Sam Forstag

Sam Forstag

Sam Forstag
Personal details
Born (1994-05-23) May 23, 1994 (age 32)
Ohio, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
RelativesSusie Lee (aunt)
EducationUniversity of Montana (BA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Sam Forstag (born May 23, 1994) is an American labor union leader and former smokejumper who is the Democratic Party nominee in the 2026 election for the Montana 1st Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.[1][2][3][4] He will face Republican Party nominee Aaron Flint and Libertarian Party nominee Nick Sheedy.[5] The winner will replace incumbent Republican Ryan Zinke.[6][7]

Forstag was born in Ohio,[8] and raised mostly by a single mother who worked as an ICU nurse in Portland, Oregon.[9] He moved to Montana in 2012,[8] and worked multiple jobs to pay for his undergraduate education at the University of Montana, where he studied philosophy and political science and was elected student body president.[9][10] After graduation in 2017, he took a job as a wildland firefighter in order to pay off student loan debt, intending to apply to law school.[9] Instead he served as a wildland firefighter for eight years, including four years as a smokejumper.[5][11] During the off seasons, he worked as an organizer and lobbyist for the Montana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and for Central House Strategies where he represented the city of Missoula.[11] In 2025, he became vice president of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) Local 60, where he represents approximately 800 U.S. Forest Service workers.[9][12]

Forstag's Congressional campaign has focused on protecting public land, alongside economic issues such as housing and health care affordability.[1][13][14] He has been endorsed by union groups and national progressive leaders, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.[15][16][17] Forstag also has been endorsed by Representative Susie Lee, who is his aunt.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b Mazzei, Patricia (June 3, 2026). "Former Smoke Jumper Wins Democratic House Primary in Montana". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Woodall, Hunter (January 5, 2026). "Democrats are talking about a midterm blue wave. A Montana smokejumper could help make it a reality". CBS News.
  3. ^ Sainato, Michael (February 20, 2026). "Smokejumper and union leader aims to win in Montana by focusing on workers". The Guardian.
  4. ^ @samforstag; (May 23, 2026). "It's my birthday today, and I want to take a second to say thank you" – via Instagram.
  5. ^ a b Brown, Emily (June 3, 2026). "Forstag secures democratic nomination for Western Montana Congressional District". Missoula: KPAX-TV.
  6. ^ Yilek, Caitlin (June 3, 2026). "Sam Forstag wins Democratic primary in Montana's 1st Congressional District, CBS News projects". CBS News.
  7. ^ "Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Campaigns for Montana House Candidate Sam Forstag". C-SPAN. May 28, 2026.
  8. ^ a b Kimbel-Sannit, Arren (April 27, 2026). "Four brands of Democrat make their case in Montana's western congressional primary". Montana Free Press. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  9. ^ a b c d Randall, Cassidy (May 12, 2026). "The Wildfire-Fighting Union Leader Who Could Change Montana Politics". Esquire.
  10. ^ Amestoy, Austin (March 31, 2026). "Q&A: Sam Forstag, Democratic western district U.S. House candidate". Montana Public Radio.
  11. ^ a b Kimbel-Sannit, Arren (February 2, 2026). "Schvitzing with Sam Forstag". Pulp.
  12. ^ a b "Sam Forstag Launches Congressional Bid". National Smokejumper Association. January 10, 2026.
  13. ^ Dapcevich, Madison (June 3, 2026). "Sam Forstag Jumps out of Planes Fighting Wildfires. He Just Won Montana's Democratic Primary". Outside.
  14. ^ Juhlin, Ellis (May 29, 2026). "In Missoula, Forstag and Ocasio-Cortez campaign for working class votes". Montana Public Radio.
  15. ^ Drew, Micah (June 2, 2026). "Forstag declares victory in U.S. House district in western Montana". Daily Montanan.
  16. ^ Fairbanks, Katie (May 28, 2026). "Will Ocasio-Cortez's rally for Forstag matter?". Montana Free Press.
  17. ^ Mabie, Nora; Lloyd, Zeke; Lutey, Tom; Olness, Jacob (June 5, 2026). "What the June 2 primary results tell us about politics in Montana". Montana Free Press.

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