MISSOULA — Sam Forstag edged out Ryan Busse to secure the Democratic nomination in Montana’s 1st Congressional District.
(WATCH: Forstag secures Democratic nomination for Montana's Western Congressional District)
Busse conceded the race to Forstag on Wednesday morning. Forstag had trailed behind Busse Tuesday evening, but he made up ground as the votes were counted into the early hours of Wednesday morning. The other two candidates in the race, Russ Cleveland and Matt Rains, are sitting at third and fourth, respectively.
MTN caught up with Forstag on Wednesday as he turns his sights on the primary.
"So much gratitude to all the people who volunteered to knock doors and make calls," he said. "I think we're ready for something different. And that's what we offer in this campaign. We could quite literally see the momentum that they put together with us and the late-breaking results of people's votes that came in on election day."
Forstag spent eight years as a wildland firefighter, including four as a smokejumper, and he’s been vice president of the local National Federation of Federal Employees union. Last week, U.S. House of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, held a rally in Missoula to support Forstag’s campaign.
Forstag says if he wins, he'll be a champion for the working class in Washington D.C., pushing for policies that he says would make living and having a family in Montana more affordable.
"It's just this basic notion that you should still be able to work one good job in the state and afford a roof over your head and healthcare and childcare. And a good retirement and that is common sense," he told MTN.
Forstag has also campaigned on making sure people have access to affordable groceries, have universal free childcare and restore and expand Affordable Health Care Act subsidies.
“Hearing people's stories and struggles and commonalities in the ways that we’re all fighting in the system that does not serve us so often, and the government serves corporations and the richest people in this country more than working people. It has been frustrating and saddening, but it has also inspired so much hope in me, like the fixes we can actually make,” he told MTN.
The 1st Congressional District covers much of western Montana, including Kalispell, Missoula, Butte and Bozeman. It is currently held by Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, who chose not to seek reelection.
By securing the nomination, Forstag is slated to face off against Libertarian candidate Nick Sheedy and Republican candidate Aaron Flint in November.
Forstag says he looks forward to facing the Trump-backed candidate in the general election.
"I'm pretty darn excited for the general. Aaron Flint seems like an eminently beatable candidate. He has spent the last decade spewing hate and hot air on the radio. Well, I've spent it doing the darn work," he noted.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional reactions from Sam Forstag on Wednesday. MTN's John Riley contributed to this report.
