Montana
Finalists already set for 2026 Montana Supreme Court race
KALISPELL — There’s one open seat on the Montana Supreme Court in this year’s elections, and only two candidates filed to run for it. That means both Dan Wilson and Amy Eddy will be moving on to the general election in November, regardless of what happens in the June primary.
Wilson and Eddy are running for an associate justice position, currently held by the retiring Justice Beth Baker. They have several key things in common – most notably, both are state district judges, holding court at the Flathead County Justice Center in Kalispell.
(Watch the video to hear from the two candidates.)
Finalists already set for Montana Supreme Court Race
For many Montana voters, Wilson will be more familiar, after he ran for associate justice unsuccessfully in 2024.
“What’s different for me this time is that people are really wanting to know and have their questions answered about my judicial philosophy and my judicial approach,” he told MTN. “I would say the last time I ran, they were more curious just to get to know me as a person, meet me face to face and shake my hand and that sort of thing.”
Wilson, elected as a district judge in 2016, describes himself as a “constitutional conservative” and says Montana courts have leaned too far toward “judicial activism.”
“A judicial activist, in my view, is one whose judicial decision-making is dominated in those questionable cases by perhaps their own personal agenda or the agenda of special interests who advance their career,” he said. “A constitutional conservative does not look to the end result first, but looks to the law.”
Jonathon Ambarian
Eddy was first appointed to the bench in 2015. As she hasn’t run statewide before, she says she’s been working hard to introduce herself to voters.
“We’re approaching the campaign the same way we have been since May, when we announced,” she said. “We’re out talking to everybody in as many counties as we can.”
Eddy says her campaign is emphasizing the nonpartisan nature of judicial elections and the court’s role in upholding the state constitution and protecting individual liberties.
“People want nonpartisan, independent courts, and they want a government that functions, which is something we can certainly all get behind,” she said. “Then, of course, with the focus on the Montana Constitution right now and the different constitutional initiatives, we have lots of conversations about the unique rights we have under the Montana Constitution that are not enjoyed under the U.S. Constitution.”
Both candidates have said they want to maintain judicial impartiality. For Eddy, she says that means not participating in campaign events sponsored by political parties.
“We should not be checking in with a political party leadership, and before a judge makes a decision, they should not be saying, ‘How do I earn a standing ovation at a political party convention?’” she said. “They should be asking themselves, ‘What does the Constitution demand?’”
Wilson was a featured speaker at the Montana Republican Party’s winter kickoff in Great Falls earlier this year. In addition, he received $20,000 in two contributions from the state GOP – in the first election cycle since the Legislature repealed a law banning political parties from contributing to judicial candidates.
Jonathon Ambarian
Wilson says judges in nonpartisan races aren’t supposed to seek endorsements from parties, but the First Amendment allows them to support whoever they want. He believes judicial ethics rules don’t disallow judicial candidates from attending party-sponsored events.
“I think it’s a little bit naive to think that you can run a statewide campaign as a nonpartisan candidate without getting out and trying to meet as many people as you can, and to attract as much support as you can,” he said.
Wilson says people supporting him don’t expect him to rule a specific way, but to be consistent and evenhanded in how he applies the law.
“The impartiality comes with giving each side a fair hearing and taking their arguments to their logical endpoint and deciding which one is more persuasive under the law, so it’s more about having and keeping an open mind as to what the outcome should be,” he said.
While Eddy is staying away from party meetings, she has addressed some interest groups like the Montana Conservation Voters. MTN asked how she would respond to people who said those events could be seen as having political leanings, and she said groups like MCV do include members from more than one party.
“People can put a partisan view on it, but in fact, that organization is made up of lots of different people – and those are principles specifically protected in the Montana Constitution, which, of course, I’ve taken an oath to uphold,” she said.
The state constitution’s provision guaranteeing “the right to a clean and healthful environment” is at the center of one of Wilson’s major criticisms of the current Montana Supreme Court. In speeches and in interviews, he has said the majority overstepped in the Held v. Montana climate change case, when they struck down a law on the basis that state policies on greenhouse gas emissions were harming that right.
“The drafters of our constitution were adamant that this is a right that the Legislature – and therefore the people – needed to control, and that they were most concerned that the Supreme Court would take it over, issue a ruling that would bind the government and the citizens of Montana, possibly forever, and the citizens could never overturn,” Wilson told MTN.
Wilson has also criticized Eddy for having been part of a 2011 lawsuit making similar arguments to argue the state had a duty to manage the atmosphere as a public trust, and therefore to address emissions. Eddy told MTN she was one of the original attorneys on the case when plaintiffs asked the Montana Supreme Court to take jurisdiction, but that she wasn’t involved further after the court sent it back to district court for a trial. She said it hasn’t been an issue she’s heard concerns about from voters yet.
