Sam Forstag, a 32-year-old Democratic candidate, is mounting a campaign to represent Montana’s first congressional district in the November midterm election. Forstag, who works as a smokejumper and firefighter, has built his political platform around the argument that sustained economic pressure on American workers reduces their ability to care for one another and engage in community support.
Forstag’s perspective is shaped by his personal history. He grew up in a single-parent household in North Portland, Oregon, and later Montana, where his mother worked as an intensive care nurse on overnight shifts. He recalled a formative moment in 2013 when, as a college student juggling three jobs, he chose not to stop and help a driver whose car had slid into a ditch during a snowstorm—a decision that conflicted with the community values he had been raised with. He attributed his decision to skip assisting to the financial pressures of working multiple jobs to cover rent, car payments, and groceries.
After securing employment as a smokejumper, Forstag describes finally achieving economic stability with health insurance, retirement benefits, and a steady income. His perspective shifted, however, after the Trump administration returned to the White House in 2025 and implemented federal workforce reductions through the department overseen by Elon Musk. Smokejumpers and other federal wildland firefighters in Montana, including friends and union colleagues, lost their jobs and health insurance. Forstag expressed frustration with what he characterizes as inadequate representation from elected officials, citing his repeated outreach to retiring incumbent Ryan Zinke that yielded no response.
Forstag argues that economic anxiety has fueled political polarization, with voters turning to opposition candidates out of desperation. He contends that politicians exploit this desperation through rhetoric on immigration and cultural issues while material conditions deteriorate. His campaign message emphasizes that restoring economic stability would allow citizens to prioritize compassion and community engagement. Running for Congress itself requires significant personal sacrifice, as Forstag must leave his smokejumping position and the retirement and healthcare benefits he has accumulated.
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