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59 ads analyzed · 20 use a rhetorical technique, most often glittering generalities and name calling.
The words doing the persuading
From the Flint side · Paid for by Flint for Montana“Raised by a single mom who worked 2 jobs, Aaron Flint gets it. In Congress, he’ll cut taxes & lower your costs.”Glittering GeneralitiesSee this ad →
From the Forstag side · Paid for by VOTEVETS“Sam Forstag will fight to protect Montana’s land, freedom, and way of life.”Glittering GeneralitiesSee this ad →
Aaron Flint (Republican) and Sam Forstag (Democrat) are the nominees for Montana's 1st congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. By their latest FEC reports, Aaron Flint's campaign had raised $2.9 million (through October 14, 2026) and Sam Forstag's campaign $4.3 million (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $4.0 million for Aaron Flint and $7.1 million against; $1.9 million for Sam Forstag and $8.0 million against. Semblen has analyzed 59 ads in this race; 20 used at least one rhetorical technique, most often name calling and glittering generalities.
Aaron Flint (REP), Sam Forstag (DEM).
6 others filed with the FEC; any ads they ran are below. 59 ads analyzed, 20 with at least one technique in the copy.
Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing. Updated 2026-10-29.
Also on every Montana ballot: 3 statewide ballot measures →The ballot wording and the official arguments, read for rhetorical techniques.
How to vote in Montana
From Montana's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.
Registration
Register by Mon, Oct 5 (regular registration closes 5:00 pm, 30 days before (MCA 13-2-301); late registration in person at county election office from Oct 6). Same-day registration: late registration in person at county election office through Election Day; page says registration ends 8 p.m., federal registration through noon; Saturday (SB 490) registration enjoined (passed)Source: votemt.gov ↗Source: votemt.gov ↗
Early voting in person
Fri, Oct 9 to Mon, Nov 2 (in-person absentee at county election office once ballots are available, 25 days before Election Day) (passed)Source: sosmt.gov ↗
By mail
Anyone can vote by mail; request a ballot by Mon, Nov 2 (received by county election office by noon); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (received by 8:00 p.m. at election office or polling place; postmark doesn't count) (passed)Source: sosmt.gov ↗
Photo ID (driver's license, state ID, military, tribal, passport, carry permit, MUS ID). Without one, a non-photo ID showing name and current address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government documentSource: votemt.gov ↗
Checked October 6, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us
A person reads every report and fixes errors the same day.
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Paste a campaign text message you’ve received. Semblen marks the persuasion techniques in its wording and lists the factual claims it makes. Take your name out first: what you paste is analyzed and kept like any text.
Findings
As of 2026-10-29. Counts are of distinct ads; the same text run many times is one ad.
Ads analyzed
59 · started running between 2026-06-09 and 2026-10-26
$33,200–56,996 on all ads, $5,900–9,765 on flagged ads · Meta reports ranges; these are the sums of their ends
Example
“Aaron Flint gets it” — Glittering Generalities, paid for by Flint for Montana
· the flagged ad with the highest reported spend that shows the most common technique
A small box with these findings and the newest ads, updated as new ads are analyzed. Free for newsrooms, blogs and campaigns alike; it links back here.
Follow Sam Forstag in office
Sam Forstag won. Get what Sam Forstag says in office by email, analyzed for rhetorical techniques, once sworn in. And an email if the result changes: a recount or a call reversed. One-click unsubscribe.
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Each side is the campaign plus the groups backing it. How a group is placed is explained below the table.
Side
Ads
With at least one technique
Most common
Flint (R)
13
7 of 13 (54%)
Name Calling (3), Loaded Language (2), Appeal to Fear (1)
Flint's campaign
6
5 of 6
Name Calling (2), Appeal to Fear (1), Glittering Generalities (1)
3 groups backing Flint
7
2 of 7
Loaded Language (2), Name Calling (1)
Forstag (D)
41
10 of 41 (24%)
Glittering Generalities (4), Name Calling (4), Loaded Language (3)
Forstag's campaign
5
0 of 5
8 groups backing Forstag
36
10 of 36 (28%)
Glittering Generalities (4), Name Calling (4), Loaded Language (3)
Not placed on a side (3 sponsors)
5
3 of 5
Glittering Generalities (2), Bandwagon Appeal (1), Loaded Language (1)
Read this before comparing the sides. Ads that attack an opponent use these techniques far more often than ads that introduce a candidate, whoever runs them, so the side running more attack ads shows a higher share. A technique is about wording, not about whether an ad is true. These are online ads only (Meta and YouTube), not television.
