New polling results released Wednesday, March 6, show Democratic Sen. Jon Tester with a narrow, but statistically insignificant, lead over Republican Tim Sheehy in a theoretical matchup eight months before Election Day, and also that Gov. Greg Gianforte has a neutral approval rating as he starts his re-election bid. The Emerson College Polling/ The Hill poll also shows former President Donald

This story is adapted from the MT Lowdown, a weekly newsletter digest containing original reporting and analysis published every Friday. Montana’s K-12 school system plays an essential role in this state — as essential as any of the many public institutions covered by Montana Free Press. It’s also an expensive endeavor, with districts across the state spending, according to data from

Republican Congressman Matt Rosendale said on Friday he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives – another twist in a two-month saga in which the eastern Montana representative has announced his run, and departure, in two federal races. Rosendale announced his decision to drop out of the 2nd Congressional District race on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying that a rumor

Sunshine Week is March 10-16, and this year, there’s an even greater need for you to get involved. Sunshine Week annually celebrates freedom of information laws in every state. It also salutes efforts by good government advocates and journalists to use and ensure the effectiveness of those laws to get the information we need as self-governing citizens. The name is a play on the commonsense