Four Democrats competing for Montana’s western U.S. House seat met for their first public forum Tuesday.
Montana College Democrats hosted the forum in Bozeman, bringing together the candidates vying for their party’s nomination. The winner will advance to the general election and likely face incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke.
Zinke does not currently have a primary challenger.
The first question up for debate was whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, should be abolished.
Ryan Busse, the former Democratic candidate for governor in 2024, says the agency is not operating responsibly. He says the federal government gives far too much money to ICE.
“Don’t tell me we can’t have universal health care when we’re funding ICE like that. So yes, I believe it needs to be taken down and remade,” Busse said.
Russell Cleveland, a Navy veteran and a small business owner, says the agency should cease to exist. He says a federal police force is unnecessary and the immigration debate should focus on systemic change.
“That means cutting the red tape, improving the immigration process in terms of processing immigrants into this country, while maintaining firm borders,” said Cleveland.
Candidates were also asked about rising rent costs amid growing corporate ownership of residential housing.
Matt Rains, an Army veteran and rancher, says the federal government needs to make more grants and public loan programs available to individual, local homebuyers. He warned against creating regulations.
“I mean, you still have to protect freedom at the end of the day. So, you can’t come in and restrict corporations, that goes down a slippery slope,” Raines said.
Sam Forstag, a smokejumper and union leader, said corporate regulation is the best path forward. He says there should be limits on what corporations can buy.
“The problem that is woven through almost all of the economic problems that we’re all facing here – is the corporatization and the commodification of these basic goods, like a roof over our head,” Forstag said.
Political analysts rate the western congressional district as more competitive for Democrats than other races this cycle. The Cook Political Report favors Republicans heavily for Montana’s U.S. Senate and eastern congressional seats in 2026.
