A Montana Democrat running for Congress has received an endorsement from Marc Racicot, a former Republican governor and chairman of the Republican National Committee. Racicot, who served as Montana’s governor in the 1990s and led the RNC during George W. Bush’s first term, is backing Sam Forstag’s campaign for the state’s 1st Congressional District, currently held by Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke.
In an interview with MS NOW, Racicot stated, "He cares about what he’s doing. He’s very well prepared. He has the right priorities in terms of character and virtues and value and belief in the Constitution. It’s not even a close call for me to stand in Sam’s corner."
Racicot has previously supported Democrats, including Joe Biden in 2020 and Jon Tester in his unsuccessful re-election bid in 2024. He has been critical of former President Donald Trump and has faced rebuke from the state GOP.
Racicot’s endorsement may provide Forstag with the crossover appeal needed to win a U.S. House seat in Montana, a feat that has not been accomplished by a Democrat since the 1990s. The 1st District, which includes Missoula, was won by Zinke in 2022 by approximately 3 points over a Democrat who had Racicot’s support, and Zinke won by a wider margin in 2024 before announcing he would not run again.
On the Republican side, Aaron Flint, a combat veteran and former conservative radio host, secured Trump’s endorsement and won the June primary. Flint recently launched an ad stating he is "tired of Washington politicians looking down on people who work with their hands" and called for jobs that "China can’t steal and AI can’t replace."
Despite a national midterm environment that may favor Democrats, Montana remains a challenging landscape for the party. Forstag, who previously worked as a smokejumper and lobbied for the ACLU in Montana, won a divided primary despite criticism that he was too liberal for the district. He has built a unique profile in a state where the national Democratic brand has struggled. He is one of the few congressional Democrats endorsed by both progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders and the centrist Blue Dog political group. Racicot’s support may evoke nostalgia for some voters as Forstag attempts to appeal to a state that has shifted to the right.
Forstag commented, "We’re in a hole that both parties have been digging for us," and urged support for a type of Democrat "that could actually improve your life, and is actually going to prioritize doing so, because I know what it’s like on a day-to-day basis."