# Sam Forstag > [!note] Stub — fill out > Created 2026-09-19 because [[MT-01-2026]] carried no nominees at all. Expand with: biography, fundraising, campaign platform, polling, and the AOC campaign appearance. Democratic nominee in **[[MT-01-2026]]**, the open western Montana seat vacated by [[Ryan Zinke]]. A former **wildland smokejumper** and union figure who also worked for the ACLU of Montana, Forstag **won the June 2, 2026 Democratic primary**. He faces Republican **Aaron Flint** in the November 3, 2026 general, along with Libertarian Nick Sheedy and independent Kimberly Persico. In September 2026 he was endorsed by **[[Marc Racicot]]** — two-term Republican governor of Montana and former RNC chair. ## See Also - [[MT-01-2026]] · [[Marc Racicot]] · [[Ryan Zinke]]