Montana

To Tanner Smith’s supporters: Let’s get your Montana back

Published

2 years ago

June 9, 2024

To Tanner Smith’s supporters: Let’s get your Montana back

Greg Gianforte blew a massive budget surplus and passed the largest property tax increase in Montana history. Then he falsely blamed his tax hike on fellow Republicans.

As a result, nearly 50,000 Montana Republicans voted against him in last week’s primary — the worst showing for a Montana governor in his own party’s primary in at least 44 years.

Those votes went to Rep. Tanner Smith, who was as rightly frustrated with Gianforte as so many Montanans across the political spectrum are. In fact, more people on Tuesday voted against Gianforte than for him.

This message is to Tanner’s supporters.

My name is Raph Graybill and I am running with governor candidate Ryan Busse to get your Montana back. Ryan is a former firearms executive who built a gun company here in Montana. He loves this state. I know we share more in common with you than national political pundits will admit. And I hope you’ll honestly consider voting for us.

Ryan and I are exhausted by national politics. But traveling this state, we know Montanans who may disagree on which presidential candidate to vote for can still work together — the old fashioned, Montana way — and vote to save this state we love.

Like you, Ryan and I are appalled at Big Government Gianforte’s reckless spending and tax increases.

Everywhere we go in Montana, we meet people suffering because of his reckless taxing and spending: retirees who have to go back to work just to afford their property taxes, young families struggling to find or afford a home, teachers, cops and nurses facing rising rents.

There was no reason it had to happen that way. Montana had a $2.5 billion budget surplus. As a former Montana Republican governor used to remind us, “no one said you could keep the change.” But Gianforte spent all that money faster than green grass through a goose. Did it make your life any easier or more affordable?

Gianforte only had to change one number in the tax rate to keep our property taxes from going up. That last four governors — two Democrats and two Republicans — did the exact same thing when faced with property tax increases. Gianforte’s own staff warned him about the looming increase and told him exactly what to do to keep our taxes down.

But Gianforte ignored them because he needed that money to pay for his spending spree. He put the historic property tax increase in his budget, and we’re now all paying his price.

It’s not just property taxes that have Montanans ready for a new governor, either. Like you, Ryan and I are disgusted at the commercialization of wildlife in our state. Billionaires shouldn’t get special rights to our elk and cutthroat that people like you and me don’t. Gianforte thinks the places we hunt and fish should be locked up and leased to his rich friends. And he’s the only governor in the history of the United States to sue to block a public river access.

Like you, we care about vibrant public schools, which are the backbone of our communities. None of that spending spree went to finding more teachers for rural schools or fixing school funding. We got higher taxes, and little to show our kids for it. Gianforte thinks everyone can afford to pay for fancy private schools, so he’s ripping apart the public schools that our kids depend on and sending taxpayer money to prop up private “academies” like the one he founded in Bozeman.

And like you, we care about personal integrity and personal responsibility. Twice now, Gianforte and his friends have pressured cops to lie for him. Thank goodness law enforcement stood up to him. Even worse, like you, we are still waiting for an explanation on how Gianforte’s private mansion in Helena got a tax cut last year, while every single one of his neighbors all got stuck with thousands of dollars in tax increases.

In short, we agree with you: it’s time for a new governor in this state.

We may part ways on national politics. That’s fine. It’s how Montana has always been. But our state government isn’t an HOA for Gianforte and his billionaire, out-of-state friends. It’s ours, and we need to fight like it. Join us.

I hope this fall you’ll consider voting for Ryan Busse and me to get your Montana back.

Raph Graybill is Democrat gubernatorial candidate Ryan Busse’s lieutenant governor running mate.

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Montana

Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for May 13, 2026

Published

42 minutes ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 13, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from May 13 drawing

22-31-52-56-67, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from May 13 drawing

17-18-28-37-42, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 13 drawing

02-06-10-16, Bonus: 16

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 13 drawing

08-13-39-63-66, Powerball: 02

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from May 13 drawing

02-04-13-17-32

Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 13 drawing

21-24-29-42-49, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Montana

Public Meeting at Hub on Smith Concerning Montana Water Call Prompting Priority Administration in Tongue Basin

Published

13 hours ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

Public Meeting at Hub on Smith Concerning Montana Water Call Prompting Priority Administration in Tongue Basin

Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart announced that on May 5, 2026, the State of Montana placed a call under Article V(A) of the Yellowstone River Compact to fill Tongue River Reservoir in Montana. As a result, priority administration is in effect on post-1950 water rights in Wyoming that divert water from the Tongue River and its tributaries and are not excluded from the compact.

A public meeting will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, in the dining room of The Hub on Smith. Attendees are asked to enter on the north side of the building.

The Tongue River Basin has been experiencing drought conditions over the past year with historically low winter snowpack and streamflow conditions. According to the release, those conditions led to Montana’s interstate call and prompted the administration of the Tongue River Basin in Wyoming.

The priority administration will affect post-1950 water rights within the Tongue River Basin, including reservoir storage, stream diversions and groundwater withdrawals, all of which affect river flows. Post-1950 water rights will be regulated off or prevented from turning on. Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners will continue to administer reservoir storage and post-1950 diversions throughout the spring and work with affected water users until the administration is lifted.

As provided in the compact, domestic uses less than one-half acre in area and livestock uses, including stock reservoirs less than 20 acre-feet in capacity, are excluded from this administration. The release noted these excluded rights could be subject to future regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.

Beginning May 5, 2026, Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners have worked to record the current storage levels of reservoirs with post-1950 water rights. Going forward, those reservoirs can continue to accrue storage so long as post-1950 storage gained after the interstate call on May 5 remains in storage until either the water is released to satisfy the Montana call or Montana lifts the call because Tongue River Reservoir will fill.

Reservoirs with unfulfilled pre-1950 water rights can continue to store water and that storage will not be subject to release to satisfy Montana’s call. However, that storage and other direct flow rights could be subject to regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.

The priority administration will be carried out pursuant to state law by hydrographer-commissioners assigned to various portions of the Tongue River Basin, working under the direction of Division II Superintendent David Schroeder.

The Wyoming State Engineer’s Office can be contacted at:

Jack Morey, deputy state engineer, 307-777-5032, jack.morey2@wyo.gov

David Schroeder, Division II superintendent, 307-674-7012, d.schroeder@wyo.gov

Jeff Cowley, interstate streams administrator, 307-777-1942, jeff.cowley@wyo.gov

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Montana

Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Big Sky Bonus results for May 12, 2026

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 12, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 12 drawing

17-32-35-40-47, Mega Ball: 17

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 12 drawing

04-12-17-24, Bonus: 11

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 12 drawing

19-21-35-38-53, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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