Sally Mauk
Senior News Analyst & News Director EmeritusRetired in 2014 but still a presence at MTPR, Sally Mauk is a University of Kansas graduate and former wilderness ranger who has reported on everything from the legislature to forest fires. She also taught broadcast writing and reporting in the University of Montana journalism school. Sally is the host of Parsing The Press, Capitol Talk and Campaign Beat.
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The supposed Republican frontrunner in the U.S. Senate race is off to a timid start. The independent candidate in that race vows not to resort to namecalling. Two of the candidates for the U.S. House make no such promise. A national Conservative group is working hard to defeat moderate Republicans running for the Legislature. And the Gianforte administration reconsiders its ban on weekend rallies at the Capitol. -
Democratic candidates for the western district House seat try to differentiate themselves from the pack. One area they differ: whether or not to take PAC money. Montana voters may get a chance to change campaign spending laws in the state. And one of the Democratic candidates hopes to channel the campaign success of a former governor.
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Daines is out, Alme and Bodnar are in. Flint is in, Zinke is out. Sheehy is in ... a scuffle in the Senate. Just another week in Montana politics.
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A recent poll has good news for Montana Sen. Steve Daines' re-election chances. A longtime Democratic legislator enters the eastern district Congressional race. A new nonpartisan political group forms to elect "principled candidates." And past and present Montana politicians have opposing takes on the State of the Union
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Sen. Daines files for reelection, and raises eyebrows over his association with a controversial State Department nominee. Montana's incumbent congressmen stand by Trump's economic policies, but do voters? Will he or won't he? Former UM President Seth Bodnar has yet to announce his political ambitions.
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Montana Republican leaders are mum on President Trump's threat to "nationalize" elections. Tribal leaders vow to fight Trump administration efforts to remove "woke" exhibits from national parks and monuments. Gov. Gianforte pushes for the establishment of a conservative religious club in Montana schools. And the Epstein files become an issue in Montana's congressional race.
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Montanans respond to the Minnesota protester shootings with peaceful protests and policy changes. Democratic congressional candidates denounce the shootings. Sen. Steve Daines calls for an investigation and defends ICE. And the jury is still out on the long-term political impact of the shootings and the government response.
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The Montana political world awaits UM president Seth Bodnar's decision about his future, and Republicans aren't waiting to put out an attack ad. Democratic Senate candidate Reilly Neill thinks a conspiracy is behind a possible Bodnar Senate run. And new candidates with no political experience continue to enter the congressional races.
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A text from former-Sen. Jon Tester has Democrats all shook up. University of Montana President Seth Bodnar may enter the Senate race. And the Democratic candidates for the western district House race have similar sounding campaign messages.
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Midterm elections typically don't attract much attention, but 2026 may be different. With three of Montana's four seats in Congress on the ballot, nearly a dozen challengers have thrown their hat in the ring. Republican incumbents are favored in all three races, with the western district race seen as the most competitive.
