Montana
More than 300 candidates file to run for Montana Legislature seats in 2024
Republicans will be on the ballot for every legislative seat in Montana this November, while Democrats were able to recruit more candidates this year than they could to run in 2022 as they hope to gain back some power after two years of a GOP supermajority.
The window for candidates to file for the 2024 primary with the Secretary of State’s Office closed at 5 p.m. Monday, giving Montana its first full look at who is running for offices including the state House and Senate, every statewide government elected office, a U.S. Senate seat, the Public Service Commission, several judicial seats, and both of Montana’s Congressional districts.
This November’s election will also be the first under newly redrawn legislative maps, which have shifted some districts, and also means some sitting lawmakers will have to compete in primaries against other sitting lawmakers.
Democrats have said the maps are fair and should bring them a few more seats two years after voters sent 68 Republicans to the state House out of 100 seats, as well as 36 Republican senators out of a body of 50. Republicans say while the maps don’t do their party any favors to hold the supermajority, they will be battling in every district.
When Republican Jason Ulrich of Malta filed for the House District 32 race late Monday afternoon, he filled out the roster of Republicans so there is one running in all 100 House districts and each of the 25 Senate districts up for election this year.
Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, who is the chair of the Montana Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, said having a candidate with an R next to their name in every legislative race was one of the committee’s top goals for this election cycle.
He said that after redistricting, some Republican seats have gotten redder, while Democratic seats have gotten bluer, and that made it difficult for both parties to recruit candidates in races where their party has historically done poorly. He said that local central Republican committees have done a good job of recruiting people to step up and run in those races.
“The local central committee and the local folks have really done a great job in Missoula to find candidates who actually know what Missoula is about, and what’s the concerns to those voters there,” Hertz said about running candidates in areas historically dominated by Democrats. “They’ll have more good candidates this time, too, in the Missoula area for voters to make a choice.”
Democrats, meanwhile, are on the ballot in 86 of the 100 House districts – 15 more than in November 2022 – and in 21 of the 25 Senate districts that are up for election this year after skipping out on seven Senate races in November 2022.
Democratic leadership on Monday echoed a similar sentiment of having a somewhat tough time trying to find candidates to run in areas dominated by Republicans. House Minority Leader Kim Abbott, D-Helena, praised local Democratic central committees, as well as Reps. Jonathan Karlen, D-Missoula, Jennifer Lynch, D-Butte, and Eric Matthews, D-Bozeman, for working hard the past several months to recruit more Democratic candidates statewide in the House, and Sens. Mary Ann Dunwell, of Helena, Ellie Boldman, of Missoula, and Denise Hayman, of Bozeman, for doing so in the Senate.
“I just want to say how excited I am about a really incredible slate of candidates, I think, from districts across the state. A lot of these folks have proven track records electorally in their districts. All of them have deep ties to the community. And they’re excited and motivated,” Abbott said.
At a press conference, she and Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, and House Minority Whip Katie Sullivan, D-Missoula, said they believe the new legislative maps — combined with what they said were policy failures by Republicans over the last two years on things like property taxes, health care, social issues and housing — will help them gain footing in both chambers this November and at least make it so Republicans do not have a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.
Abbott said she believes Democrats can pick up eight to 10 seats in the House, while Flowers said he believes the party could pick up three to five seats in the Senate. Both said that closing the gap would be crucial if the Democrats want to develop Republican allies to try to ensure some of their own top policies, like keeping Medicaid expansion in place, move forward.
Flowers noted that Medicaid expansion passed by one vote in the Senate in 2019, and that picking up four or five Democrats in the Senate would mean they would only have to get five or six Republicans on board instead of 10, like they did last session, in order to pass a bill.
The three lawmakers identified several candidates by name they are excited are running, particularly in places like Cascade County, the Flathead, Gallatin County, Yellowstone County and Park County, where they hope to undo GOP wins from 2022.
The U.S. Senate race is expected to bring in tens of millions of dollars in donations and PAC money alone, which both Hertz and the Democrats said would be helpful in running the down-ballot races, along with the fact that every statewide elected office is on the ballot in November. In terms of messaging, Hertz said voters will likely be hearing similar things from Republicans at the top of the ticket all the way down the ballot.
