That means the two laws, which eliminate same-day voter registration and require voters to show photo identification when they cast a ballot, will likely regulate voting in the primary election on June 7. A lawsuit challenging the laws is still making its way through district court.

The governor’s spokesperson Brooke Stroyke said in an email that Gianforte invited the vice president and that he and Pence have been friends for six years. She said the visit did not relate to official state business.

The former president spoke for about four minutes of the nine-minute call and told listeners that candidate Ryan Zinke has his full endorsement for U.S. House in Montana's new western district.

Over the last two weeks, Montana Public Radio aired interviews with candidates running to represent Montana’s western district in the U.S. House.

Sen. Steve Daines wants to protect kids from gay TV characters, and compares women to sea turtles and eagles. Ryan Zinke touts his record as former Interior Secretary in a new ad, despite being fired from that job. And Democrats Cora Neumann and Monica Tranel get testy over a super PAC attack ad.

Health department Director Adam Meier announced the plan Friday after previously telling lawmakers the agency would not renew the program.

Voters will receive ballots for each of the qualified political parties, but can only submit one party’s ballot. The winning nominees of each party will go head-to-head in the general election this fall.

All three primary candidates – Monica Tranel, Tom Winter and Cora Neumann – fielded questions about their plans to address Montana’s affordable housing crisis, climate change and competing against a Republican opponent in the general election. A Democrat has not held a Montana U.S. House seat since 1997.

Republicans have two main options if they move to ban abortion in Montana – they can enact a law that will most likely be challenged in the courts, or they can push for a constitutional referendum to change the state’s bill of rights, which would then have to go before voters.

Sam Rankin, Roger Roots and Samuel Thomas all fall on different points of the Libertarian spectrum.