“We spent three weeks living out of our car in eastern Montana and it never came up,” she said.
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Christina Koch, a former resident of Livingston, Montana, has become the first woman to orbit the moon as part of the Artemis 2 crew, the first lunar mission for the United States in 50 years. Koch previously set the record for the longest single female spaceflight when she lived aboard the International Space Station for nearly a year in 2019.
Why it matters
Koch’s historic achievement as the first woman to orbit the moon is a significant milestone for space exploration and a source of inspiration, especially for young people who may now dream of following in her footsteps. Her journey also highlights the progress made in the space program and the growing opportunities for women in STEM fields.
The details
As part of the Artemis 2 crew, Christina Koch will become the first woman to orbit the moon. This mission marks the first time the United States has sent astronauts to the moon since the Apollo program ended in the 1970s. Koch, who previously spent nearly a year aboard the International Space Station, is the first woman to hold the record for the longest single spaceflight.
- In 2019, Christina Koch set the record for the longest single female spaceflight when she lived aboard the International Space Station for almost a year.
- The Artemis 2 mission, which will include Christina Koch as the first woman to orbit the moon, is scheduled to launch in 2026.
The players
Christina Koch
A former resident of Livingston, Montana, who has become the first woman to orbit the moon as part of the Artemis 2 crew. She previously set the record for the longest single female spaceflight when she lived aboard the International Space Station for nearly a year in 2019.
Artemis 2
The first lunar mission for the United States in 50 years, which will include Christina Koch as the first woman to orbit the moon.
Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›
What they’re saying
“Christina Koch’s journey from Livingston to the moon is a reminder of how far we’ve come—and how far we still want to go.”
— Derek Wolf, Author
What’s next
The Artemis 2 mission, which will include Christina Koch as the first woman to orbit the moon, is scheduled to launch in 2026.
The takeaway
Christina Koch’s historic achievement as the first woman to orbit the moon is a significant milestone for space exploration and a source of inspiration, especially for young people who may now dream of following in her footsteps. Her journey highlights the progress made in the space program and the growing opportunities for women in STEM fields.
HELENA — The race for the Republican nomination in Montana’s U.S. Senate race wasn’t expected to get much attention – until everything changed a few minutes before the filing deadline. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines dropped out of the race and threw his support behind Kurt Alme, Montana’s former U.S. attorney.
(Watch the video to hear from the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate.)
A look at the GOP field for U.S. Senate in Montana
Alme told MTN he first learned Daines was considering leaving the Senate only a few days before the end of the state’s candidate filing period.
“Sen. Daines called and shared that he and Cindy would like to retire, but they were concerned about losing the seat and the Senate to the Democrats, so he said he would only step down if someone like me would agree to step up and run,” he said. “So because of the importance of maintaining the seat for the Republicans, I told the senator that if he were to decide to retire, that we would be interested in stepping up.”
Alme resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s Office on March 4, the last day of candidate filing. He officially filed to run for Senate at 4:52 p.m., eight minutes before the deadline. Daines withdrew his candidacy at 4:57 p.m., then quickly endorsed Alme. Alme also received support from Montana’s other U.S. senator, Sen. Tim Sheehy, as well as from Gov. Greg Gianforte.
MTN asked Alme if he felt there was any frustration from voters over the last-minute switch. He echoed Daines’ explanation of the move, saying it was intended to keep a big-name Democratic candidate like former Sen. Jon Tester or former Gov. Steve Bullock from entering the race and bringing in large amounts of campaign spending.
“All I’m focusing on is the race we have in front of us and trying to get to the finish line and be sure we represent the people of Montana well, and do everything we can to earn their vote,” said Alme.
Jonathon Ambarian
Alme, 59, was born in Great Falls and lived in Dillon, Victor and Helena before graduating high school in Miles City. Today he lives in Billings. He describes himself as a “commonsense conservative.” This is his first time running for elected office, though he has spent a number of years working in government – and he says he’ll lean on that experience as he pursues his policy priorities.
Trump appointed Alme as Montana’s U.S. attorney in 2017, and he served through the end 2020. When Trump returned to the White House in 2025, he reappointed him.
“This last year, we had focused our team on violent criminals and drug traffickers, and we had prosecuted more defendants last year than we had prosecuted in more than 20 years,” he said.
In addition to public safety, Alme says he’s also prepared to tackle affordability. He served as director of the Montana Department of Revenue under Gov. Judy Martz in the early 2000s, and he was Gianforte’s first state budget director in 2021.
