Initial campaign finance filings show Montana’s incumbents with a hefty lead on the competition heading into the 2026 congressional race.

Sen. Steve Daines is starting the year with $4.9 million in cash on hand while Rep. Ryan Zinke rounded out the first leg of the campaign with $2.8 million. That gives both Republicans a substantial headstart against their Democratic challengers, who reported a cumulative $129,300 in cash on hand. 

Daines reported receiving about $4.5 million in support in his end-of-year filings for 2025 to the Federal Election Commission, bringing his fundraising total for the 2026 campaign cycle to $8.1 million. Daines filed for candidacy in 2020, shortly after winning his seat in the U.S. Senate.  

About $1.3 million of Daines’ fundraising total for the year came from committee contributions, and another $1.7 million entered his account as transfers from authorized committees. Daines spent about $1.3 million on his campaign in 2025. 

Zinke reported about $4.1 million in total receipts for 2025, nearly one-fourth of which came from transfers from authorized committees, and about $2 million in disbursements. Zinke ended his 2024 reelection campaign with about $680,000 in reserve funds. 

Russ Cleveland, candidate for Montana House District 1, emerged as the top Democratic fundraiser in the state, raking in about $196,000. Cleveland spent about $148,000 on his campaign last year, leaving him with about $48,000 in cash on hand. 

Fellow candidate for Montana House District 1 Matt Rains reported about $114,000 in total receipts, including $46,000 in reserve funds.  

Missoula smokejumper Sam Forstag and former gubernatorial candidate Ryan Busse both entered the Democratic field in January 2026. They will be required to make their first financial report to the Federal Election Commission in April. 

Six candidates have filed against Daines in the race for one of Montana’s two Senate seats, including five Democrats and one Republican. Former state lawmaker Reilly Neill logged about $147,000 in total receipts and about $136,000 in total disbursements, making her the top fundraiser and top spender after Daines. 

Both races are already falling short of the record-breaking spending that characterized the 2024 race between Jon Tester and Sen. Tim Sheehy. In the last quarter of 2023 alone, Tester spent $7.1 million on his campaign and Sheehy spent $2.3 million.  

Total campaign disbursements topped $126 million by Election Day. Political action committees and independent interest groups funneled another $162 million into the congressional race, making it the most expensive in the state’s history. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 758-4433 or [email protected].