Matt Rains

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Matt Rains

Democratic Party

Candidate, U.S. House Montana District 1

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 2, 2020

Next election

June 2, 2026

Contact

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Matt Rains (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Montana's 1st Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on June 2, 2026.^[source]

Elections

2026

See also: Montana's 1st Congressional District election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on June 2, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana District 1

Ryan Busse (D), Russell Cleveland (D), Samuel Forstag (D), and Matt Rains (D) are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana District 1 on June 2, 2026.

		Candidate
		Ryan Busse
		Russell Cleveland
	Submit photo	Samuel Forstag
		Matt Rains

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
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Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Montana District 1

Incumbent Ryan K. Zinke (R) is running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Montana District 1 on June 2, 2026.

		Candidate
		Ryan K. Zinke

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Endorsements

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2020

State House

See also: Montana House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Montana House of Representatives District 22

Incumbent Lola Sheldon-Galloway defeated Jasmine Taylor in the general election for Montana House of Representatives District 22 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lola Sheldon-Galloway (R)	58.3	2,572
		Jasmine Taylor (D)	41.7	1,840

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,412
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 22

Jasmine Taylor defeated Matt Rains in the Democratic primary for Montana House of Representatives District 22 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jasmine Taylor	54.4	661
		Matt Rains	45.6	554

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,215
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 22

Incumbent Lola Sheldon-Galloway advanced from the Republican primary for Montana House of Representatives District 22 on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lola Sheldon-Galloway	100.0	1,316

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,316
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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U.S. House

See also: United States House of Representatives election in Montana, 2020

United States House election in Montana, 2020 (June 2 Democratic primary)

United States House election in Montana, 2020 (June 2 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Montana At-large District

Matt Rosendale defeated Kathleen Williams in the general election for U.S. House Montana At-large District on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Matt Rosendale (R)	56.4	339,169
		Kathleen Williams (D)	43.6	262,340

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 601,509
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• John Gibney (G)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District

Kathleen Williams defeated Tom Winter in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kathleen Williams	89.5	133,436
		Tom Winter	10.5	15,698

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 149,134
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Matt Rains (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Matt Rosendale	48.3	104,575
		Corey Stapleton	33.2	71,902
		Debra Lamm	6.7	14,462
		Joe Dooling	6.3	13,726
		Mark McGinley	3.6	7,818
	Submit photo	John Evankovich	1.8	3,983

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 216,466
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Timothy Johnson (R)

Green primary election

Green primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District

John Gibney advanced from the Green primary for U.S. House Montana At-large District on June 2, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	John Gibney	100.0	690

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 690
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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2020

Matt Rains did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2019

Matt Rains completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rains' responses.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Matt Rains is a 5th Generation Montanan and grew-up on the Birdtail Ranch in Simms training and showing Quarter Horses. He attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and graduated in 2002. He served seven years active duty as a Blackhawk Helicopter pilot and officer in the US, South Korea, and Iraq with a rank of Captain. Upon transitioning out of the Army, he became a humanitarian photographer traveling almost 60 countries while doing documentaries in Kenya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Myanmar. His last photographic documentary was on the Rohingya Genocide and Matt was the first foreign photographer to capture remote Rohingya camps at the onset of attacks in 2012. He participated in galleries in Los Angeles and Jeddah to both show his work and discuss the living conditions of the Rohingya people. In early 2014, Matt became a power plant engineer for Dynegy in St. Louis. His principle role was major outage inspections of which he covered both coal and gas plants as the company grew from 23 to over 50 plants in four years. During this time, he developed one of the country's first UAV (drone) Utility inspection programs which saved the company over $2M in two years. Matt received his MBA from Washington University's Olin Business School (St. Louis). Currently, Matt manages the family ranch in Simms as a horse trainer, horse breeder, and cattleman. His principle aim is to develop top quality performance Quarter Horses versatile to work on ranches, barrel racing, team roping, and AQHA competitions. Birdtail Ranch horses have always been used from 4-H classes to AQHA World Champion competitors and winners. Matt is running for Congress because a Representative from Montana should represent the majority of our residents. With a background in Agriculture, Military, Humanitarian Documentaries, and Energy, Matt can stand up for Montanans with true been-in-your-shoes experience.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• With a background in Agriculture, Military, and Energy, Matt Rains is able to represent the greatest spectrum of Montanans from first-hand experience.
• Jobs and Healthcare are the leading concerns for all Montanans and our families. Whether in Agriculture, Unions, Energy, or a minimum wage earner, Matt will fight endlessly to ensure our futures are prosperous, safe, and healthy.
• Montana deserves dedication. With only one US House Representative, we can not afford to have the position rotated through every election. Matt is dedicated to become our Representative and be on the ballot every following cycle. That dedication will go into his work-ethic both working in Congress in a non-partisan manner and returning back to Montana as often as possible to continue to hear from those he Represents.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about Jobs, Healthcare, and Education. ||Jobs in Montana rely on our greatest industry and that is Agriculture. Traditional Wheat farming and cattle ranching to new emerging opportunities in Industrial Hemp production and processing support our rural communities across the state and are the lifeblood of the Montana way of life. We need these staples to keep all supporting business flourishing. Additionally, Montana must lead the charge to bring more remote positions from Fortune 500 companies to Montana. Big City Remote Salaries should be available to all in Montana from our larger cities to our rural towns.||Healthcare affects each and every Montanan in some way. From newborn to elder, Montanans should not fear or avoid proper healthcare from concern for hospital bills. We should not be burdened by enormous hospital and prescription costs. Additionally, rural Montana must have adequate healthcare available without dependent on potentially life-threatening distances to the next hospital. ||As a small town Montana school product, I know the value and quality of our school system. However, an investment in education is an investment with generational returns. We must ensure our teachers, staff, and schools are given salaries and materials worthy of the responsibility they carry educating our children. From Daycare to College, we must always look for ways to help our youth succeed.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

The greatest quality I possess to be a successful Representative is my breadth of experience in a variety of occupations which allows me to represent Montanans first-hand and not from the sidelines. My Agriculture, Military, and Energy are the three key sectors of our state. Also, my West Point leadership training and military service as an officer gives me a strong foundation to keep our state on the right path moving forward and ensuring those which I serve are not ignored. My strength and determination will help give our lone seat in Congress more emphasis instead of falling in line with party platforms. I will always do what is best for Montana.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility for a U.S. House of Representatives Congressman or Congresswoman is to speak for the people in their district. Originally, the Senate was designed to handle long-term nation building legislation. Senators were given six-year terms to give them the freedom to act without influence from mass emotions. On the other hand, the House was designed to take the voice of the people and condense it down to a select few to speak for them. As both the House and Senate are entwined, a balance between the two should, in theory, be accomplished. ||I am running to Represent the people of Montana because I believe I have a fair voice with experience from across many occupations of our state. I have small town, 5th generation roots to Montana. My West Point leadership training and military service in war guides me to focus on what is right. My Agriculture background ties me to Montana's greatest industry as a fellow rancher. Public Lands are essential to keep our state majestic. I am often out riding horses or exploring our public lands and will ensure they are available for generations to come. My four years as an energy sector engineer allows me to help guide our state and country toward a path to add more renewable resources to base-load responsibilities as we reduce our fossil fuel footprint. I sought my MBA from Washington University (Olin Business School) as a top 15 Business school. ||I have always believed a Representative should have a vast background of experience to truly represent those which elect them. Again, a Congressman or Congresswoman's core responsibility is to speak for those they Represent. They must have a voice that is authentic, experienced, and true to those who elect them.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

9/11 happened when I was a junior at West Point and 21 at the time. The countless emotions myself and classmates all felt. Watching the chaos on TV. A lot of my classmates were from New York and had family or friends that worked in the buildings. After the first wave shock passed, my entire class understood that we were the next set of leaders to join the Army in a fight we didn't yet know who we would be fighting. ||I truly feel that our country should never forget or let the memory of September 11, 2001 fade as it was a time that changed the fabric across the country and in most cases made it much stronger. The unity in the aftermath was incredible. The country survived and recovered after those attacks because we found a common voice. ||I am running for Congress because I believe the more willing to strive for a similar common voice will eventually find that voice is loud enough to be heard. We should not require a disaster to force us to unify. My goal is to work toward unifying across the country on our own terms and for the best interest of the entire country.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I was listening to Garth Brooks on his Sirius station and I think he said it right. When you went to a George Strait concert, almost every song you heard seemed like it was your favorite. I would say any song from Garth, George, or Reba could get stuck in my head after about 5 seconds.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

The United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade will be updating our Healthcare system, Infrastructure rebuilding, and Energy reliance. ||The United States significantly lags all developed and leading countries in providing affordable quality care to all citizens. We have a duty to every American to revamp the Healthcare system so a single hospital visit - for any reason - will not significantly affect their financial situation. Currently, the high insurance premiums or danger of only being able to afford a high deductible causes many Americans to live in fear. ||The United States must accelerate our infrastructure maintenance with proper investment for expansion. Preventive maintenance will save the country billions in costs from emergency repairs - especially for bridges and over-passes. ||Energy reliance on fossil fuels must be methodically transitioned toward renewable resources. However, we must ensure complete coverage of extreme weather scenarios before we can confidently place base load requirements fully on renewable power. Additionally, renewable solutions much be held accountable to produce and distribute energy across the grid at total cost similar to current price-per-kilowatt rates. Our challenge is to achieve such rates.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Specifically to Montana, two years is not a functional term length for a Representative. Unlike many Representatives who cover small geographical areas, a Montana Congressional candidate must campaign across the entire state like a senator. Additionally, Montana's lone seat has recently been used more often as a career hop and not given the weight such a position deserves with Representatives not seeking re-election. Finally, a Representative essentially is always campaigning. A Congressman or Congresswoman should have a period of time they can focus on developing, submitting, promoting, and passing legislation tailored to their state. Although not an advocate for changing the current term limit, I do believe two years for an At Large Representative is a hinderance on their ability to represent their entire state properly.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I believe the 'Greatest Generation' evolved from multiple cultural influences, but none greater than the effect of both WWI and WWII. In a time when rural communities were much more dominate than todays metropolises and suburbs, military veterans that returned were held on a pedestal because they had experienced more in a few years than most do in an entire lifetime. They had carried enormous responsibility. They knew what it took to defend the country their families called home. ||In today's age, I believe the impact of military service on one chosen to serve in politics is priceless. I look up to Representatives like Seth Moulton, Jared Golden, Jason Crow, and Tulsi Gabbard. The word 'bipartisan' repeatedly appears through all their legislation in Congress. It is not a coincidence. Today's military veterans in Congress know how to work as a team and bring the best out of an organization. When Congress is the organization, our veteran Representatives are vital to stop the in-house fighting and offer true leadership by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to achieve positive legislation for the United States of America.

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Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Matt Rains campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2026*	U.S. House Montana District 1	Candidacy Declared primary	$0	N/A**
2020	Montana House of Representatives District 22	Lost primary	$4,564	N/A**
2020	U.S. House Montana At-large District	Withdrew primary	$41,981	$36,785
Grand total			$46,545	$36,785
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

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Footnotes

[show]

Montana's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Steve Daines (R)

Tim Sheehy (R)

Representatives

District 1

Ryan Zinke (R)

District 2

Troy Downing (R)

Republican Party (4)