Democrat Sam Forstag targets Montana's 1st district in 2026 congressional race

Former U.S. Forest Service smokejumper Sam Forstag announced his bid to flip Montana’s 1st congressional district in the 2026 midterm elections, seeking to replace retiring Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke in a seat that Trump won by double digits in 2024. Forstag, a former elite wildland‑fire parachutist, is running as a Democrat and says he will bring a working‑class voice to a district that stretches from Yellowstone to Glacier National Parks.

Democrats see the race as a test case for a new, populist playbook that could revive the party in red‑leaning states. Across the Great Plains, Upper Midwest and the Deep South, candidates are betting that anger at corporate power and frustration with both parties can be turned into votes. In Montana, rising housing costs, soaring grocery and gas prices, and a wave of wealthy transplants have made the market one of the nation’s most unaffordable. Those pressures, combined with cuts to federal jobs, have left many voters feeling left behind.

Forstag’s story mirrors those concerns. He earned $19 an hour jumping out of airplanes for the Forest Service, yet he says a half‑million‑dollar home is out of reach for most locals. As a union vice‑president, he watched President Trump slash nearly 400 Forest Service positions in the state last year. When he tried to reach Rep. Zinke about the cuts, he heard “crickets,” prompting him to run. Zinke’s retirement opened the seat, and analysts now list the district as a toss‑up. Former Democratic senator Jon Tester, speaking from his Big Sandy ranch, warned that the party’s brand is weak in Montana but argued that the Iran war and rising costs could sway voters toward Democrats.

If Forstag can capture the district, Democrats hope to prove that an economic‑populist message can win in traditionally Republican territory. The race will likely draw national attention and resources as the party tests whether a focus on working‑class grievances can replace the coastal‑centric strategy that has dominated recent elections. A win would give the Democrats a template for future contests in red states, while a loss could reinforce doubts about the viability of the new approach.