HELENA, Mont. — In the upcoming elections, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte is expected to secure reelection against political newcomer Ryan Busse, while U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke is facing a more challenging contest against experienced candidate Monica Tranel as both incumbents strive to maintain Republican stronghold in the state.
During his first term, Gianforte encountered legal battles with the Montana Supreme Court regarding abortion and transgender youth medical care, yet managed to navigate through without any major controversies. He previously faced a legal hiccup in 2017 when he was charged with a misdemeanor for an altercation with a journalist just before a special election for a U.S. House seat. Despite this incident, he successfully won a House position and was elected governor in 2020.
On the other hand, Zinke has made a comeback following his resignation as interior secretary under President Donald Trump in 2018 amid various ethical inquiries. Prior to his Cabinet role, he was elected to the House twice, and he returned to Congress in 2022 after triumphing in a newly established district.
In the race for governor, Gianforte is heavily favored over Democrat Ryan Busse, a former firearms executive. Zinke, however, is engaged in a tighter rematch with Democrat Monica Tranel, an environmental attorney who he narrowly defeated in the previous election cycle.
The challengers have aimed to frame Gianforte and Zinke as affluent individuals disconnected from the everyday experiences of Montana residents. Gianforte highlights his achievements, including significant tax reductions and leveraging part of a $2.6 billion budget surplus from the pandemic to lower business taxes, provide tax rebates, eliminate state debt, and bolster emergency funds.
He has also emphasized his administration’s $300 million commitment to mental health initiatives, efforts to streamline government processes, and his formation of a housing task force aimed at increasing the availability of affordable housing options in Montana. One of the suggested initiatives for consideration by the 2025 Legislature is the exemption of certain home values from property taxes for owner-occupied houses.
“Each day, I strive to find new ways to help Montanans thrive, and we are making progress,” Gianforte expressed in a recent debate with Busse. “There’s still more work ahead.”
Additionally, the Republican-controlled Legislature has introduced bills that restrict abortion rights, allow for the direct appointment of judges by the governor during mid-term vacancies, and prohibit gender-affirming healthcare for minors, with only the judicial appointment measure currently upheld by the courts.
Busse, a Kalispell resident, advocates for responsible firearm ownership, reproductive rights, lower property taxes, and equitable taxation for the affluent. He criticizes Gianforte, asserting that the governor utilized substantial personal wealth to secure his position in 2020, while Montana has become increasingly unaffordable, particularly due to rising housing expenses and property tax increases that he claims Gianforte has failed to address.
“While you may not be feeling the pressure — flying around in a private jet and residing in multiple mansions — many of us are suffering,” Busse stated during the Oct. 16 debate, confronting Gianforte directly.
Gianforte and his wife, Susan, co-founded RightNow Technologies, a customer service software company sold to Oracle for approximately $1.5 billion in early 2012. Conversely, Busse’s tax returns from 2014 to 2023 reveal an annual income of about $260,000 for him and his wife over the past decade.
Gianforte captured 54% of the vote in his previous election. In the U.S. House race for western Montana, Zinke has cited inflation reduction, economic enhancement, border security, and preservation of public lands as key issues. Tranel, who lost to Zinke by a narrow margin in 2022, has pledged to champion affordable housing, protect personal privacy rights, including the right to abortion, and ensure community safety and stability.
If Tranel prevails, she would mark a historic milestone as the second woman ever elected to represent Montana in Congress, following Jeannette Rankin, who was the first woman elected to a national office in 1916.
Property disclosures reveal that Zinke and his wife possess assets valued between $9 million and $39 million, while Tranel’s financial statements estimate hers between $4.25 million and nearly $12 million. These disclosures allow for reporting within a broad price range.
A Libertarian candidate attracted 3.8% of the vote in the 2022 election, and there is another Libertarian candidate participating this year. The Cook Political Report currently categorizes the Zinke-Tranel race as leaning Republican, reflecting a less confident forecast than previously deemed likely Republican.