welding instructor and owner of a welding and machine shop with a bachelor's degree from the University of Wyoming. Kmetz is campaigning for the Montana State Senate, representing District 18. His platform, centered on "Bullets, Babies & Borders," advocates for strong border enforcement, defending gun rights, and protecting the unborn, promising to uphold "Montana Values" in the State Senate.

• Doug Martens — Candidate for State Senator in Forsyth, MT

  Doug Martens is a Republican candidate seeking to represent Montana State Senate District 18 in the 2026 primary election. A lifelong resident of Rosebud County, he champions rural leadership, aiming to be a strong voice in Helena for agriculture and rural energy infrastructure. Martens previously served 12 years as County Commissioner, where he invested in local sheriff's departments and road maintenance, famously without raising taxes for 11 years. His advocacy for coal development earned him recognition as Montanan of the Week from Senator Steve Daines, and he has served nationally on the National Association of Counties Energy Committee. He is committed to putting rural Montana first.

• Stan Taylor — Candidate for State Senator in MT

  Stan Taylor is a Democratic candidate for the Montana State Senate, representing District 18 in the 2026 election cycle. He is on the ballot for the Democratic primary scheduled for June 2, 2026. Taylor has a recent history in Montana politics, having previously run for the State House in District 36 as a Democrat in 2024. In that election, he secured his party's nomination in the primary, but ultimately was unsuccessful in the general election for the State House seat. He has not provided public statements on specific policy positions for his campaigns in the available records. The State Senate District 18 race in 2026 does not have an incumbent.