“It’s all going to be similar. I mean, we’re looking at the economy, property tax issues, access to health care. Those are probably the big three topics that we’ll be focused on,” Hertz said. “The messaging will probably rely more on social media, I think, this election cycle than it ever had in the past.”
Flowers said having Democrat and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester near the top of the ballot is proven to bring out voter enthusiasm among Democrats and left-leaning independents, and that Tester himself as a former lawmaker will be highly supportive of candidates in the legislative races. But the Democrats plan to hit the pavement for their outreach, they said.
Sullivan thinks it’s likely voters will have national politics fatigue come fall and could be more receptive to door-knocking than anything else by that point.
“I think people still appreciate when you knock on their door and you say, ‘Well, I lived on this street and I’ve lived in your neighborhood for however many years, and I feel the same way you do about these issues, and I’m going to represent you,’” Sullivan said. “That is a bit of a breath of fresh air for people to have that national politics kind of swept away a bit and have a local conversation.”
There will be several highly contested primaries in both chambers, including several three- and four-way Republican primaries that will likely dictate the eventual winner in November in GOP-heavy districts. Six Libertarian Party candidates are running for legislative seats.
There are also several new open seats, as well as one that could be created after the election, since Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, late Monday afternoon filed to run for the Clerk of the Supreme Court seat in a primary against the sitting clerk, Republican Bowen Greenwood. Ellsworth is in the middle of his final Senate term after winning re-election in 2022.
In total, 444 candidates filed for the 2024 election, according to the office of Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen. Among the House and Senate races, there are 310 candidates who filed by Monday’s deadline.
This story was initially published by The Daily Montanan, a nonprofit news organization and part of the States News network, covering state issues. Read more at www.dailymontanan.com.
Brian Miller won the Democratic primary Tuesday for the U.S. House seat in Montana’s eastern district.
The Associated Press called the race for Miller, an attorney in Helena, who fended off a challenge from state Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, a longtime legislator from Box Elder, and Sam Lux, a farrier from Great Falls.
In the Republican and rural eastern district, any Democrat will be an underdog, and Miller will face off against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Downing, who was unopposed Tuesday.
Libertarian Patrick McCracken is also running.
In the primary, Miller took 58% of the vote. Lux took 27% and Windy Boy took 16%, according to the Montana Secretary of State’s website.
In April, Windy Boy paused his campaign amid “serious sexual abuse” allegations raised by the Montana Democratic Party — but Windy Boy restarted his campaign and later called the allegations “political attacks.”
Miller is representing the victim of the alleged abuse and her mother, although he said he didn’t take on the role until after Windy Boy initially suspended his campaign.
The Western Montana Food and Farm Trail, a new agritourism initiative led by Farm Connect Montana, launches May 30, offering locals and visitors a new kind of food and farm adventure across Western Montana.
Running June 1 through October 31, the self-guided Trail spans more than 200 miles and features more than 100 farms, ranches, farmers markets, restaurants, breweries and food businesses across the Missoula, Bitterroot, Flathead and Mission Valleys. Along the way, participants are invited to meet growers and makers, taste what’s in season and experience the culture and care behind Western Montana’s local food community.
At the center of the experience is the passport-style Trail Field Guide, illustrated by Missoula-based artist Courtney Blazon. The guide features illustrated maps, curated itineraries, seasonal highlights and more than 100 local food destinations throughout the region. The guide also includes more than $130 in special offers from participating farms and businesses.
Participants can collect stamps at Trail stops along the way to qualify for prizes, giveaways, or simply as a way to document their journey. End-of-season prizes include raffles for three CSA memberships valued at over $600 each, as well as local food and farm gift certificates, product bundles and Courtney Blazon-designed market totes.
The Trail is a regional collaboration led by Farm Connect Montana in partnership with Land to Hand Montana, The O’Hara Commons and Sustainability Center and Abundant Montana, organizations working to strengthen local food systems across Western Montana. The project aims to support local farms and food businesses through expanded visibility and agritourism opportunities while reconnecting locals and visitors with the people, places and stories behind their food.
“In creating the Western Montana Food & Farm Trail, we hope to inspire both residents and travelers to discover the stories behind their food and connect with the people cultivating a more vibrant, resilient and locally rooted food community,” said Bonnie Buckingham, Executive Director of Farm Connect Montana. “Participation in the Trail is a win for everyone. It creates new opportunities for farms and local food businesses to reach wider audiences while encouraging participants to explore new places, support local producers and experience Western Montana in a more meaningful way.”
