President Donald Trump took the stage in front of a Flathead Valley crowd Wednesday night, promoting Montana’s Republican candidates for federal office, slamming Democrats and celebrating his achievements while in office. The rally featuring the president aimed to bolster the chances of Republican congressional candidate Aaron Flint, who is caught in a tight race in the state’s western district against Democrat Sam Forstag.
“And here in Montana’s first district, we’re going to defeat far-left lobbyist phony Sam Forstag, not respected at all,” Trump said during his speech, which went on for more than an hour. “And we’re going to elect a true American patriot, a fantastic man, a great guy, Aaron Flint to Congress. He’s going to Congress to be a warrior.”
The visit, which came as part of a swing through several Western states to offer Republicans on the ballot a similar boost, marks Trump’s sixth time campaigning in Montana and his first appearance in Kalispell.
Attendees packed Majestic Valley Arena to its maximum capacity, according to campaign staff, though they couldn’t provide an exact estimate. Majestic Valley’s main indoor arena boasts a maximum capacity of 7,000 for its events, though that figure depends on the configuration of the arena. The president, who has won Montana in all three of his bids for election, was excited by the turnout and encouraged attendees to “pretend that I’m running” and get to the polls.
“Just get out and vote,” Trump said. “Gotta do it. We’re gonna win big if you get out and vote, and I am on the ballot. Please remember, I am on the ballot. Everyone here tonight is part of the greatest movement in the history of our country, but as you can see, it’s stronger than ever before.”
The event drew a roster of Republican officials. U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy were in attendance, arriving alongside the president. Neither spoke. U.S. Reps. Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing, along with Gov. Greg Gianforte, held featured speaking slots. All emphasized the importance of electing Flint in the western congressional district, along with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kurt Alme. Both Alme and Flint also spoke.
“This election offers a clear choice,” Gianforte said. “It’s common sense versus crazy.”
That sentiment became a refrain throughout the night as all the speakers touched on several typical Republican talking points, including keeping transgender women out of women’s sports and supporting law enforcement. Trump’s speech was more wide-ranging, moving from protecting the Second Amendment, to affordability, to dismissing concerns about climate change and promoting American energy.
Flint, a veteran and radio talk show host, faces smokejumper and union leader Forstag in the race to represent the 16 counties in western Montana. It’s a race that could help decide the tilt of the U.S. House. The two candidates are neck-and-neck in polling and fundraising less than three weeks from Election Day.
The western district, redrawn in 2022, has long been considered Democrats’ best opportunity for a pickup in Montana, even as the state’s electorate has turned redder and Zinke has kept hold of the seat for the past four years. Zinke’s choice not to run again this year cleared the path for Flint’s bid. Flint said in May that Zinke asked him to run in a conversation between the two in January.
“I love Aaron. I think Aaron’s about family, faith and freedom,” Zinke told the Beacon about Flint Wednesday.
He went on to praise Flint’s deep roots in Montana, which extend across the state from Niarada, where Flint’s family homesteaded, to Glasgow.
“He supports the Constitution,” Zinke said. “He’s a man of God and man of principle. I know him well. He married well. And lastly, freedom. You know, he’s got two bronze stars, he fought in Afghanistan, fought in Iraq. Perhaps there’s only one flaw: he’s Army. But I’m getting through it as best I can, but no, he’s a great man. He’ll make a great congressman. He’ll represent us well.”
Even so, some political scientists have suggested that this year, undecided voters are likely to be the ones to tip the scales one way or the other. While the president’s appearance is likely to galvanize his supporters, his job approval ratings have plummeted, and the impact of his appearance on swing voters is uncertain.
But Flint told reporters Wednesday that in his view, the president’s support would only help drive out Republican voters, particularly in the Flathead Valley. Flathead County is one of the most heavily Republican areas in the state. It delivers the second largest number of Republican votes in Montana, with only Yellowstone County topping it. But the western district also contains the more liberal Missoula and Gallatin counties. And voter turnout in Flathead County during midterm election years is less than turnout during presidential years.
Art Wittich, the chair of the Montana GOP, agreed with Flint’s assessment. Wittich told the Beacon Wednesday that if Flint is to win the race, the party needs to turn out “every Republican voter in Flathead County.”
“[Trump] encouraging people to turn out for this race is incredibly important,” Wittich said. “So, when you consider there’s only been four days’ notice and you see the level of interest and excitement, you know, this place is gonna be completely full and packed. To get Republicans to the polls, especially on some of these tighter races like congressional district 1 — that’s an open seat, with two new candidates to the process. And some people, they don’t know how they’re gonna vote when they don’t know the candidate. There’s no power of incumbency. You have to encourage people. If they like President Trump, they’ll like our Republican candidates.”