How a group is placed: by its own filings with the Federal Election Commission. A group is with a candidate when it reported spending to support that candidate, or to oppose the other one in the general election. The parties' own committees are with their nominee. Spending against a candidate in a primary places a group nowhere, and neither does our reading of its ads: a group with no such filing is listed as not placed. The sponsor table gives the reason for each.
Decide what counts
Not everyone would call every technique a problem. Untick the ones you'd call ordinary persuasion and the count updates.
34% of the 59 ads here use at least one of the techniques ticked below (20 ads).
Leaving out the softer ones (loaded language, glittering generalities, slogans, exaggeration, repetition): 20% of ads.
Semblen is free to read and has no ads. If this page was useful, you can support it.
Money in this race
From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.
Aaron Flint (REP)
Raised
$2.9M through 2026-10-14individuals $1.9M · PACs $599K · party $5,000 · from the candidate's other committees $342K · cash on hand $408K
HMP— $3.0M opposing Flint
· 3 ads on this pageLargest donors:
HOUSE MAJORITY FORWARD $93.7M (39%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Reid G Hoffman $8.5M (4%), Greylock Partners, Partner; ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FUND $5.0M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Fred Eychaner $5.0M (2%), Retired; UNITED ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ISSUES FUND $4.8M (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)MONTANA VOTERS PAC— $2.1M opposing FlintTHANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER PAC— $910K supporting FlintLargest donors:
Stephen A Wynn $500K (28%), Valmore GP, Executive; John Wade $350K (19%), AES Restaurant Group LLC, CEO; Roger S Penske $250K (14%), Penske Corporation, Chairman; Craig Duchossois $250K (14%), Retired, Retired; OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM $200K (11%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)GUARDRAILS ALLIANCE— $793K opposing FlintLargest donors:
Juan Felipe Ceron Uribe $200K (27%), Openai, Research Engineer; Dylan Mavrides $100K (14%), Jane Street Capital, Quantitative Trader; Jacob Eliosoff $100K (14%), Calibrated Markets LLC, Investment ManagerLCV VICTORY FUND— $688K opposing Flint
· 2 ads on this pageLargest donors:
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS, INC. $18.0M (81%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Amos Hostetter $600K (3%), Pilot House Associates LLC, Chairman; DEMOCRACY PAC $500K (2%); Giovanna Randall $375K (2%), Randall Apparel, Designer; Eric Laufer $375K (2%), Laufer Wind Group, Film Producerand 26 more
Bundled through PACs
none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01
103 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election
A NEW NATION PAC $1,000
ABRAHAM LINCOLN PAC $2,500
ALASKANS FOR NICK BEGICH $1,000
ALTRIA GROUP, INC. PAC (ALTRIAPAC) $1,000
AMERICA'S FIRST PAC $2,500
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES (ACEC/PAC) $5,000
AMERICAN REVIVAL PAC $10K
AMERICAN SUGARBEET GROWERS ASSOCIATION PAC $1,000
ASSOCIATION OF KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN FRANCHISEES INC PAC $2,500
AUSTIN SCOTT FOR CONGRESS INC $2,000
BAKER & HOSTETLER PAC $2,000
BE VICTORIOUS OVER DEMOCRATS PAC $5,000
BIG IDEAS CREATE EXCELLENCE PAC $2,000
BIG SKY OPPORTUNITY PAC $10K
BOOTS ON THE GROUND - FEDERAL $2,000
BRINGING REPUBLICAN EXCELLENCE TO TOWN PAC $2,000
BUCKEYE LIBERTY PAC $5,000
BUILDING AMERICA'S REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATION PAC $2,000
BURCHETT FOR CONGRESS $2,000
CAROL FOR CONGRESS $4,000
CELESTE FOR CONGRESS $2,000
CHRIS GOBER FOR TEXAS $2,000
CHS INC. PAC $5,000