“I learned how to balanced budgets, and I learned how to put money back into the pockets of Montanans,” he said.
Alme also spent time as president of the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation and as an executive vice president with the National Christian Foundation.
While Alme comes into the Senate race with by far the most backing from top Republicans, it is still a contested primary for the GOP nomination. Two other Republican candidates also filed to run on the afternoon of March 4.
Jonathon Ambarian
Lee Calhoun, a political newcomer from Whitefish, filed when Daines was still in the race. He told MTN he wanted to challenge Daines because he believed the senator’s policies favored big business. While Daines’ decision to drop out took away his biggest reason for running, he said the candidate switch led him to believe Alme wouldn’t be significantly different.
“A lot of people in Montana are really not pleased with that well-orchestrated song and dance that was pulled off,” said Calhoun.
However, Calhoun admits his chance of being elected is “very slim.” He says he has essentially suspended active campaigning, because he wasn’t able to find the campaign staff to support a more robust run. His campaign website is merely a blank page reading “Coming Soon,” and he says he won’t be fundraising or holding campaign events.
Still, Calhoun’s name will be on the ballot, and he says people are welcome to vote for him if they share his point of view.
“At the end of the day, since I’m not owned by anyone or any organization at this point, it would be an opportunity for the people of Montana to have a U.S. senator that’s not owned by people who are more like the modern-day Copper Kings,” he said.
Calhoun, 75, grew up in Pennsylvania. He moved to Montana about 10 years ago. In Whitefish, he started Northstone Solar, which designs and installs solar-energy systems for homes and businesses. He has since sold the business to one of his employees.
Calhoun calls himself an “Eisenhower Republican” and says he’s disagreed with the direction of the party for years. He believes the current tax structure favors the upper class and large corporations at the expense of the middle class and small businesses. He also wants the U.S. to move toward a universal health care system. Jonathon Ambarian
If elected, Calhoun says he would serve only one term.
The third Republican on the ballot will be Charles Walking Child, of Helena. Walking Child operates an environmental contracting business. He has previously run in the Republican primaries for Montana’s eastern U.S. House seat in 2022 and U.S. Senate in 2024.
Walking Child has said he sees both major parties as failing to represent everyday Montanans, and that current elected Republicans are too focused on the wealthy.
MTN reached out to Walking Child for this story. He said he “will be giving no interviews, especially to fake news.”
The winner of the Republican primary will move on to the general election, along with one of five Democratic candidates and one of two Libertarians. An independent candidate is also seeking to qualify for the general election ballot.
TUESDAY, APRIL 7TH: A strong wind event is set to unfold this afternoon through most of the state. A low-pressure system with an associated cold front will move just north of our state. This, combined with strong mid-level winds, will enhance surface-level winds. Gusts could reach up to 70 MPH in lower elevations, with the Rocky Mountain Front gusting to near 90 MPH at times.
Expect partly cloudy skies for most of the day. A little more cloud cover may be present on and east of the Rocky Mountain Front. The wind will push high temperatures into the mid to upper 60s.
Most of the day will be dry, but a few rain showers will form along the cold front as it moves from northwest to southeast in the afternoon and evening. A few showers and a thunderstorm or two may also form in southwest Montana.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8TH: Winds will die down in the morning throughout central Montana, but will still be gusty throughout the afternoon in the eastern portion of the state. Temperatures will be cooler behind the front, with morning lows in the 20s and 30s. Afternoon highs will only reach the 40s and 50s.
A few morning snow showers will impact northeast Montana on the backside of the low-pressure system. Impactful accumulation is not expected.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH: A shortwave disturbance bringing isolated rain and snow showers will move through north-central Montana on Thursday. This may bring snowflakes in the morning, but it is not likely that this snow will stick. Morning lows will be in the 20s and 30s again. Highs will reach the 50s.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10TH: Friday will be a beautiful day with highs warming into the 60s for most areas, with a few spots potentially hitting 70 under mostly sunny conditions. A couple of thunderstorms will move into southwest Montana. These should stay south of I-90.
LONG-RANGE FORECAST: Another storm system begins to influence the state on Saturday afternoon. Moist southwest flow ahead of a center of low will bring air temperatures in the 60s and 70s with scattered thunderstorms. There will be some wet weather around on Sunday as well, with cooler temperatures.
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WEATHER ALERTS:
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Helena Temperature Records Today:
High: 77 (1930)
Low: 7 (1923)
AVG: 54/30
Great Falls Temperature Records Today: MTN MTN
High: 81 (1930)
Low: 4 (1982)
AVG: 53/28
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