Montana
Montana Senate Republican caucus still split, after rules vote
HELENA — Four days into the Montana Legislature’s 69th session, a split in the majority Republican party is lingering.
Senate leadership spent much of Thursday trying to get their caucus to unite behind a new rules package, but in the end, it was a group of nine Republicans voting alongside Democrats to keep temporary rules in place – just as they did on Monday.
John Riley
Just after the start of the session, 27 of 50 senators voted to change the proposed initial rules the session would operate under. The biggest changes dealt with senators’ assignments to committees – the smaller groups that hear and debate bills on specific topics.
The first rules proposal, recommended by the Senate Rules Committee last month, had created a new “Executive Branch Review Committee,” which leaders said would handle legislation from the governor’s office and other state agencies. However, Democrats and Sen. Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton – the Republican named to chair the committee – questioned whether it was necessary. The revised temporary rules greatly limited what the Executive Branch Review Committee would take on and reassigned its members to other influential committees.
On Wednesday, GOP-led committees sought to address the holdouts’ concerns. The Senate Rules Committee amended the permanent rules proposal to eliminate the Executive Review Committee entirely, and the Senate Committee on Committees – which recommends committee assignments – proposed new assignments similar, but not identical, to the ones in the temporary rules.
The Senate was scheduled to vote on the rules resolution at 1 p.m. Thursday. When the Senate convened, Republicans broke off into what became a highly charged caucus meeting.
Jonathon Ambarian
Senate President Sen. Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, and Majority Leader Sen. Tom McGillvray, R-Billings, urged their members to support the new rules proposal. They said they had heard what Regier called “angst” about the new committee, and that the changes should have addressed that issue.
“We gave you everything you asked for – what do you want?” said Sen. Barry Usher, R-Yellowstone County. “If we go out there again and we continue to fight over these rules, the Republican Party will be hurt.”
Sen. Becky Beard, R-Elliston, said the Republican split had distracted senators from their work.
“We have frittered away now four days dealing with this, when we should be serving the state of Montana and our voters,” she said. “This is not getting to the goal.”
Jonathon Ambarian
Holdout Republican senators said they felt some members hadn’t been treated fairly when committees were assigned. Sen. Wendy McKamey, R-Great Falls, was critical of the Executive Review Committee.
“It was, someone said, a parking place for people, to kind of keep them out of the way,” she said. “I don’t know whether it was or whether it wasn’t; what I do know is it was kind of an affront to the governor. I do not want to see us fighting the governor, I want to see us making good legislation, I want to see us getting to work, I want to see us getting stuff done.”
Conservative groups like the Montana Freedom Caucus sharply criticized the nine Republicans who broke with their party on the rules, accusing them of essentially handing power in the chamber to Democrats. Sen. Denley Loge, R-St. Regis, one of the holdouts, defended himself in the Thursday caucus, saying he had acted independently, not joined with Democrats.
“I’m the kind of person that if I got treated fairly, I still want to watch out for the ones that didn’t,” he said. “And so that’s why I’ve been in on this, as one of the ‘dirty nine,’ I guess you want to say, but I am a Republican.”
McGillvray responded to Loge.
“You’re not ‘dirty nine,’” he said. “You are a Republican.”
Regier ended the caucus meeting with a final appeal for unity.
“My resolve is to never stop fighting for the 32 of you,” he said. “I will not let the Democrat minority run the floor – that is my line.”
After the meeting, leaders delayed the vote, saying they planned to return to negotiations, including potentially further updating the committee assignments to satisfy the holdouts. However, the Committee on Committees was set to meet at 3 p.m., recessed until 5 p.m., and then chair Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, announced they would adjourn without considering new assignments.
The Senate then returned to the floor at 6 p.m. Without debate, they voted down the rules resolution – again on a 27-23 vote, including the same nine Republicans.
“I’m going to keep pushing forward with what Montanans have sent us here to do,” Regier told reporters after the vote. “I would love it if those nine would join the caucus that they ran on, that they won in and stop this procedure.”
John Riley
Regier said the Senate has to move forward with its work, and committee meetings will be getting underway. MTN asked him if the chamber’s business would be getting back to normal.
“We’re going to get back to business, but it won’t be as normal,” he said. “Fifteen minutes into the entire legislative session, to have a vote like we did on Monday, like I said, that really jars the confidence from the rest of your peers in your caucus.”
Friday will be the fifth day of the legislative session, with 85 still to go.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 4 drawing
17-38-46-50-69, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from July 4 drawing
09-17-22-35-37, Star Ball: 05, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from July 4 drawing
04-13-19-26, Bonus: 07
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from July 4 drawing
09-13-17-27-33
Check Montana Cash 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.