“Land to Hand is thrilled to partner with Farm Connect on the Food and Farm Trail to highlight the robust agricultural heritage of Western Montana,” said Gretchen Boyer, Executive Director of Land to Hand Montana. “This initiative is more than just a guide – it’s an invitation to celebrate and support the local farmers who nourish our communities every day. By connecting residents and visitors directly to the source, we’re strengthening our local food system and honoring the people and landscapes that sustain the Flathead Valley.”
To celebrate the launch, regional Trail launch parties will take place in Missoula, the Bitterroot Valley and the Flathead Valley throughout early June, featuring Field Guide distribution, local food vendors, giveaways and opportunities to learn more about the Trail.
Trail Field Guides ($10) will be available for purchase beginning May 30 both online and at participating businesses, farmers markets and community locations throughout the region. A full list of Field Guide purchase locations and details, as well as a digital map and Trail listings, special events and more information is available at farmconnectmontana.org/trail.
Funding for this project was made possible through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
Regional launch events
• Missoula Launch Party — LaLonde Ranch, Sun., June 7, 1-4 p.m.
• Bitterroot Launch Party — O’Hara Commons Market, Wed., June 10, 4-6 p.m.
• Flathead Launch Party — Backslope Brewing, Tue., June 16, 4-7:30 p.m.
An “I voted” sign points to a Vote Center on June 1 in Los Angeles.
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Six states — California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota and New Mexico — hold elections on Tuesday. Most of the attention is on California and Iowa, where there are competitive primaries for governor. In both states, the Democratic Party also sees a road map to control of Congress in the fall.
In California’s unique primary system, voters send the top two vote-getters to November’s general election, regardless of candidates’ political parties. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is term limited, and California voters will also pick who should move on to the general election in five new Democratic-leaning congressional districts.
In Iowa, Democratic voters will choose a candidate in a key Senate race — the Republican in the race is already the de facto nominee. In order to win a majority in the Senate, Democrats must pick up four seats, forcing the party to win in Republican-leaning states like Iowa. For governor, the race is the first good chance Democrats have to win the office in years, but Republicans still need to select their nominee.
Here are key races to follow:
Or skip to specific races:
California governor | California U.S. House | Iowa governor | Iowa U.S. Senate | New Jersey and Montana
You can also check out June 2 voter resources from the NPR network.
California decides top two gubernatorial contenders
It’s been a chaotic scramble to pick the next leader of the country’s largest state. After three prominent Democrats — former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Alex Padilla and state Attorney General Rob Bonta — decided not to run, Democratic voters haven’t had a clear front-runner for the first time in decades. Voters have more than 60 candidates to choose from, but only a fraction of those are considered serious contenders. Only the top two vote-getters will move on to the general election in November.
California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra hugs a supporter at the Long Beach Arena on May 31 in Long Beach, Calif.
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The race got a shakeup when former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, the presumed favorite, dropped out of the race after he was accused of sexual misconduct by several women. Most recently, polls show the contest could be between two Democrats — the Health and Human Services secretary under former President Joe Biden, Xavier Becerra, and billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer.
Before Becerra was appointed to Biden’s Cabinet, he served 12 terms in Congress and was elected as the California attorney general in 2016. He’s considered by many as the candidate with the strongest political background. Becerra’s pitch is that he is a proven leader who can hold his own and protect California from President Trump.
Steyer has forked over more than $213 million of his own fortune on the race and is also financially backed by Our Revolution, a group aligned with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Steyer’s platform is centered on taking a stand against special-interest groups in politics.
Polling just a few points behind Becerra and Steyer is Republican Steve Hilton. The former Fox News host was endorsed by President Trump in April, after which Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, another Republican in the race, quickly dropped in the polls. Hilton’s platform focuses on increasing affordable housing supply for first-time homebuyers, bolstering tech industries and reviving California’s film industry.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer speaks with students during a Get the Youth Vote with Bruin Democrats event at UCLA’s campus on June 1 in Los Angeles, Calif.