Flint, in his speech, advertised himself as the candidate most in tune with Montanans, pointing to his deep roots in the state, which go back generations.
“Why am I running?” Flint said. “I’m running for these kids right there, and that 105-year-old World War II veteran back there. Everybody gets to come to Montana, enjoy Montana. I want our kids to have a future in Montana. I want our kids to enjoy our own backyard. I am fighting to make the Montana dream affordable again, and here’s how we’re gonna do it: we’re gonna bring back the trades and trades education. We’re gonna make a high school degree mean something again. We just want to bring back common sense.”
He proclaimed his support for strengthening trades education, preserving gun rights and hunting rights, and “keeping public lands in public hands.” He also took swings at Forstag, calling him a “far-left lobbyist from Portland,” dubbing him “socialist Sam,” and hitting him over his lobbying record at the state legislature, which includes stints working for the American Civil Liberties Union and Montana Coalition to Solve Homelessness.
Lindsay Reilly, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in a statement Wednesday said the president’s appearance was “a desperate, transparent attempt to try and rescue Aaron Flint’s flailing campaign.”
“Montanans see right through this political theater and are exhausted by the extreme, out-of-touch agenda that Flint continues to push at the expense of working families,” Reilly said. “While Sam Forstag is focused on real solutions to lower costs, Flint is proving once again that he’s at the beck and call of his D.C. party bosses.”
While Flint, Trump and other Montana elected officials spoke Wednesday, the campaign of Forstag, his Democratic opponent, organized a “day of action” in four communities across the western district. The events brought together his supporters to phone bank and host food drives. One was slated to take place in Whitefish Wednesday afternoon.
Outside Majestic Valley Arena, the local group Flathead Democracy organized a separate protest against the president’s visit. Leanette Galaz, one of the group’s founders, said around 150 people showed up to the protest. She told the Beacon the resistance effort came together after people across the Flathead Valley and state reached out to Flathead Democracy for protest guidance.
She said the group, which has been behind No Kings rallies and other such events in the area, took organizing on because they wanted to ensure the efforts remained safe. Flathead Democracy, according to Galaz, has developed a relationship with local police as they conduct their activities.
She viewed the president’s visit as a “historic” event in the Flathead. Trump is the first sitting president to visit Kalispell since Gerald Ford in 1975.
“As horrible as his presidency has been for many Americans, it is a very big moment in history and we’re very glad to be part of it in what we see as a very important way to participate in a tradition that is kind of sacred,” Galaz said, referencing the First Amendment right to protest.
The group held signs stating, “Impeach, Convict, Remove” as the president arrived. Galaz claimed it was a call for accountability as, she said, Trump and his administration have trampled on people’s rights during his presidency. The protest came as the Flathead County Republican Central Committee chair, Giuseppe Caltabiano, called for unity ahead of the president’s visit this week.
“Unity is a great goal, but in order to have that peace and unity moment, there also has to be accountability and justice,” Galaz said.
For attendees, however, the event served as an exciting opportunity to see the president speak.
Brothers Odie and Keith Pierce, who live in Kalispell, attended tractor pulls in Majestic Valley Arena a few weeks ago, and said it was surreal that they were now seeing the president in the same location. Both said Trump and Montana’s politicians “put on a show.”
“[Trump’s] a showman,” Keith said. “They all are. He’s a showman, and he put on a show and it’s awesome. It’s super fun. Wouldn’t have missed it just for that alone.”
Both brothers pointed to Trump’s advocacy for the Second Amendment as a policy position they liked from him. And Odie said the event highlighted Montana officials’ close relationships with the president.
“I think hearing the people that have been voted in already, and hearing their relationship with the current president, and how seriously he says he takes them, is a big one,” Odie said. “That means that our vote here in Montana really does matter.”
Trish Boydston, who is retired and lives in Kalispell, said she attended the event to see the president speak because she believes in what he’s doing to fix things. She views Trump as a man of action, and has agreed with his policies in the past, like his push to close the country’s borders. Boydston said she’s not against immigration but thinks there’s a need to ensure people are coming into the country legally.
Closer to home, Boydston appreciated Trump speaking about the importance of bringing industry back into Montana.
All three said they planned to cast their ballots and vote this fall. Boydston added she’s taking her grandchildren to register to vote on Monday. While she said she’s always been on the ball when it comes to her civic participation, she left the event feeling even more inspired to encourage others to make it to the ballot box.
