HELENA, MT- With Congressman Ryan Zinke set to retire, his seat is open.
NonStop Local broke the story first and has worked the phone to field how the race this evolving.
Aaron Flint (R):
Aaron Flint, a conservative radio host, is set to run for and has formally announced.
Flints campaign only hours old announcers endorsements from:
Congressman Zinke
Governor Gianforte
Senator Sheehy
Congressman Downing
AG Knudsen
State Auditor Brown
State Senator Dr. Al Olszewski (R):
He is going to run for the open 01 seat and has filed.
Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen (R):
A source close to Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen says to stand by for “an exciting announcement.”
State Senate President Matt Regier (R):
Says he’s not running. Adding that voters have a conservative choice and is not making an endorsement.
Former Congressman Denny Rehberg (R at-large):
Rehberg [who ran in the last primary in 02] says he will not run for the open seat.
Former Governor Brian Schweitzer (D):
Will not be running for the position.
Ryan Busse (D):
Is a current candidate who released this statement:
“Flint has never seen a terrible policy he didn’t love. Voters know that MAGA healthcare cuts, tariffs and pedophile protection is very bad news, Zinke obviously knew it too and Aaron Flint has done nothing but cheerlead all of it. We’ve known we can win this race since we got in and now the whole country knows it too.”
Sam Forstag (D):
Is a current candidate who released this statement:
"Ryan Zinke just announced he’s not running for re-election. He saw what was coming and it was all of us. That’s good news for Montana and for the country.
See, Ryan dropping out puts us one step closer to winning real representation for working people in Montana."
Russell Cleveland (D):
Candidate for U.S. Congress said via email:
As a fellow Navy veteran, I respect the time in service Ryan Zinke gave to his country in U.S. Navy.
With his recent announcement that he intends to retire and not run for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, I want to acknowledge him and his family for that service. I wish him the best as he works to recover from the health challenges from his military service.
As we look to the future, there is more opportunity now than there has been since the days Pat Williams served Montana in the U.S. Congress.
This is a truly historic opportunity to achieve the positive change Montanans need and deserve.
With the recent news, Montana voters have the ability to choose a truly independent person who truly represents them -- not corporate lobbyists, not dark money.
Zinke's retirement is a reminder that we now live in the most expensive Montana in history.
From healthcare to housing, we are paying more for less. It's also a reminder of the perils of electing former lobbyists and politicians fueled by dark money, as Zinke was.
I'm the only candidate in this race who has never been a lobbyist, rejects corporate PAC money, rejects dark money, and won't have someone knocking on my door with a check to cash once in office.
I'll only be working for you. I've put nearly 50,000 on my truck over the last year listening to voters - and Montanans - I hear you.
We need dramatic and revolutionary change and improvement in our healthcare system.
And we need to end the corruption and dark money politics that have dictated our representation in the past.
I'll keep up the work. And if you haven't met me yet, I'm headed your way soon.
Let's make history, Montana. I'm Russ Cleveland, and I need your vote to make the change Montanans deserve.
In large part this reporting was done over the phone by Bradley Warren directly communicating with the candidates.
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