2026 general election
Montana 1st District
The candidate who raised the most money won. · Incumbent retired. Democratic gain.
$27M was spent on the 2026 Montana 1st District race: $7.2M raised by the campaigns, $999K of it from PACs, plus $20M from outside groups (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Sam Forstag (Democrat) won and was the top fundraiser.
Total money
$27M
Raised by campaigns
$7.2M
PAC checks
$999K
Outside money
$20M
Candidates
Raised by the campaign Outside money supportingOutside money attacking Democrat Republican Other
Sam ForstagDemocrat
✓ Won- Raised
- $4.3M
- Spent
- $3.6M
- From individuals
- $3.5M
- From PACs
- $400K
- From party
- $2K
- Own money & loans
- $1K
- Outside money for
- $1.6M
- Outside money against
- $8.0M
Who paid: 9% of Forstag's money came from PACs
Leadership PAC $102K (42%)Membership $10K (4%)Union $64K (26%)Super PAC $36K (15%)Other $29K (12%)
- Zinc Collective PAC Super PAC$23K
- International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union$10K
- American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO Committee On Political Education Union$10K
- Communications Workers of America Union$10K
- Sanders Leadership PAC$10K
- Progressive Americans for Democracy Leadership PAC$7K
- Big Sky Values Other$5K
- Courage to Change Leadership PAC$5K
Biggest outside spenders
- No Going Back PAC Inc. · $7.6M attacking
- Montana Voters PAC · $597K supporting
- Progressive Turnout Project · $431K supporting
- Americans for Prosperity Action · $294K attacking
- Montanans for Public Lands · $141K supporting
Aaron FlintRepublican
✗ Lost- Raised
- $2.9M
- Spent
- $2.4M
- From individuals
- $1.9M
- From PACs
- $599K
- From party
- $5K
- Own money & loans
- $0
- Outside money for
- $3.0M
- Outside money against
- $7.1M
Who paid: 21% of Flint's money came from PACs
Corporate $34K (9%)Trade group $63K (16%)Leadership PAC $171K (45%)Membership $16K (4%)Union $5K (1%)Super PAC $30K (8%)Party $5K (1%)Other $59K (15%)
- Send in the Seal PAC Other$10K
- Jack Begman Other$10K
- Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Corporate$10K
- National Cattlemen's Beef Association Trade group$10K
- Scalise Leadership Fund Leadership PAC$10K
- Montana Red Leadership PAC$10K
- Eureka Political Action Committee Leadership PAC$10K
- Seal PAC Supporting Electing American Leaders PAC Super PAC$10K
Biggest outside spenders
- House Majority PAC · $3.0M attacking
- Montana Voters PAC · $2.1M attacking
- Thank You for Your Attention to This Matter PAC · $910K supporting
- Guardrails Alliance · $793K attacking
- Lcv Victory Fund · $688K attacking
Plus 1 other candidate on the ballot with no reported money.
Questions people ask
- How much money was spent on the 2026 Montana 1st District race?
- $27M was spent on the 2026 Montana 1st District race: $7.2M raised by the campaigns, $999K of it from PACs, plus $20M from outside groups (FEC filings through Oct 14, 2026). Sam Forstag (Democrat) won and was the top fundraiser.
- Who raised the most money in the 2026 Montana 1st District race?
- Sam Forstag (Democrat) raised $4.3M and had $1.6M in outside spending on their side.
- Which outside groups spent the most on the 2026 Montana 1st District race?
- No Going Back PAC Inc. ($7.6M), House Majority PAC ($3.0M), Montana Voters PAC ($2.7M).
- Which PACs gave the most to candidates in the 2026 Montana 1st District race?
- Zinc Collective PAC gave $23K to Sam Forstag; Machinists Non Partisan Political League of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers gave $10K to Sam Forstag; American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO Committee On Political Education gave $10K to Sam Forstag.