It’s Friday! Here are the topics that caught my eye for today’s column: 

• Montana’s First Congressional District
• Montana’s Second Congressional District
• Transparent Election Initiative
• One More Thing

MONTANA’S FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:

In a press release sent to The Western Word, Ryan Busse, former firearms executive and the 2024 Democratic nominee for governor of Montana, announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Montana’s First Congressional District:

The press release, in part, states:

Busse enters the race as the candidate to beat, leading disgraced former Cabinet Secretary Ryan Zinke in a newly released poll. Zinke was fired from the Trump administration amid 18 separate ethics investigations in 2018 and has since continued to face mounting voter backlash.

A December 8 poll conducted by Tulchin Research shows Busse leading Zinke 47% to 43%, (see attached poll memo) with Zinke’s favorability underwater—clear signs that voters are ready for change. 

The Montana MAGAs were quick to point out that Busse lost the race for Governor 59%-38%, seemingly hoping that Zinke can beat him by the same margin. This is a whole new campaign, and Busse starts with name recognition. Busse is the underdog, but Zinke is tied to Trump. 

This may be the most interesting race in Montana for 2026. 

Heather Swift, who works for Zinke, had the following to say on X about Busse jumping into the race:

Another clown in the car.  

This time a gun control, climate alarmist, liberal asshat who lost the governors race by… checks notes…. 20 points. 

I’m shaking in my stilettos. #mt01

The Montana Free Press reports on the Busse announcement and about the other candidates in the MT01 race HERE. 

You can visit the Busse campaign site HERE. 

MONTANA’S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT:

The Daily Montanan reported this week that Brian Miller, a Helena-based attorney, will try to unseat Republican incumbent Congressman Troy Downing. Miller is a Democrat. 

On his website, Miller says:

I’ve lived in Montana for nearly 25 years.  I’ve been engaged in the practice of general civil litigation in state and federal courts all across Montana for nearly 15 years.  I consider myself to be an independent-minded Montanan.  I am not a politician, and am not trying to be one.

You can visit the Miller for Congress website HERE. 

TRANSPARENT ELECTION INITIATIVE:

Good news! 

The Montana Free Press (MTFP) is reporting that the Transparent Election Initiative, an anti-dark money group, on Thursday filed with the Montana Secretary of State two ballot initiatives that aim to prevent corporate political spending. The filing came just two days after the state Supreme Court found an earlier version of the initiative legally insufficient. 

Here is what the Transparent Election Initiative is about:

The Transparent Election Initiative is committed to ending the influence of corporate and dark money in our politics through the groundbreaking The Montana Plan. We believe that elections should be decided by voters, not by the size of corporate checkbooks.

Our approach leverages each state’s authority to define corporate powers, creating a pathway to campaign finance reform that doesn’t rely on restricting speech but instead focuses on not granting political spending powers to corporations in the first place.

I believe if this initiative makes it to the ballot, it will overwhelmingly pass. 

Visit the Transparent Election Initiative website HERE. 

ONE MORE THING:

I have some openings today if anybody needs to be put in their place. 

## HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ##