← 2026-10-25 edition · Sourced reporting
Published Oct 25, 2026, 8:04 AM Central · This version Oct 25, 2026, 8:09 AM Central · As of 2026-10-25
Where the money behind Montana’s western House race comes from
The two profiled western House campaigns report about $1.91 million for Aaron Flint and $3.49 million for Sam Forstag in individual contributions through October 14. PAC money and transfers are separate categories; dollars are not votes. [3] [4]
Use the FEC’s official reporting guide and its campaign-finance data links; search the named committee IDs and check coverage dates and amendments. →Bounded finance report on Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, Montana U.S. House District 1, using their pre-general Form 3 reports through October 14 and Montana Free Press’s October 23 original. Not a complete general-election candidate roster or a ballot/position guide.
- 6 source records
- Original reporting
- Montana Free Press — Tom Lutey
- Federal Election Commission
- Federal Election Commission — filed by Flint for Montana
- +2 more
Still open: Complete official November ballot roster not captured; this bounded financing account does not assert one. All open questions ↓
Reporting question · As of 2026-10-25
The question: What do the money records behind Montana’s western House race establish, and what do they leave out?
Bounded finance report on Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, Montana U.S. House District 1, using their pre-general Form 3 reports through October 14 and Montana Free Press’s October 23 original. Not a complete general-election candidate roster or a ballot/position guide.
Election cycle-to-date through October 14, 2026 · U.S. dollars
Gross individual contributions, Form 3 line 11(a)(iii), column B, in each October 22 pre-general filing. Includes itemized and unitemized gifts. Excludes PACs, party money, transfers and loans. Two profiled campaigns, not a complete ballot roster or a forecast.
Archive photograph · 2013-09-05 · Washington, D.C., United States
Understand the story.
A new look at campaign funding
Montana Free Press’s October 23 report profiles major federal candidates with at least $90,000 in individual contributions. That selection is not a complete ballot roster. This companion examines Republican Aaron Flint and Democrat Sam Forstag in the western House district, cross-checking their principal campaign committees against FEC records. [1] [2]
Compare individuals with individuals
Their pre-general filings separate itemized gifts from unitemized gifts. Adding those two lines gives $1,909,776.18 for Flint and $3,489,758.37 for Forstag. The graphic uses each report’s election-cycle-to-date column through October 14, before refunds. These are contributions in dollars, not numbers of donors, all campaign receipts or a measure of voter support. [3]
Two other sources of campaign money
The same filings list $599,249.99 from other political committees, including PACs, for Flint and $400,050 for Forstag. Transfers from other authorized committees are another line: $334,890.89 and $409,184.04 respectively. Keep those categories separate from individual contributions. The reports alone do not establish why someone gave or how a representative would vote. [4]
Read the date before the amount
Both reports were filed October 22 and cover October 1–14; their election-cycle totals cover a longer period. The October 23 news report is new reporting about those earlier records. These figures are not live balances and may be amended. We have not reconstructed or ranked donors’ geographic shares. [5] [1]
A useful question before voting
The district chooses a House member participating in federal lawmaking and budget decisions. To inspect funding, use the FEC guide’s campaign-finance data route and search committee C00941575 for Flint or C00932822 for Forstag. Check report dates, amendments and matching columns. Fundraising establishes neither a winning forecast nor a reason to endorse a candidate. [6] [2] [7]
How we know7 scoped claims · 6 source recordsView evidence
Each claim keeps its full assertion, date, source passage and limits. Source counts describe records, not independent corroboration.
1.New reporting, bounded selectionAttributed
Montana Free Press published Tom Lutey’s original funding report on October 23, selecting major candidates with at least $90,000 in individual contributions. It includes Republican Aaron Flint and Democrat Sam Forstag in the western House district.
- Scope
- Bounded finance report on Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, Montana U.S. House District 1, using their pre-general Form 3 reports through October 14 and Montana Free Press’s October 23 original. Not a complete general-election candidate roster or a ballot/position guide.
- Evidence passage
- Byline/date, introductory selection paragraph, Western House District section.
- As of
- 2026-10-25
- Limit
- Selection threshold is not a complete general-election ballot. No geographic percentage comparison is supported here.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:24:18.344Z · Montana Free Press — Tom Lutey
Article selects major candidates with at least $90,000 in individual contributions; it is not a complete candidate roster. Geography percentages use different denominators and are not reproduced.
2.Match the office and committeesSupported
FEC candidates/search matches Aaron Flint (H6MT01152) to Flint for Montana (C00941575), and Samuel Kelley Forstag (H6MT01137) to Sam for Montana (C00932822), both for Montana House District 01.
- Scope
- Bounded finance report on Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, Montana U.S. House District 1, using their pre-general Form 3 reports through October 14 and Montana Free Press’s October 23 original. Not a complete general-election candidate roster or a ballot/position guide.
- Evidence passage
- JSON results entries candidate_id H6MT01152/H6MT01137, office H, district 01, principal_committees.
- As of
- 2026-10-25
- Limit
- FEC registration cannot certify ballot status or establish the complete candidate field.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:25:02.766Z · Federal Election Commission
Administrative search includes candidates from earlier stages and is not a certified ballot roster. Used only to match the two named candidates to principal committees and office/district.
3.Compare the same money categorySupported
Column B of their pre-general Form 3 reports gives Flint $1,456,910.52 itemized and $452,865.66 unitemized individual contributions, totaling $1,909,776.18; Forstag $2,295,768.67 itemized and $1,193,989.70 unitemized, totaling $3,489,758.37.
- Scope
- Bounded finance report on Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, Montana U.S. House District 1, using their pre-general Form 3 reports through October 14 and Montana Free Press’s October 23 original. Not a complete general-election candidate roster or a ballot/position guide.
- Evidence passage
- Each PDF page 3, Detailed Summary of Receipts, column B, lines 11(a)(i), 11(a)(ii), 11(a)(iii); page 1 coverage October 1–14, 2026.
- As of
- 2026-10-25
- Limit
- Election cycle-to-date through October 14, gross before refunds; not donor counts, all receipts, outside spending, votes or current October 25 balances.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:25:33.102Z · Federal Election Commission — filed by Flint for Montana
Campaign self-disclosure, not an FEC audit. Column A October 1–14; column B election cycle-to-date through October 14. Gross contributions, not votes or net money.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:25:33.104Z · Federal Election Commission — filed by Sam for Montana
Campaign self-disclosure, not an FEC audit. Column A October 1–14; column B election cycle-to-date through October 14. Gross contributions, not votes or net money.
4.Keep PAC money and transfers separateSupported
The same column B reports $599,249.99 from other political committees and $334,890.89 in transfers for Flint, and $400,050.00 and $409,184.04 respectively for Forstag.
- Scope
- Bounded finance report on Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, Montana U.S. House District 1, using their pre-general Form 3 reports through October 14 and Montana Free Press’s October 23 original. Not a complete general-election candidate roster or a ballot/position guide.
- Evidence passage
- Each PDF page 3, column B, line 11(c) Other Political Committees and line 12 Transfers from Other Authorized Committees.
- As of
- 2026-10-25
- Limit
- Separate from line 11(a)(iii). These four values do not alone comprise all receipts. They do not prove the geographic identity, motive or policy influence of underlying donors.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:25:33.102Z · Federal Election Commission — filed by Flint for Montana
Campaign self-disclosure, not an FEC audit. Column A October 1–14; column B election cycle-to-date through October 14. Gross contributions, not votes or net money.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:25:33.104Z · Federal Election Commission — filed by Sam for Montana
Campaign self-disclosure, not an FEC audit. Column A October 1–14; column B election cycle-to-date through October 14. Gross contributions, not votes or net money.
