蒙大拿州民主党候选人以蓝领空降消防员身份参选，曾多年为极左翼团体游说

Montana Dem running as blue-collar smokejumper spent years lobbying for far-left groups

Sam Forstag opposed bills that would have restricted drag performances in public schools and libraries

2026-07-15 06:30 EDT / Fox News

By Alec Schemmel

Published July 15, 2026 6:30am EDT | Updated July 15, 2026 6:51am EDT

Bad to Worse for Democrats: Socialists Dominate Dem Primaries + SCOTUS Rulings & the Midterms

The Democrats’ leftward shift accelerates after another shocking primary upset, the fellas break down major Supreme Court rulings and what they mean for 2026. Plus Chairman Jason Smith joins the program to discuss the GOP’s tax agenda.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

blob:https://www.foxnews.com/bd584caa-f2cf-412f-a089-40de060b5fd7

Listen to this article

6 min

A Democrat running in a key Montana House race as a “smokejumper” and working-class outsider previously worked as a registered lobbyist opposing state-level bills that would have restricted drag performances in public schools and libraries, banned gender-transition procedures for minors and cracked down on sanctuary policies, records reviewed by Fox News Digital show.

Sam Forstag, the Democratic nominee in Montana’s 1st Congressional District, has leaned into a blue-collar campaign message, saying constituents like him “know how to work” and “know how to swing a tool.”

His campaign has focused heavily on affordability, corruption and working-class frustrations, but his lobbying record puts him on the record on several hot-button issues that could undercut his effort to appeal to more centrist voters in an already heavily Republican state.

https://news-multimedia-1393112320.cos.ap-guangzhou.myqcloud.com/clear.gif

Between 2021 and 2023, Forstag was listed as a registered lobbyist for groups and entities including the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, the Montana Library Association and the City of Missoula. During that time, he testified against or was tied through lobbying records to opposition against bills involving drag performances in schools and libraries, transgender-related medical treatments for minors, boys competing in girls’ sports, voter ID and local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

FOUR MONTHS TO MIDTERMS: 12 RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE MAJORITY

https://news-multimedia-1393112320.cos.ap-guangzhou.myqcloud.com/sam-forstag-lgbt-split.jpg

Sam Forstag, who is running for Congress on a working class image in one of Montana’s two House districts, has a lobbying career steeped in left-wing culture war issues.(Sam for Montana)

“This bill is the latest of a series that I expect you’ll see that are intended to stir up fear and distrust of our fellow citizens,” Forstag told Montana lawmakers in 2023 as Republicans considered a bill restricting minors from attending drag performances in public schools and libraries. Forstag argued the measure was overly broad and could affect people who are transgender or nonbinary participating in library programming, saying he hoped lawmakers did not intend to “prohibit an entire class of people” from serving in public libraries.

Forstag also opposed SB 99, a bill banning certain gender-transition procedures and medications for minors. In testimony on the bill, Forstag urged lawmakers to “leave personal and medical decisions to families and their chosen health care providers.”

While representing the ACLU of Montana, Forstag was tied to opposition against HB 112, which required student athletes to compete based on biological sex, and SB 169, a measure to increase scrutiny around voter ID protocols.

TRUMP HOLDS WASHINGTON HOSTAGE OVER SAVE ACT AS MIDTERM CLOCK TICKS ON GOP CONTROL

https://news-multimedia-1393112320.cos.ap-guangzhou.myqcloud.com/schreiner.jpg

Sadie Schreiner puts a transgender flag in her hair before heading to the awards stand after finishing 3rd in the finals of the 200m race at the 2024 NCAA DIII outdoor track and field championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium on May 25, 2024, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.(Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Forstag also opposed bills involving sanctuary policies and local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities, including measures aimed at requiring local officials to comply with immigration detainers.

https://news-multimedia-1393112320.cos.ap-guangzhou.myqcloud.com/clear.gif

Forstag did not directly dispute the lobbying record when asked by Fox News Digital, instead defending his work in the state capitol as a fight for working people and individual freedom.

“Between fire seasons, I fought for working people in a state capitol that too often ignores us,” Forstag told Fox News Digital. “Instead of accepting a system where the extremes and the rich have the loudest voice, I worked my tail off to defend Montanans’ constitutional rights and freedoms and fight for policies that actually improve our lives.”

Forstag framed his opposition to bills involving transgender medical procedures as part of a broader belief that government should stay out of personal decisions.

UNEARTHED RECORDS REVEAL DEM MAYOR SOUGHT TAX HIKE TO FUND DEI ROLE AHEAD OF KEY HOUSE RACE

“I believe the government’s got no place getting involved in peoples’ private, personal decisions,” he said. “Politicians have no place coming for our guns, and no place inserting themselves into medical decisions that should be up to patients, parents, and doctors.”

节点运行失败

The Supreme court deliberates over the inclusion of Trans women in women’s sports.(istock)

On immigration, Forstag, who is backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said local police should not be forced to carry out federal immigration responsibilities.

“Laws that force local law enforcement to do the federal government’s bidding make our communities less safe and put police in a bad spot,” he said. “Immigration enforcement should be left to federal officials so our local police can keep Montanans safe.”

https://news-multimedia-1393112320.cos.ap-guangzhou.myqcloud.com/police-ice.jpg

A federal judge temporarily blocked a Philadelphia law that prohibited federal officers from wearing masks on duty.(Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

https://news-multimedia-1393112320.cos.ap-guangzhou.myqcloud.com/clear.gif

Jake Eaton, a longtime Montana Republican strategist whose clients have included Gov. Greg Gianforte and Attorney General Austin Knudsen, told Fox News Digital that Forstag’s lobbying record could undercut his effort to appeal to blue-collar and swing voters in the district, noting that issues involving transgender policies, schools and immigration “cut across” demographics.

RED-STATE SENATOR DROPS HAMMER ON DEM MAYOR OVER NEW ‘WOKE’ DEI ORDINANCE WHILE VIOLENT CRIME SURGES

Meanwhile, Eaton described Forstag as emblematic of the leftward shift of Montana Democrats.

“There aren’t a lot of moderate Democrats, if any, left,” Eaton said. “The days of Brian Schweitzer, when you had Democrats that were pro-gun and pro-coal, they don’t really exist anymore.”

But Eric Koch, a longtime Democratic consultant, rejected that criticism, arguing that Forstag’s record fits his broader message about keeping government out of personal decisions.

https://news-multimedia-1393112320.cos.ap-guangzhou.myqcloud.com/montana-scenery-1.jpeg

Screencaps reader Montana Tim shows off springtime in Montana.(OutKick/Screencaps/Montana Tim)

“Sam’s record is about keeping government out of your business,”Koch told Fox News Digital. “No amount of divide-and-distract will change that.” The consultant argued Republicans would rather focus on culture-war issues than Forstag’s economic contrast with his Republican opponent Aaron Flint.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

https://news-multimedia-1393112320.cos.ap-guangzhou.myqcloud.com/clear.gif

Forstag will face Flint, an Army veteran and conservative radio host, in the November 3 general election for the open western Montana seat currently held by GOP Rep. Ryan Zinke, who announced earlier this year he would not seek re-election.

Forstag won the Democratic primary after defeating former 2024 gubernatorial nominee Ryan Busse, Russell Cleveland and Matt Rains, while Flint emerged from a Republican primary field that included Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, former state Sen. Al Olszewski and educator Ray Curtis.

Alec Schemmel is a Politics Reporter for Fox News Digital who is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina but now resides in the Washington D.C.-Baltimore Metro Area.