Upswing Research
50%40%30%20%10%0%
43%
MT-01 Democratic nominee?
$79.8K
JUN 9, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleSmokejumper
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age32 years old (May 23, 1994)
LocationMontana
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BackgroundSmokejumper
EducationUniversity of Montana
Notable personal detailsSam Forstag is a Montana smokejumper and union leader running as a Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Montana’s 1st Congressional District (western Montana) in the 2026 election cycle. He has worked as a wildland firefighter and served in union leadership, including as vice president of NFFE-IAM Local 60. He is associated with organizing and advocacy work in Montana and has been active in public-policy issues affecting working families and public lands.
SourcesShowHide
en.wikipedia.orgsamformontana.comprojects.montanafreepress.orgnffe.orgmtpr.orgweareprogressives.orgballotready.orgoctagonai.comontanademocrats.orgnews-usa.todaykulr8.comthepulp.orgbluevoterguide.orgmontanafreepress.orgapnews.comreddit.comlinkedin.comypradio.orgdailymontanan.comktvq.comsmokejumpers.comthebench.orgcentralhousestrategies.comravdems.comflatheadbeacon.comscholarworks.umt.edutheorg.commontanarightnow.comliberalpatriot.compoliticalemails.orgjustfacts.votesmart.orgdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgcdn.ballotpedia.orgstatic.votesmart.orgfec.govdocquery.fec.govbudd.senate.govclerk.house.govnewdemocratcoalition.house.govmcdowell.house.govhouse.govwarren.senate.govhistory.house.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports public funding for services and opposes tax cuts for the wealthy that would reduce funding for programs like Medicaid and public services. Emphasizes protecting public-sector workers and funding for education and higher education.
Healthcare
Supports making healthcare more affordable and expanding access, including addressing behavioral health funding and Medicaid reimbursement issues. Emphasizes that working families should be able to afford basic health insurance that actually provides care.
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Immigration & Border
Supports limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and emphasizes oversight and accountability for immigration authorities while framing immigration as not a local criminal crisis. Opposes mandatory local enforcement cooperation with ICE and highlights research showing immigrants are less likely to commit crimes.
Climate & Energy
The candidate emphasizes protecting public lands and federal land-management agencies and has spoken against proposed cuts to the U.S. Forest Service; public materials and press coverage highlight his experience as a smokejumper and union leader defending public lands and agency workers but do not lay out specific climate or energy policy proposals.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJun 3, 2026
Sam Forstag is being mentioned in the context of the 2026 Senate race, as Democrats look for ways to compete in Republican-leaning states. Recent coverage says the party may lean on moderating its message and backing independents in some races. The reporting is broad and does not give many specific new details about Forstag himself.
en.wikipedia.org+42
Polls
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$694.6K
$520.9K
$347.3K
$173.6K
$0
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$694.6K
$161.4K
$533.1K
$31.4K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements