FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Matt Dorsey
(202) 550-6987
January 5, 2026
Missoula, MT – Today, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) is proud to officially endorse Sam Forstag to represent Montana’s First District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Sam recently served as the Vice President of NFFE Local 60, which represents 800 U.S. Forest Service workers across the Lolo, Bitterroot, and Custer-Gallatin National Forests, the R1 Regional Office, and the Aerial Fire Depot. He had been a wildland firefighter since 2018, most recently stationed at the Missoula Smokejumper Base, while previously working on fire crews in Condon, Montana and Lincoln, Montana, and at the North Cascades Smokejumper Base.
When thousands of federal employees were illegally fired during the Valentine’s Day Massacre this past February, Sam bravely stood up for NFFE-IAM members by speaking at a Stop the Oligarchy rally in Missoula to say that public servants will not be silenced. And when the 2025 government shutdown threatened the livelihoods of families across western Montana, Sam and his NFFE brothers and sisters put solidarity into action, hosting events to provide meals for furloughed workers and bring attention to the real-life impacts of Congress’s inaction.
Sam’s union leadership has been strengthened by his experience working as an organizer and advocate between fire seasons. Sam helped build and manage the Montana Coalition to Solve Homelessness, and worked with groups like the Montana Library Association, the Montana Innocence Project, and the ACLU of Montana to fight for working people, public services, and civil liberties in Montana.
“There is no better candidate to represent Montana’s First Congressional District than Sam Forstag,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “Sam understands the needs of his community and brings a deep record of public service fighting for working families across western Montana. He has the full support of our union, and when elected to Congress, he will continue to be a strong steward of our public lands and a tireless advocate for the people of Montana.”