Montana Politics

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Shaylee Ragar

Montana News

No clear winner for GOP factions in legislative primary races

Austin Amestoy

The Montana Republican Party worked this primary season to oust several of its own members from the state Legislature. The party took issue with moderate candidates it saw as being too willing to work across the aisle with Democrats. With the dust from this month’s primary election settled, Lee Newspapers State Bureau reporter Seaborn Larson joined MTPR’s Austin Amestoy to share results of the intraparty battle

Montana News

Campaign Beat: Surprises, schisms and lopsided turnout

Sally Mauk, Rob Saldin, Seaborn Larson

2026 Montana primary election winners for U.S. Congress. Top row, left to right: Democrat Alani Bankhead, U.S. Senate nominee; Democrat Sam Forstag, western district U.S. House nominee; Democrat Brian Miller, eastern district U.S. House nominee.

Montana Public Radio

Montana News

2026 Montana primary election winners

Edward F. O'Brien

Montana News

Montana voters sound-off on 2026 primary election priorities

Aaron Bolton, Edward F. O'Brien, Victoria Traxler

It’s primary election day in Montana and voters are casting their ballots. MTPR reporters spoke with voters at several polling locations about the issues that matter most to them. Voters everywhere named the economy as a top issue.
Montana News

Why your vote carries more weight in primary elections

Austin Amestoy

It’s true all elections have consequences. But sometimes, a single vote can make a bigger splash than usual. That may be the case during Montana’s June 2 primary election. Montana Free Press reporter Zeke Lloyd sat down with MTPR’s Austin Amestoy to explain.
Montana News

AOC stumps for Forstag; Money pours in; Windy Boy urged to retire

Sally Mauk, Rob Saldin, Seaborn Larson

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.
Montana News

Bipartisan majority calls for state Sen. Windy Boy to resign over sexual abuse allegations

Victoria Traxler

A bipartisan supermajority of Montana state senators penned a letter urging Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy of Box Elder to resign immediately from the Legislature. The letter follows allegations against Windy Boy of sexual abuse, harassment and solicitation of minors.
Montana News

Vance enlists state law enforcement for anti-fraud efforts

Austin Amestoy

Montana’s top law enforcement officer joined Vice President J.D. Vance for an anti-fraud roundtable this week. President Donald Trump earlier this year declared what he called a “full-scale war” on fraud in public benefit programs like Medicaid and nutrition assistance.
Montana News

In Missoula, Forstag and Ocasio-Cortez campaign for working class votes

Ellis Juhlin

Montana’s primary elections are just a few days away, and candidates are vying to stand out in a packed race. In the final days, Democratic U.S. House hopeful Sam Forstag held a rally with Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, in the hopes of securing his party’s nomination.
Montana News

Independents Bodnar, Eisenhauer say they've met signature requirements for Nov. ballot

Austin Amestoy

Two of Montana’s three Independent candidates for federal office are confident they gathered enough signatures in time to appear on the ballot this fall.
Montana News

Senate confirms new BLM chief; Critics worry he'll back public land sell-off

Ellis Juhlin

The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Trump’s nominee to lead the country’s largest land management agency. Stevan Pearce has been criticized by public lands advocates for his past support of selling off or transferring ownership of federal lands.
Montana News

Campaign Beat: Buttigieg in Butte; Dark money mischief; Who's the spoiler?

Sally Mauk, Rob Saldin, Seaborn Larson

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.
Montana News

Why the Montana GOP is trying to unseat longtime Republican lawmakers

Austin Amestoy

The Montana Republican Party has taken aim this year at incumbent state lawmakers it feels have strayed from the party line. At the top of its ouster list is one of the Legislature’s most powerful members: Rep. Llew Jones of Conrad. MTPR’s Austin Amestoy sat down with Montana PBS reporter Sam Wilson to learn more.