Vice President Vance rallies for Republicans in Montana

Montana’s competitive western House district is drawing increased VIP Republican support as election day draws closer. In the past two weeks, President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson have all stumped in the state.

Montana’s western district U.S. House race is one of many contests nationwide that could help flip control of the chamber. The message from Republicans has been simple: get out and vote. The Vice President’s rally in an airport hangar in Belgrade was no different.

“Let's send a message to the patriots of Montana that in this state, we believe in sovereignty. In this state we believe in freedom,” Vance said.

Vance stumped for Republican House candidate Aaron Flint, who’s locked in a neck-and-neck race with Democrat Sam Forstag.

A recent poll from Emerson College has Forstag up by four points.

Noah Epps

The Vice President rallied supporters around staples of the Trump administration, like domestic energy production.

”And instead of doubling down on the "green new scam," which is what Forstag and the rest of the Democrats want to do, let's double down on energy dominance so that Montana children do not have to worry about the latest drama in the Middle East.”

Vance also stumped for Kurt Alme, the Republican running in a three-way race for Senate.

Outside of the rally, Krystal Bagley said she hasn’t voted yet but wants to keep the state Republican. She and her husband were excited to see Vance visit their hometown.

“I think that he speaks for all of us and he definitely has obviously a little bit of background in politics, but I think he's just a genuine guy," Bagley said. "I really appreciate that.”

Inside the rally, a small group of protesters heckled Vance but were quickly removed by security.

Almost 200,000 Montanans have already voted by mail – that’s about a quarter of the state’s registered voters.

MTPR will continue covering state elections and offer special coverage on election night, November 3, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

2026 election profiles

Four candidates face-off in chaotic Senate race

The race to be Montana’s next U.S. senator is heating up in the final three weeks until election day. Recent polling shows Republican Kurt Alme has a comfortable lead in the four-way race. Meanwhile, independent Seth Bodnar and Democrat Alani Bankhead have hit the campaign trail hard trying to appeal to the same centrist and left-wing voters.

Western district House candidates say affordability is their top concern

The race for Montana’s western district House seat is tight. Recent polls show the two major candidates are tied with no clear lead. MTPR’s Clayton Murphy has this profile of the Democrat and Republican competing for the seat.

Supreme Court candidates differ on partisanship, constitutional interpretation

Two judges from the same court are competing for a seat on the Montana Supreme Court. The justices spoke to MTPR’s Clayton Murphy about partisanship, restraint and what they would bring to the bench.

CI-132: Montana voters will issue a verdict on partisan judicial elections

Montana’s judicial elections are nonpartisan. An initiative to permanently keep it that way will appear on November’s ballot. Republican state legislators have tried unsuccessfully to make judicial elections partisan during recent legislative sessions.

Republican incumbent faces three challengers to represent eastern Montana in the U.S. House

It's been more than thirty years since Montanans elected a non-GOP candidate to the U.S. House of Representatives, and this year a Democrat, an Independent and a Libertarian are betting on a change.

'Montana Plan' ballot initiative aims to end dark money spending in Montana 

Elections have consistently broken spending records in the state in recent years, largely due to corporate money. A ballot measure known as the Montana Plan aims to eliminate that kind of spending in Montana, sidestepping a controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling. That would make the state a national legal test case.

PSC District 1 candidates campaign on energy costs, data centers and transparency

Two candidates are vying for the open District 1 seat on the Public Service Commission. This district is the biggest in the state by land and covers much of eastern Montana, from the Rocky Boy’s Reservation to Glendive and Miles City. MTPR’s Clayton Murphy speaks with Keila Szpaller, deputy editor of the Daily Montanan, about the race and what this election may mean for Montanans.

PSC District 5 race highlights competing views on the role of utility regulators 

The Public Service Commission’s District 5 seat is up for election. Voters from the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to Helena and parts of Missoula will get to choose who represents them on the board. MTPR’s Clayton Murphy talks with Deputy Editor of the Daily Montanan Keila Szpaller about who’s running and what the race could mean for voters.

Montana Election Guide

Your guide the 2026 Montana elections

---