Democrats competing in Montana’s western district congressional race met for a debate in Butte Tuesday. They discussed money in politics, data centers and access to health care, among other topics.
When the four candidates were asked to spell out what sets them apart, Matt Rains of Simms joked:
“I mean, we’re all great … we are.”
While the candidates found some distinction between their views, they agree on most issues. The debate, hosted by Mullen Newspaper Company, was friendly. Russell Cleveland of St. Regis, Ryan Busse of Kalispell, Sam Forstag of Missoula and Rains are vying to advance to the general election.
Busse is a former firearms industry executive turned critic and author. He said his experience running for governor in 2024 gives him a leg up, even though he lost.
“A lot like Brian Schwietzer, who called me after that election. He said, ‘you don’t stop. You take what you’ve learned, you take what you’ve built, you put it to work, and you go to work winning the next election.’ That’s exactly what Brian Schweitzer did, that’s what I intend to do here."
Forstag is a wildland firefighter, a union leader and political organizer. He said Capitol Hill needs his working class perspective.
“We have not had a union member running for Congress in over a decade," Forstag said. "And that is a big part of the reason a lot of union members are voting the other way. We can fix that.”
Cleveland is a U.S. Navy veteran, rancher and entrepreneur. He talked about running a grassroots campaign and has pledged to reject corporate donations. He said he wants to fight injustice:
“I’ve been proud to do that – against genocide, against ICE, against anything that is unjust for the people of America and for the people of the rest of the world."
Rains is a U.S. Army veteran, former photojournalist and rancher. He’s also worked for the Montana Farmers Union and as an engineer. He says he has the breadth of knowledge that Congress requires.
“I got in this race because my experience, my background – West Point, having served in the military, the understanding of how this world operates – I’ve been there firsthand,” Rains said.
All four candidates said they support access to abortion. But on access to health care, they each offered different solutions.
Cleveland spoke about his daughter, Madison, who died at age 13 from Leukemia. He said he had to fight his insurance company for partial coverage of her care. He advocates for a single-payer, nationwide system.
“Medicare for All plus is the only solution moving forward,” he said.
Busse also called for universal health coverage. He didn’t highlight a specific system, but said too many Democrats have impeded a universal care model:
“We need to put an elbow in them and get them out of the way, and I’ll do it."
Rains focused on rural access to health care. He lamented the One Big Beautiful Bill’s cut to Medicaid funding, saying it’ll hurt hospitals in places where health care is hardest to find.
“We have to find funding to come into Montana and increase our rural hospitals,” Rains said.
Forstag said he supports expanding existing Affordable Care Act subsidies and creating a public buy-in option for Medicare, while preserving private insurance plans:
“That does not give Republicans the chance to frame us as taking away choice, because you know what, I know a lot of people like me, stuck on the private insurance market that would jump at the chance to buy into Medicare.”
The Democrats all support banning members of Congress from trading stock, and say the U.S. should do more to develop renewable energy. They also expressed concerns about data center development.
Forstag said the centers should have to adhere to strict regulations and use union labor. Cleveland called for a federal moratorium on development until regulations can be enacted.
Busse said communities should be suspicious of any corporation that wants to build a data center in their town, and any promises should be put in writing.
Rains said he supports tech development with guardrails in place, and wants more research on data centers before they come to Montana.
The candidates agreed that the race is more competitive now that incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke has bowed out. Three candidates are running in the GOP’s primary for the seat.
