This article was last updated at 11:30  a.m. on Wednesday, June 3. Smokejumper Sam Forstag and conservative radio talk show host Aaron Flint will face off in November for Montana’s Western U.S. House District.   Forstag declared victory in the Democratic primary Wednesday morning after h is vote share in a four-candidate field grew to 37% overnight. His closest opponent, Ryan Busse, conceded with 33% of the vote. The Associated Press called the race at 11:22 a.m. Sam Forstag adresses the crowd at the Union Club in Missoula, MT Credit: Aaron Agosto for MTFP “Today, people across Montana made clear that we’re ready to send working class representation to Washington so that we can fight for ourselves,” Forstag said in a press release. “We’re ready to move past the politics of hate and division that national leaders have sold us to distract from their failures. We’re not just angry, we’re organized, and we’re ready to rebuild a politics of hope by fighting for the big, bold changes we need to finally fix a system where working people fall further behind while the rich get richer.” The Republican primary was called for Flint less than an hour after polls closed Tuesday night when it became clear his three opponents couldn’t catch up. Flint’s closest challenger, Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, had 24% of the vote. Flint held 50% of the vote Wednesday morning. When AP called the race Forstag was leading Ryan Busse by roughly four percentage points with 96% of the votes counted. Busse had led in the early count Tuesday evening, but Forstag slipped ahead as an increasing number of the district’s 16 counties edged closer to being fully reported.  Democrat Russell Cleveland, of St. Regis, was third with 22% of the vote. Matt Rains, of Simms, was fourth with 8%. Al Olszewski was in third place in the Republican primary, behind Jacobsen, with 20% of the vote. Ray Curtis was fourth with just under 7%. The Flint-Forstag matchup sets up Montana’s first non-baby boomer race for U.S. House in 30 years. Flint, 46, is 19 years younger than incumbent Rep. Ryan Zinke, who opted not to run for reelection, citing health concerns. Flint launched his campaign right after Zinke’s announcement, complete with endorsements from Zinke, President Donald Trump, Eastern District Rep. Troy Downing and Sens. Tim Sheehy and Steve Daines. Aaron Flint lifts his fist up in celebration while his mom Karen Link holds his hand after the republican primary for the U.S. Western District Congressional seat is called for him at Brannigan’s Pub on June 2, 2026, in Kalispell. Credit: Lauren Miller, Montana Free Press, CatchLight Local/Report for America Flint would be the youngest Republican elected to U.S. House since Denny Rehberg was first elected at age 45 in 2000. Forstag is 31, younger than Max Baucus when the longest-serving U.S. senator in Montana history was first elected to the U.S. House at age 33 in 1974. The smokejumper and union representative from Missoula would be the first member of the Bernie Sanders progressive movement to win a federal primary in Montana. Independent Vermont Sen. Sanders endorsed Forstag’s candidacy. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, stumped for Forstag on May 28.  The post Republican Aaron Flint and Democrat Sam Forstag win Western District House primaries appeared first on Montana Free Press. ...read more read less