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The outcome of California’s new congressional districts
In response to Texas redrawing its congressional lines to create five Republican-leaning districts at the behest of President Trump, Californians approved Proposition 50 in November last year. The measure temporarily sidestepped the independent redistricting commission tasked with drawing nonpartisan influenced congressional boundaries, in favor of politically gerrymandered districts. That allowed state Democrats to redraw their map so five previously Republican-held districts now lean Democratic.
This has left those Republican incumbents figuring out their political futures. Rep. Ken Calvert, the longest-serving Republican from California, and Rep. Young Kim are running in the same district, for example, in a race that’s gotten quite heated.
Then there’s Rep. Kevin Kiley. After being drawn into a much more Democratic-leaning district, he decided to run in a new seat and announced he was leaving the Republican Party and running as an independent instead, though Kiley said would still caucus with the Republicans.
Because of California’s primary system, some of these more competitive seats are creating competitive primaries between Democrats, allowing primary voters to signal to the party what kinds of candidates speak to them most in places that have the most to lose — and gain.
Iowa’s GOP gubernatorial primary
Iowa Republican voters could decide the party’s nominee for governor in the state’s first open race for the office since 2011, as sitting Gov. Kim Reynolds opted not to run for reelection.
With five Republicans on Tuesday’s ballot, Rep. Randy Feenstra is the only one endorsed by Trump. The race will test whether Trump’s endorsement holds weight in a state where his approval rating has slipped over the economy and the war in Iran. Feenstra’s lead may be declining, as one recent poll shows political newcomer and Iowa businessman Zach Lahn could have a shot at winning the GOP primary.
There is a good chance, though, that Iowans won’t know the outcome of the race on Tuesday because a candidate must secure 35% of the vote to win outright. If no one clears that threshold, the nominee will be decided at a Republican convention where delegates — not primary voters — make the final choice.
But the Republican-backed candidate isn’t a shoo-in come November. Cook Political Report categorizes the governor’s race as a toss-up with a slight Republican advantage. Whatever Republican wins on Tuesday will face unopposed Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand in the general election. Sand is popular among voters and has, so far, outraised any other candidate for governor.
Democrats look to flip Iowa Senate seat
Democratic voters in Iowa will pick which candidate they think has the best shot at beating the Republican nominee for Senate, expected to be Trump-endorsed Rep. Ashley Hinson, on Tuesday. This is a seat that Democrats believe they have a shot at flipping come November. It’s part of a larger strategy of expanding their map — and winning in states currently held by Republican senators — if they want a chance to retake the Senate majority.
Iowa Democrats have a choice between state Rep. Josh Turek and state Sen. Zach Wahls. Both candidates are courting different Iowa voters, though. Turek is vying for the independent-leaning vote, while Wahls is hoping to gain the support from committed Democrats. Turek flipped a state House district held by a Republican, while Wahls represents a Senate district that is solidly blue. Both argue they are the candidate who has the right message to win in November.
And with three competitive congressional races on the ballot, some Democrats in the state are feeling like the road to a Democratic majority in Congress runs through Iowa.
Looking beyond Tuesday
New Jersey and Montana also have competitive races that could decide which party has control of Congress.
In New Jersey, all eyes are on Congressional District 7. Four Democrats are hoping to oust Republican Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. The sitting congressman has been notably absent from Washington for weeks due to what Kean cites as unspecified medical issues. He has missed more than 100 House votes since his last recorded vote on March 5.
Two races in Montana may be more competitive than originally expected with the last-minute announcements — shortly before the filing deadline — by Republicans, Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Ryan Zinke, that neither would seek reelection.
While an open Senate seat does not make Montana, which has long been considered a Republican stronghold, necessarily competitive for Democrats, an independent candidate is outraising candidates in both major parties. Seth Bodnar, Iraq war veteran and former president of the University of Montana, is hoping voters will send him instead, mostly on the message that he won’t work for either party and is focused on changing the direction America is heading. In Bodnar’s case, he has enough voter signatures to land himself on the November ballot, but the Montana Secretary of State’s Office hasn’t yet certified those signatures.
Democrats are working to flip Montana’s 1st Congressional District as well. When Zinke announced he was retiring from Congress, it was seen as an opening for Democrats to compete. Now, four Democrats are angling for the open seat, including front-runner Sam Forstag, a smokejumper who is endorsed by popular progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
June 2 voter resources from the NPR Network
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