CIRCLE THE WAGONS PAC $2,000
CLAY FULLER FOR CONGRESS, INC. $2,000
CLIFF BENTZ FOR CONGRESS $2,000
CONSERVATIVE OPPORTUNITY LEADERSHIP AND ENTERPRISE PAC $10K
COOL PAC $2,000
DAVID ROUZER FOR CONGRESS $2,000
DEFENDING THE AMERICAN DREAM PAC $3,000
ELECTING MAJORITY MAKING EFFECTIVE REPUBLICANS PAC $5,000
ELECTING REPUBLICANS INDIANA PAC $1,500
EMMER FOR CONGRESS $2,000
EUREKA PAC $7,500
FEDORCHAK FOR ND $2,600
FIELD OF DREAMS PAC $5,000
FIRST IN FREEDOM PAC $5,000
FLORIDA FIRST PAC $3,000
FOR OUR NATION'S GREATNESS, RESILIENCE, EXCELLENCE, STRENGTH, AND SECURITY (FONGRESS) PAC $1,000
FREEDOM FORCE PAC $7,000
FRIENDS OF TIM MOORE $2,000
GAINES FOR CONGRESS $1,000
GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING FOR BETTER ELECTION RESULTS PAC $3,000
GREATER TOMORROW PAC $2,000
GROWING OUR OWN DYNAMIC ECONOMY NOW $5,000
GUARDING OUR LASTING DEMOCRACY (GOLD) PAC $1,000
GW PAC $2,000
HDR, INC. EMPLOYEE OWNERS PAC $1,000
HEBREW HAMMER PAC $2,000
IMPACT COMMITTEE $1,000
IN THE ARENA PAC $5,000
INDIANAENGRPAC $1,000
JACE YARBROUGH FOR CONGRESS $2,000
JIM JORDAN FOR CONGRESS $2,000
JUST ELECT SUPER STARS PAC $2,500
KOCH INDUSTRIES INC. PAC $5,000
LAND OF OPPORTUNITY PAC $2,500
LASTING INVESTMENTS STRENGTHENING AMERICA PAC $5,000
LEADERSHIP FOR AMERICA TODAY TOMORROW AND ALWAYS PAC $3,000
LEADERSHIP IN ACTION $5,000
LET'S ALL KEEP ELECTING REPUBLICANS PAC $2,000
MAINTAINING ALL REPUBLICANS IN OFFICE PAC $1,000
MARK HARRIS FOR CONGRESS $2,000
MCA BACKPAC $500
MIKE JOHNSON FOR LOUISIANA $2,000
MOORE FOR WEST VIRGINIA, INC. $2,000
MORE JOBS, LESS GOVERNMENT $2,500
MR. SOUTHERN MISSOURIAN IN THE HOUSE PAC $5,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS PAC (NABPAC) $2,500
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONVENIENCE STORES PAC $5,000
NATIONAL CATTLEMEN'S BEEF ASSOCIATION PAC (NCBA-PAC) $5,000
NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION PAC $5,000
NATIONAL SHOOTING SPORTS FOUNDATION, INC. PAC (NSSF PAC) $1,000
NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION RURAL BROADBAND PAC $2,500
OREGON FRONTIER PAC $1,000
PRAYERIE PAC $2,500
RANDYN FOR MONTANA $500
RANGER PAC $5,000
RAPTOR PAC $5,000
RAZOR PAC $2,500
REPUBLICAN JEWISH COALITION PAC (RJC-PAC) $5,000
REPUBLICAN MAINSTREET PARTNERSHIP PAC $5,000
RESTORE AMERICA'S VOICE PAC $1,000
RESTORING OUR NATION PAC $5,000
RUDY FOR INDIANA $2,000
RVFPAC $4,000
SCALISE FOR CONGRESS $4,000
SCONNIE PAC $1,000
SCOTT FITZGERALD FOR CONGRESS $5,000
SEAL PAC SUPPORTING ELECTING AMERICAN LEADERS PAC $10K
SECURING THE REPUBLIC FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION $1,000
SEND IN THE SEAL PAC $10K
SMUCKER FOR CONGRESS $2,000
SPACE COAST LEADERSHIP PAC $1,000
STEVE DAINES FOR MONTANA $4,000
T-MOBILE US, INC. PAC (T-PAC) $2,000
THE EYE OF THE TIGER PAC $10K
THE MAJORITY $1,000
TIM SHEEHY FOR MONTANA $4,000
ULTRAGENYX PHARMACEUTICAL INC. PAC (AKA ULTRAGENYX PAC) $1,500
US ENERGY PAC (THE PAC OF AMERICAN EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION COUNCIL, INC.) $2,500
$4.3M through 2026-10-14individuals $3.5M · PACs $400K · party $1,700 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $1,347 · from the candidate's other committees $409K · cash on hand $726K
NO GOING BACK PAC INC.— $7.6M opposing ForstagPROGRESSIVE TURNOUT PROJECT— $678K supporting ForstagLargest donors:
STOP REPUBLICANS $6.1M (22%) (its largest donors: FAHEY, EILEEN $2.7M; PROGRESSIVE TURNOUT PROJECT $2.5M); LAWALL, JOY $6.0M (22%); PROGRESSIVE TAKEOVER $3.5M (13%) (its largest donors: EVEY, JULIE $1.4M); STOP THESE OPPRESSIVE PEOPLE: TYRANTS RACISTS UNQUALIFIEDS MISOGYNISTS PROPAGANDISTS (STOP TRUMP) $3.0M (11%) (its largest donors: JOHNSTON, ERIC $1.3M); DEM TURNOUT 2024 $2.1M (8%) (its largest donors: KITCHEN, CAROL $1.2M)MONTANA VOTERS PAC— $597K supporting ForstagAMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY ACTION, INC. (AFP ACTION) DBA CVA ACTION AND DBA LIBRE ACTION— $294K opposing Forstag
