Montana
Candidates set for Montana's statewide races
At 5 p.m. Monday, the window closed for candidates to file to run for elected office in Montana this year, officially setting the stage for a hugely consequential election season.
Toward the top of the ballot — not counting the presidential contest between presumptive nominees Joe Biden and Donald Trump — voters will have a choice between incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and a slew of challengers intent on stopping the Democrat from winning a fourth term, chief among them Republican businessman Tim Sheehy. But with 416 total candidates having filed to run for offices ranging from U.S. Senate to the state Legislature, there will be plenty of other names for voters to ponder come the June primary.
“Thank you and congratulations to all of the candidates who filed to represent our wonderful state,” Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, Montana’s top election administrator, said in a statement upon the close of filing. “I wish all candidates the best of luck in the upcoming elections.”
The 2022 election season in Montana was a relatively quiet affair. This year is already proving quite the opposite. At the federal level, Montanans will vote for president, the U.S. Senate and two seats in Congress. Statewide, they’ll vote for the governorship, two open seats on the state Supreme Court, the court’s clerk, three seats on the state’s utility regulation board, the superintendent of public instruction, state auditor, secretary of state and several district court positions. And they’ll elect state legislators using new legislative maps fresh off a once-a-decade update cycle.
Hanging over the election are two cycles of electoral gains by Montana Republicans, who have won supermajorities in the state Legislature and persuaded voters to give them control of every statewide office except Tester’s Senate seat, which was last on the ballot in 2018.
Here’s a look at who’s filed for federal and statewide offices:
U.S. SENATE
Republicans are hoping to oust Tester — seen by political observers as one of the U.S. Senate’s most vulnerable members — en route to capturing the two seats necessary for a majority in that chamber. Montana’s junior U.S. senator, Republican Steve Daines, has an outsized role this cycle as well. Though he’s not up for election until 2026, he chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the party organ tasked with electing Republicans to the U.S. Senate.
The NRSC has recruited Tim Sheehy, a wealthy political neophyte who owns an aerial firefighting business in the Gallatin Valley, to challenge Tester. For months, it seemed as if Matt Rosendale, a hardline Republican congressman who currently represents eastern Montana, would enter the race as well, which he did briefly before dropping out. Former Montana secretary of state and Public Service Commission member Brad Johnson is also running on the Republican ticket, pledging to give GOP voters an alternative to a candidate often critiqued by his competitors as having been hand-picked by powerful forces in Washington D.C. Sid Daoud, a Libertarian, is also hoping that some of what would have been Rosendale voters will come to his side. Also on the primary ballot is Republican Charles Walkingchild Sr. and Democrat Michael Hummert. Green Party candidates Robert Barb and Michael Downey are also running.
U.S. HOUSE, EASTERN DISTRICT
Rosendale’s decision to not seek re-election to the state’s eastern district House seat has opened a path for a litany of Republicans to replace him. Several Democrats are seeking election to the seat as well, but the district’s heavily Republican tilt makes it likely that whoever wins the GOP primary this June will win the general election in November.
Prominent GOP candidates for the office include former Congressman Denny Rehberg, who represented Montana’s single at-large district from 2001 to 2013, term-limited Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen and State Auditor Troy Downing. Other Republicans seeking to replace Rosendale include state Sen. Ken Bogner, R-Miles City; former state lawmakers Joel Krautter, Ric Holden and Ed Waker; and former Drug Enforcement Agency official Stacy Zinn. Democratic primary ballots for the seat will list Helena’s Kevin Hamm, Billings’ Ming Cabrera, Broadus’ Steve Held, and Helena’s John Driscoll.
U.S. HOUSE, WESTERN DISTRICT
In Montana’s western U.S. House district, Democrat Monica Tranel is looking for a rematch with incumbent Republican Ryan Zinke. Tranel has no primary opponent, but Zinke, a former U.S. Secretary of the Interior under former President Donald Trump, will need to fend off a challenge from Kalispell pastor Mary Todd. Libertarians Dennis Hayes and Ernie Noble are also vying for the seat, which Zinke won over Tranel by about 3 percentage points in 2022.
GOVERNOR
At the state level, Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte is seeking re-election. In the primary, he’ll face a challenge from Republican state Rep. Tanner Smith, R-Lakeside. His highest profile Democratic challenger is author and former firearms executive Ryan Busse, who will first have to prevail in a primary contest with Helena’s Jim Hunt. Libertarian Kaiser Leib, a tech entrepreneur and standup comedian, is also running for governor.
