Upswing Research
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Democrat
Matt Rains
Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Montana
Democrat
MT-01 Democratic nominee?
$102.1K
JUN 9, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Live Odds — MT-01 Democratic nominee?
Current prediction-market probability for the candidate, updated as market prices change.
0.1%chance to win
$102.1KJUN 9, 2026Candidate Overview
Key details about the candidate’s background, party, office sought and current campaign.
Current roleU.S. Army officer (Captain)
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
GenderMale
LocationMontana
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BackgroundU.S. Army officer (Captain)
EducationUnited States Military Academy at West Point — B.S., Systems Engineering (2002)
Notable personal detailsMatthew Rains is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in Montana’s 1st Congressional District in the 2026 election cycle. He is a U.S. Army veteran who served as an officer and flew Black Hawk helicopters, including service in Iraq, and later worked as an engineer and photographer before returning to ranching in Montana. He earned a B.S. in systems engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.
SourcesShowHide
fec.govballotready.orgmtpr.orgmontanarightnow.comlinkedin.comdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgloc.govballotclarity.orgkalshi.comvoterguide.ballotpedia.orgdata.ballotpedia.orgspider.cloudravallicounty.goven.wikipedia.orgsosmt.govmadisoncountymt.govcongress.govescholarship.orgcdn.ballotpedia.orgreddit.commattrainsformontana.commontanafreepress.orgrevenue.mt.govmountainstatespolicy.orgbigskybusinessjournal.commontanademocrats.orgnewsfromthestates.comkpax.comkulr8.comdailyinterlake.comkxlf.comaol.combluevoterguide.orginstagram.comfacebook.comdailymontanan.comflatheadbeacon.comktvh.commissoulacurrent.comnbcmontana.comx.comdocquery.fec.govhistory.house.govclerk.house.govestes.house.gov
Political Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports lowering costs for Montanans including bringing down food, housing, and property taxes while opposing tariffs that raise prices; also emphasizes protecting Medicaid and support for family farms and ranchers. Positions combine targeted tax relief with support for public programs, producing a mixed pattern on economy and taxes.
Healthcare
Supports protecting access to health care and rural hospitals and opposes cuts to Medicaid that would threaten rural clinics; calls for restoring Medicaid funding to keep clinics open and make health care affordable for Montanans.
Latest News
AINews Summary
Last updatedSep 2, 2026
Matt Rains is in the news as a Montana candidate amid a shifting Senate landscape after Steve Daines’ retirement and broader Republican and Democratic maneuvering around the 2026 race. Recent coverage also points to active campaign positioning in Montana, with Democrats beginning to separate themselves ahead of a debate and national party strategists focusing on the state. The overall picture is still somewhat unclear, but the race appears to be drawing more attention as candidates and party leaders adjust to the changing field.
fec.gov+44
Articles
TNThe New York Times6 months ago
What Democrats Should Relearn From Obama
Neutral
MMMissoula Missoulian6 months ago
Montana officials react to Daines' Senate retirement
Neutral
BGBillings Gazette6 months ago
March 10 recap: Billings news you may have missed today
Neutral
REReading Eagle6 months ago
Chester County is in a state of 'transition'
Neutral
Latest Polls
Recent polling results and the candidate's current average in the race.
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements
- Fundraising