2026 results · Montana · Montana 1st District
Sam Forstag, the Democrat, flips Montana's 1st District
Donald Trump carried the district by 11.6 points in 2024; this year's count is a 15.2-point move toward the Democrats. The Republicans held the seat before the election.
| Candidate | Votes | Share | Share of the vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam ForstagDemocrat | 132,003 | 50.3% | |
| Aaron FlintRepublican | 122,694 | 46.8% | |
| Nick SheedyLibertarian | 7,522 | 2.9% |
Called by Call the Map, Nov 4, 10:46 AM EST · 96% counted.
About 96% of the expected vote counted262,219 votesCount last changed Nov 7, 5:07 PM ESTSource: Montana Secretary of State
The map
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About the seat
Montana's 1st District takes in all or part of 16 counties. The Republicans held it before this election. Its voters went R+11.6 for president in 2024. Its move from that vote, 15.2 points toward the Democrats, ranks 1 of 2 among the state's districts, counting from the largest move toward the Democrats.
- 2024 president
- R+11.6
- 2024 House race, same lines
- R+7.9
- Move from 2024, rank in state
- 1 of 2
- Missoula County23%
- Gallatin County21%
- Flathead County20%
- Ravalli County9%
- Silver Bow County6%
- Lake County5%
- Lincoln County4%
- Sanders County2%
- 8 more10%
Shares are of the votes counted this year. The 2024 House figure is the same district, on the same lines.
What the count shows
Added together, the 16 counties compared moved 15.2 points toward the Democrats from the 2024 presidential vote.
The counties compared cast 82% as many votes as in 2024, from 85% in Mineral County to 78% in Beaverhead County.
Silver Bow County moved most: D+7.1 for president in 2024, D+27.0 this year
The 10 counties with the largest moves from the 2024 presidential vote, among those with 2,000 or more votes for president in 2024 and a quarter of that counted. Each line runs from the 2024 margin to this year’s.
2024 president 2026
Flathead County added 10,306 net votes for Forstag against the 2024 margin, 22% of the district's change
Across the 16 counties compared, the margin moved by 46,507 votes toward Forstag: this year’s lead in votes against the 2024 presidential lead in votes, county by county. The figure counts voters who changed sides and differences in who turned out alike; the count cannot tell them apart.
- Flathead County+10,306 Forstag
- Gallatin County+9,722 Forstag
- Missoula County+7,672 Forstag
- Ravalli County+5,708 Forstag
- Silver Bow County+2,729 Forstag
- Lake County+2,020 Forstag
- Lincoln County+1,893 Forstag
- Sanders County+1,470 Forstag
Montana’s ballot
The seat that changed party
StatewideRepublicans won 1 of Montana's 3 statewide races and lead 2 more.
U.S. HouseBefore the election R 2–0, now 1–1
won leads, still counting changed party. Margins are the leader’s share minus the runner-up’s, in points.
Every count on this page is the official count published by the Montana Secretary of State. Counts are unofficial until the state certifies them. The 2024 comparison is the presidential vote, Kamala Harris against Donald Trump, on the same ground. Margins are the Democrat minus the Republican, in points of all votes.