5.Keep four clocks distinctSupported
Both original pre-general PDFs are dated/filed October 22 and cover October 1–14, with a separate election-cycle column. MTFP’s new reporting was published October 23; NTDS checked the records October 25.
- Scope
- Bounded finance report on Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, Montana U.S. House District 1, using their pre-general Form 3 reports through October 14 and Montana Free Press’s October 23 original. Not a complete general-election candidate roster or a ballot/position guide.
- Evidence passage
- PDF page 1 filing timestamp/coverage dates; PDF page 3 column headings; MTFP byline/date.
- As of
- 2026-10-25
- Limit
- Retrieval does not update the financial reporting period. Later amendments and transactions may change the account.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:24:18.344Z · Montana Free Press — Tom Lutey
Article selects major candidates with at least $90,000 in individual contributions; it is not a complete candidate roster. Geography percentages use different denominators and are not reproduced.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:25:33.102Z · Federal Election Commission — filed by Flint for Montana
Campaign self-disclosure, not an FEC audit. Column A October 1–14; column B election cycle-to-date through October 14. Gross contributions, not votes or net money.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:25:33.104Z · Federal Election Commission — filed by Sam for Montana
Campaign self-disclosure, not an FEC audit. Column A October 1–14; column B election cycle-to-date through October 14. Gross contributions, not votes or net money.
6.Federal power at stakeSupported
USAGov identifies the House and Senate as Congress, whose legislative functions include drafting laws and surveying the budget. Montana’s District 1 election therefore chooses a member participating in federal lawmaking and budget decisions.
- Scope
- Bounded finance report on Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, Montana U.S. House District 1, using their pre-general Form 3 reports through October 14 and Montana Free Press’s October 23 original. Not a complete general-election candidate roster or a ballot/position guide.
- Evidence passage
- USAGov Legislative branch; FEC entries office H, state MT, district 01.
- As of
- 2026-10-25
- Limit
- Institutional consequence, not a seat-control prediction, policy endorsement or claim that one member can enact a law alone.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:25:02.766Z · Federal Election Commission
Administrative search includes candidates from earlier stages and is not a certified ballot roster. Used only to match the two named candidates to principal committees and office/district.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:26:29.092Z · USAGov
Older context for legislative powers; not fresh election evidence or a forecast of control.
7.Inspect the official recordsSupported
FEC’s Filing candidate reports guide says authorized committees file regular reports made available in its campaign finance data section, and links to filing amendments and distinct reporting examples for individual contributions, PACs and joint fundraising transfers.
- Scope
- Bounded finance report on Aaron Flint and Sam Forstag, Montana U.S. House District 1, using their pre-general Form 3 reports through October 14 and Montana Free Press’s October 23 original. Not a complete general-election candidate roster or a ballot/position guide.
- Evidence passage
- Filing candidate reports introductory paragraph; Troubleshooting > Filing amendments; Reporting examples > Individual contributions, PACs & other political committee contributions, Joint fundraising transfers.
- As of
- 2026-10-25
- Limit
- General official reading route; verify committee identity, report coverage, amendment and column before using an amount.
Retrieved 2026-10-25T12:26:28.638Z · Federal Election Commission
General route to financial disclosure records and amendments; not election-specific amounts or an audit.
What remains open.
- Complete official November ballot roster not captured; this bounded financing account does not assert one.
- Not a comprehensive reconstruction of every transaction, donor geography, independent expenditure or later amendment.
- No matched policy-position comparison, chamber-control arithmetic or prediction is attempted.
- FEC filings are campaign self-reports; no independent audit, NTDS interview or donor-motive finding.
A later amendment, corrected FEC summary, material new transaction or correction to the original report would reopen the affected claim and graphic while preserving this version.
THIS STORY IN TIME
Keep the dates with the story.
- Reported development
- Evidence as of
- First retained publication
- This version published
Publication times are Central. A development date and an evidence date can differ. Missing dates remain unrecorded.