Emilie Sangimino started Kalispell Montana Hidden Gems with a simple mission: to help promote the local businesses and places she loved in the Flathead Valley.
Fast forward, and the social media accounts Sangimino started on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have a combined following of more than 113,000. Per analytics, the content she shares to highlight businesses in the area get upward of 1.5 million views per month. She’s expanded beyond her own base of Kalispell, highlighting businesses that are “hidden gems” in Billings, Missoula and Bozeman, with the help of local managers in each area. Hidden Gems has its own website as well, featuring businesses across several sectors like health & wellness; food & drink; places to stay; fun & adventure; shopping; professional services; and events.
And for the businesses she’s worked with, those views have converted to real-life people walking through the doors.
The formula Sangimino uses for promotion looks simple on its face. Most of her content consists of videos showing a beautiful location with white text over them.
“Did you know you can ride a rollercoaster down a mountain and mini golf all in one place in Lakeside, Montana?” a recent post highlighting Flathead Lake Alpine Coaster reads.
“Experience the Cabins at Blacktail for a day!” reads the caption on another.
When you click on a post, a video clip rolls, showcasing the business, property or event the post is meant to highlight. The reels also tag the businesses to direct visitors to their accounts.
“I wanted it to be more of storytelling about these incredible businesses, and I wanted to just really do my best to do the area justice that I felt like it deserved,” Sangimino said.
Julie Darrow, an owner of the Cabins at Blacktail, has worked with Sangimino and Kalispell Montana Hidden Gems for about two years.
Darrow’s business consists of six cabins on a 5-acre property in Lakeside. The property has a natural spring and creek that runs through it, and the cabins serve as hosts for short-term rentals or spaces to host weddings and retreats. Darrow said Sangimino posts reels of her business about once per month.
At first, Sangimino highlighted the full experience at the Cabins at Blacktail, but more recently, Darrow said she’s been helping the business highlight its weekday wellness and staycation options, which allow people to rent out a cabin for the day and create an experience with the plethora of options offered at the Cabins: yoga, massages, Pilates, a sauna and cold plunge.
Darrow said once Sangimino’s reels post, she often gets direct bookings and inquiries from customers.
“The key piece to this is that social media is awesome and incredible, and just because an account has a lot of followers, it does not mean that that’s producing business,” Darrow explained. “It doesn’t mean it’s converting. The incredible thing about what she’s doing is that we’re getting followers from her, but it’s also converting to engagement. We’re getting business.”
Denise Archer, who owns Scout & Gather Mercantile, a local business in Columbia Falls, has worked with Sangimino since fall of 2024, and seconded Darrow’s sentiments.
Archer’s business aims to host “a unique space that brings together shopping and experiences for both locals and visitors.” The mercantile has clothing, gifts and home décor; but the roadside destination also hosts events, has a spot to grab pizza or coffee, and has a mini golf course.
Archer explained when her family was first establishing the business, it was difficult to raise awareness, particularly outside of tourist seasons. She credited Sangimino and her work posting reels, stories, video content and working with the business on social media promotion with elevating the business’s visibility and helping attract people there, particularly during the off-season.
“We’ve seen noticeable growth in our social media following and engagement since working with her,” Archer wrote in an email. “Anecdotally, we’ve had many customers mention that they discovered us through Hidden Gems of Kalispell, which has been especially valuable.”
Sangimino said it’s common that consumers will use her account to plan their own trips to the Flathead — and elsewhere in the state.
For her, partnering and promoting local businesses serves as a meaningful effort.
“I can’t really emphasize how positive this business has been in my life personally,” Sangimino said. “It’s given me the opportunity, of course, to discover things that I wouldn’t have without this, but it’s also connected me with people and places in this area and just made me love it even more.”
She continued: “There is a zest to business and to experiences here that I didn’t even realize until I stepped foot into some of these places or connected with these incredible local business owners. And you know, I really look at it as a privilege to be given the opportunity to have a very small piece in the success of all the businesses here.”
And for the business owners, like Archer, being considered “hidden gems” has served as a boon for the businesses they run.
“Being considered a ‘Hidden Gem’ highlights the uniqueness of what we offer and helps position us as a must-visit destination for both locals and tourists looking for something special,” Archer said.
[email protected]
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 3, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 3 drawing
05-09-29-47-57, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from July 3 drawing
02-09-24-28, Bonus: 16
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 3 drawing
07-08-24-42-47, Bonus: 03
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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