This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Montana was March 4, 2026.

Three primaries — two Democratic and one Republican — are contested this year. There were three contested primaries in 2024, four in 2022, two in 2020, one in 2018, none in 2016, and two in 2014.

Here are some other highlights from this year’s filings:

• Twelve candidates — seven Democrats and five Republicans — are running for Montana’s two U.S. House districts. Sixteen candidates ran in 2024, 15 ran in 2022, eight ran in 2020, seven ran in 2018, two ran in 2016, and seven ran in 2014.
• This year, there are six candidates per district. There were eight candidates in 2024 and 2.7 candidates in 2022. Montana had one U.S. House district from the 2014 through the 2020 election cycles.
• Montana’s 1st Congressional District is open this year. The incumbent, Rep. Ryan K. Zinke (R), is retiring from public office. One district was open in 2024, 2022, 2020, and 2014. No districts were open in 2018 and 2016.
• Eight candidates — four Democrats and four Republicans — are running for Montana’s 1st Congressional District. That’s the most candidates running for a district this year.
• The state’s other incumbent, Rep. Troy Downing (R) in Montana’s 2nd Congressional District, is not facing a primary challenger this year. One incumbent faced a primary challenger in 2024 and 2022 — those were the only other election cycles since 2014 in which an incumbent faced a primary challenger.
• Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in both districts, meaning neither district is guaranteed to either party.

Montana and five other states — California, Iowa, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota — are holding U.S. House primaries on June 2, 2026.

In Montana, the winner of a primary election is the candidate who receives the highest number of votes cast for that office, even if they do not win a majority of votes cast.