MONTANA SUPREME COURT
The planned retirements of Montana Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike McGrath and Associate Justice Dirk Sandefur will create two open seats on the state’s high court this year. These are non-partisan elections that nonetheless have played host to major political flashpoints in recent years, as the Supreme Court weighs, among other issues, the constitutionality of legislation that is currently under legal scrutiny.
Vying to replace McGrath are former federal magistrate court judge Jerry Lynch, Broadwater County Attorney Cory Swanson and Helena attorney Doug Marshall. Candidates looking to replace Sandefur include district court judges Dan Wilson and Katherine Bidegaray, as well as former Republican state lawmaker Jerry O’Neill.
MONTANA ATTORNEY GENERAL
Incumbent Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, a no-holds-barred Republican with a penchant for weighing in on hot political topics at home and nationwide, is seeking re-election. He faces a Democratic challenge from Bozeman attorney Ben Alke. Helena’s Logan Olson will also be on the Republican ballot.
MONTANA SECRETARY OF STATE
Republican Christi Jacobsen is seeking re-election as secretary of state, a role with a number of responsibilities including as the state’s chief election administrator. Democratic newspaper publisher Jesse Mullen is hoping to oust her, while former congressional candidate John Lamb is running as a Libertarian.
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen is termed out of her current office and seeking election to the U.S. House in the state’s eastern district. Republican Townsend School District Superintendent Susie Hedalen, who also serves as vice chair of the state Board of Public Education, is running to replace Arntzen, as is Arntzen’s current deputy, Sharyl Allen. State Sen. Shannon O’Brien, D-Missoula, a longtime educator, is running for the position as a Democratic.
MONTANA STATE AUDITOR
Montana’s auditor is, among other roles, the state’s top insurance and securities regulator. Incumbent Troy Downing, a Republican, is leaving the position to run for Congress. Several Republicans are running to replace him, including Public Service Commission President James Brown, state Sen. Steve Gunderson, R-Libby, Helena’s John Jay Willoughby and Miles City’s Keith Brownfield. The only Democrat on the ballot is Whitefish’s John Repke.
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
There are three seats up for grabs on Montana’s utility regulation board, the Public Service Commission. Candidates for the commission’s second district include Republicans Kirk Bushman and state Sen. Brad Molnar, R-Laurel, as well as Democrat Susan Bilo. Candidates for the commission’s third district include three Republicans: Rob Elwood, Suzzann Nordwick and State Sen. Jeff Welborn, R-Dillon. The only Democrat running for that commission seat is Leonard Williams. For the commission’s fourth district, Republican Jennifer Fielder is seeking re-election. She faces a primary challenge from Al Dunlap.
CLERK OF THE SUPREME COURT
Unlike the positions on the Montana Supreme Court itself, the clerk of the state Supreme Court is a partisan position. Incumbent Republican Bowen Greenwood is seeking re-election, and faces a primary challenge from state Sen. Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, who served as the Senate president in the 2023 Legislature. Democrats Erin Farris-Olson and Jordan Ophus are also running for the clerkship, as is Libertarian Roger Roots.
Arren Kimbel-Sannit is a reporter for the Montana Free Press, a Helena-based nonprofit newsroom, and can be reached at akimbel@montanafreepress.org.
A postcard that came under fire from Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen is not a violation of Montana’s code of ethics or other campaign laws, Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus said Friday in response to a complaint.
In a letter rejecting the complaint, Gallus said the mailing could be viewed as partisan but that doesn’t mean it creates a violation under his jurisdiction.
Last week, a Harlowton voter filed a complaint alleging the Secretary of State’s Office should not have used taxpayer dollars to pay for the postcard, which said “only citizens should be allowed to vote.”
The Secretary of State’s Office has not responded to a question about the cost of the postcard or how many Montanans received it. Montana has nearly 785,000 registered voters.
The postcard announced a partnership with the federal government to “strengthen election security” and featured a picture of Secretary Christi Jacobsen and President Donald Trump.
The complaint said the postcard pushed a false narrative that “elections are rigged” and “someone other than citizens” are voting.
However, Gallus said the complaint does not clearly allege any violation of statute over which he has jurisdiction. He also said elected officials have a responsibility to communicate with citizens, and voters elected the Secretary of State based in part on her political leanings.
“Expecting that all communication following an election would be devoid of a political bent so as to avoid any criticism or open debate is unreasonable and impracticable,” Gallus wrote in the letter.
Gallus said he wanted to address the complaint in detail because his office has received numerous inquiries about the postcard in relation to “the use of government funds or resources.”
“Montana’s elected officials routinely provide communications to Montana citizens which under a certain lens may appear to be political,” Gallus wrote. “Montana laws do prohibit the use of public resources for political purposes.”
But he said he and staff in his office reviewed the mailer, and it does not appear to violate any provision of the Montana Code of Ethics or any campaign regulation because it “does not have a political purpose” as defined by law.
