Sally Mauk
Senior News Analyst & News Director EmeritusRetired in 2014 but still a presence at MTPR, Sally Mauk is a University of Kansas graduate and former wilderness ranger who has reported on everything from the legislature to forest fires. She also taught broadcast writing and reporting in the University of Montana journalism school. Sally is the host of Parsing The Press, Capitol Talk and Campaign Beat.
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Polls continue to show a tight race in Montana's western district House race, and a possible blowout in the Senate race. VIPs from the Trump administration continue to visit Montana to get the Republican base to show up. And the latest campaign ads hammer the candidates' closing arguments. -
Montana's western district House race draws a presidential visit. The two candidates in that race get feisty in a recent debate. The chair of the state Democratic party shuns her party's candidate in Montana's Senate race in favor of the independent. And the Senate candidates trade punches in the only debate featuring all the candidates.
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Recent polls show the Republican ahead in Montana's Senate race, and the Democrat and Republican in the western district House race in a virtual tie. Democratic Senate candidate Alani Bankhead tries to address concerns about her past ties to a Conservative Megachurch. New ads in the House race focus on health care and culture wars. And upcoming debates could tip the scales in the congressional contests.
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Montana's Democratic and independent Senate candidates take the gloves off. A TV ad smearing the Republican Senate candidate raises questions about accuracy. The Terminator endorses Montana's Seth Bodnar for Senate. A new billboard targets Republican House candidate Aaron Flint. And a new poll shows Montana gives Trump a lot higher approval rating than the country as a whole.
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The dangers of unregulated AI are a focal point in the 2026 campaign. Shooting things out of the sky has become a staple of Montana campaign ads. Republicans hope to to keep transgender issues front and center. And a new poll shows the Senate and western district House races tightening.
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Montana Democrats continue to bicker over which candidate to support in the U.S. Senate race. New campaign ads highlight the Iran war, taxes and women. And upcoming debates could be pivotal in that Senate race.
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The 2026 primary results yielded a couple of surprise congressional candidates for Democrats. Republican congressional candidates won as expected. Legislative races pitting conservative versus moderate Republicans ended with mixed results. And Republican primary voters turned out in much bigger numbers than Democratic primary voters.
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Democratic U.S. House candidate Sam Forstag hopes a Montana visit from AOC will help propel him to victory. Democratic Senate candidates are being walloped in the fundraising wars. And most of Jonathan Windy Boy's Senate colleagues want him gone.
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A rising Democratic star and possible presidential candidate gets a warm reception in Montana. Republican "dark money" groups take a keen interest in Montana's Democratic Senate primary, and those Senate candidates make their case at a forum in Missoula.
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AOC's return visit to Montana pleases both progressive Democrats and conservative Republicans – for different reasons. President Trump's effect on Montana's election is yet to be measured. A last minute infusion of PAC money to a Democratic Senate candidate raises questions. Voter interest in this mid-term election is hard to gauge.
