Montana Democrats were joined by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for an annual fundraising dinner over the weekend where they reflected on their election losses. One candidate is already gearing up for 2026.
Walz talked about a recent conversation he had with his son about the state of politics in the U.S.
“Gus stops in the middle of that and says, ‘well, says the guy who got his ass kicked by Donald Trump.'”
Walz was candid about his failed campaign with former Vice President Kamala Harris for office.
“So, look, in this journey, I approach this with a humbleness,” he said.
Walz pointed to exit polls that show the Democratic Party lacked support from working-class voters, a trend since the early 2000s. He said that shouldn’t be the case for a party that supports labor unions and public education. He said the party needs better messaging.
Former Gov. Steve Bullock agreed.
“We are the party that year after year, decade after decade, has stood with workers,” Bullock said.
State House Minority Leader Katie Sullivan highlighted that Democrats picked up 12 seats in the Legislature, despite losing all statewide races. Sullivan says they can add more if they learn from their losses.
"We’ll build up power. We will teach the voters what Montana Dems stand for. We earn their trust, we build our brand, and we will pick-up seats.”
Montana Democrats lost their highest-ranking elected official with U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s recent defeat. He wasn’t at the Democrat’s Saturday fundraising dinner. The party faces their next big contest when the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Steve Daines’ is up for election in 2026. The senator has not yet announced his plans.
Former state legislator and Democrat Reilly Neil of Livingston has thrown her hat in the ring. She unsuccessfully ran as a write-in candidate for Montana’s eastern U.S. House seat in 2024, and said at a kickoff event Friday that she learned a lot from that campaign.
"I think that a lot of people in Montana don’t feel heard by either party. And if we can get out on the ground and really hear what folks are concerned about, we can really address that with better representation.”
Republicans hold more power in Montana now than a single party has in roughly a century.