In making that determination, he said, he looks for words that solicit support or opposition to any political committee; nomination or election of a person to public office; or passage of a ballot issue. That means language such as “vote,” “oppose,” “support,” “elect,” “defeat,” or “reject.”
Gallus said his office also looks at whether material depicts a clearly identified candidate, party or ballot issue “in a manner that is susceptible of no reasonable interpretation other than as a call for the nomination, election or defeat” of the candidate or issue.
Gallus said it is a high bar, and the postcard doesn’t meet the threshold. He said neither Jacobsen or Trump are currently running for office, and the mailing doesn’t include any express words of support.
“Public officials have associated duties, which include communicating with constituents,” Gallus wrote. “For Montana’s Secretary of State, this means communicating with all voters regarding elections, voting and the SOS positions on citizen only voting, which she appears to be doing here.”
In a subsequent news release, the Secretary of State’s Office said it had identified 23 potential non-citizens who had voted. A spokesperson did not answer questions about when they most recently voted, what counties they had voted in, or what the next steps would be.
Missoula County Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman said earlier the 23 potential non-citizens indicated the current system is working well; it represented 29-one-thousandths of 1 percent of voters.
Seaman also said it is important to address those findings as soon as possible. He pointed to a recent tied vote in Missoula County where one vote would have made a difference. (In that case, a council race, the Missoula City Council made the appointment.)
To vote in Montana, people need to be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old before the election, and a Montana resident for at least 30 days before the next election.
Jacobsen mailer question_Beley response letter (1)
GREAT FALLS — Governor Greg Gianforte on Friday today praised the federal Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposed decision to cancel grazing permits authorizing bison grazing previously issued to the American Prairie.
Mixed reaction to BLM decision to cancel American Prairie Reserve bison permits
“Today’s decision by BLM is a win for Montana’s ranchers, our agricultural producers, and the rule of law,” Gianforte said in a news release. “For years, we have raised serious concerns about the federal government’s failure to listen to the folks who live and work the land. By proposing to cancel these permits, BLM is finally acknowledging that federal overreach cannot come at the expense of our local communities and the production agriculture that feeds our nation.”
Gianforte said the proposed decision marks a “significant victory” for agricultural producers and rural communities across Montana and the United States, reversing a prior federal authorization that allowed APR to graze non-production bison on over 63,000 acres of federal public lands.
“This administration will always stand with our farmers and ranchers against federal overreach,” Gianforte said. “We will continue to protect our way of life and ensure that Montana voices are heard in Washington, D.C.”
American Prairie CEO Alison Fox responded to the decision by calling the outcome “unfair, deeply disappointing, disruptive, and inconsistent with long-standing public-lands grazing practices in Montana.”
Fox said in a news release, “Our organization and conservation model remain resilient, but that does not negate the fact that this creates uncertainty for all livestock owners who depend on public lands for grazing. We have followed the law, complied with every requirement, and prioritized transparency at every step.”
Fix emphasized that her organization is merely seeking equal treatment under the law, not special treatment or a change in precedent. Fox noted, “We have had permission to graze bison on BLM land since 2005, and have done so successfully for the past 20 years.”
Beyond land stewardship, American Prairie’s bison program has delivered significant and measurable benefits to Montana communities. The herd has helped feed Montana families through hundreds of public harvests, and local organizations have raised more than $150,000 over the past decade by raffling donated bison harvests — funds that stay in local communities.
Fox said American Prairie is reviewing the decision and determining its course of action, and will continue to advocate for a public-lands grazing system that is lawful, predictable, and applied equally.
EBS STAFF
Tourism officials in Montana are feeling the economic impact of a sharp decline in Canadian visitors, particularly from Saskatchewan, a historically reliable source of consistent visitation. New data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as reported by CBC News, shows 62,000 fewer travelers crossed from Saskatchewan into the U.S. in 2025, equating to a 20% decline in Minot and 16% decline in Big Sky, two of the more popular destinations, according to the communities’ tourism agencies.
“Financially, having the loss of Canadian traffic is massive,” Brad Niva, CEO of Visit Big Sky, told CBC. “In my community, it’s half a million dollars of lost revenue.”
Niva said some Canadian visitors have told tourism officials they plan to delay U.S. travel for several years, citing political concerns and affordability. Niva told CBC that Big Sky has temporarily halted marketing efforts aimed at Canadians and hope conditions improve by 2026.
While Canadian travel south has slowed, Saskatchewan has seen an increase in U.S. visitors, a shifting cross-border tourism pattern that Montana communities like Big Sky are watching closely as they plan for future seasons.
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