· 2 ads on this pageLargest donors:
KOCH INC $30.0M (33%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); STAND TOGETHER INC. $20.0M (22%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Jim C Walton $7.0M (8%), Self-Employed, Philanthropist; S Robson Walton $7.0M (8%), Retired, Retired; STAND TOGETHER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INC $6.5M (7%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)MONTANANS FOR PUBLIC LANDS— $166K supporting Forstagand 15 more
Paid for by Powers for the Peoplefrom 2026-10-26spend $0–9910,000–14,999 impressions
Let’s send a smoke jumper to Congress and a fire lookout to the Legislature! So Montana!
Sam Forstag was a smoke jumper running for Congress and Debo Powers volunteers as a fire lookout and is running for re-election to the Montana Legislature. They are both union members and will represent working people.
Don’t believe all the nasty negative advertising paid for by billionaires to manipulate you!
Loaded Language: Emotionally charged words like 'nasty' and 'manipulate' are used to provoke distrust of the advertising rather than address its content.
Paid for by PARKSPACfrom 2026-10-26 to 2026-10-27spend $0–99100–999 impressions
For years, Aaron Flint publicly supports the selling of our public lands that puts Montana’s outdoor heritage at risk. When asked, his campaign refused to denounce the idea or deny that he would push for land transfers in Congress.
Aaron Flint: Untrustworthy on Montana lands. Wrong for Montana’s 1st District. On November 3, say no to Aaron Flint.
Sam Forstag won. Get what Sam Forstag says in office by email, analyzed for rhetorical techniques, once sworn in. And an email if the result changes: a recount or a call reversed. One-click unsubscribe.
Confirming also makes your free Semblen account, with a 14-day Pro trial. No card.
Paid for by PARKSPACfrom 2026-10-26spend $200–29950,000–59,999 impressions
For years, Aaron Flint publicly supported the selling of our public lands that puts Montana’s outdoor heritage at risk. When asked, his campaign refused to denounce the idea or deny that he would push for land transfers in Congress.
Aaron Flint: Untrustworthy on Montana lands. Wrong for Montana’s 1st District. On November 3, say no to Aaron Flint.
Paid for by Sam For Montanafrom 2026-10-26 to 2026-10-27spend $0–994,000–4,999 impressions
Sam Forstag’s “For All Of Us” tour is coming to Browning and former Senator Jon Tester is joining him!
Come join Sam for a Get Out The Vote rally and community feed this Monday at the Stick Game Arbor at 6:00 PM, featuring live music from the Crawford Brothers Band!
Sam is a smokejumper and union leader running for Congress to make sure working people have a voice in Washington. He’ll talk about the fight for affordable housing, healthcare, and childcare, and what it will take to build an economy where you can stay in Montana after graduation. He’ll also share what he’s seen firsthand fighting for our public lands and the public servants who protect them
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Parks PACfrom 2026-10-26spend $0–99100–999 impressions
ParksPAC is excited to announce our second endorsement this midterm cycle: Sam Forstag for MT-01!
We love that we are able to highlight a public land steward who knows how to fight for our parks and those who care for them. 💪🏼
Sam is a smokejumper out of Missoula and a union organizer for NFFE. Protecting our public lands & their stewards is close to his heart.
We are proud to join the fight to get Sam to Congress.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in MT; or it ran mostly in MT and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.