HELENA, Mont. — A free resource built by Montanans to help more people get involved, run for office and grow the Democratic Party from the ground up is now live at montanaforthemany.com. Montana for the Many brings together guides to every public office in the state, every county, running a campaign and joining a county party. The Bankhead campaign is sharing it with the press today to help it reach Democrats and would-be candidates in every county, and is calling on Montana Democrats to rebuild the party's trust, unity and grassroots strength together.
Everywhere the campaign traveled this year, longtime Montana Democrats described the same thing: the damage to the party didn't start in 2026. It started just over a decade ago, when, over the course of just a few years, the party moved away from the grassroots, self-reliant way it used to sustain itself and came to depend on a paid donor class and outside consultants.
"What we heard over and over is that the focus shifted away from the people," said Alani Bankhead. "We need to shift it back. A party that runs on small, steady donations from its members answers to its members. When a few big donors and consultants fill that space, they end up making the decisions."
Many of those same Democrats say that over the last 18 months, the Table and the elite establishment capitalized on that weakness. Instead of looking honestly at the party's own mistakes, they blamed outside factors, including the party's own name, and decided Montana voters had to be steered. They used consultants and outside influence to fracture what was left of the party, sow division, and convince members and voters that everyone else was to blame.
"Whatever anyone thinks of the candidates this year, the result is the same," said Jeri Bucy, Bankhead Campaign Manager. "The party is split, trust is broken, and a lot of good Democrats feel manipulated and abandoned. There is a lot of work to do, and it'll take a lot of Montanans to make it happen."
The people already doing the work
The party is full of good people working hard, and rebuilding should start with them.
"There are incredible county central committees across Montana already doing this work," said Lora Wier, former chair of the Teton County Democrats. "Most of what we do happens between elections: recruiting candidates and building relationships in every corner of the county. The Independent push this cycle hurt county parties like ours too, and set that work back. Now we need to get back to work and make sure people know the Democratic Party is still here for them. Every resource that makes that easier matters."
"Emily Marburger worked incredibly hard this year to support the party and its members, and to keep us from dividing further," Bankhead said. "Bruce Knutson has our full support and trust as he works to bring the Montana Democratic Party back together and grow it into the future. So many people in this party are doing great things."
Marburger, the party's executive director, made a similar case after the election in an op-ed titled "The independent experiment failed." "We won't rebuild this party by running away from it," she wrote. "We'll rebuild it by running together."
Bringing the party back together happens one county and one conversation at a time. It happens from the bottom up, and the top down, working together. Every Democrat who wants to help should have a place to plug in and a reason to trust that their work matters.
A real look at the last ten years
Montana Democrats need a truly introspective look at why the party has struggled statewide over the last decade.
"You can't throw the baby out with the bathwater," Bankhead said in August. "You have to address the brand of the Democratic Party first and foremost."
"It's too easy to blame the party name, or the MAGA Republicans," said Michael BlackWolf, who ran for U.S. Senate in the 2026 Democratic primary. "In a state like Montana, the party can't be a monolith. People want a party that fights for them, and that includes the tribal nations, ranchers and farmers who have built this state for generations."
That also means the party can't ostracize its DSA members or its more conservative members, or force everyone to the center. Healthy, grassroots partisanship makes for a more representative government, and the grassroots on both sides want a lot of the same things.
That means embracing populist policy and showing how it can be done with fiscal responsibility, and going back to a party funded by its own people. Five and ten dollars a month from people across this state is how the party stays theirs.
"When some people hear 'populism,' they think of us versus them," said Kevin Hamm, the 2026 Democratic nominee for the Public Service Commission. "The reality is that we need to put people first. Every Montanan should be able to afford their power bill, their groceries and their health care. That's the most fiscally responsible thing a party can do."
An independent review, to understand and to fix
This campaign fully supports the protest Reilly Neill submitted to the Montana Democratic Party under Bylaw 18.
"Reilly has had strong things to say about this campaign, but this protest stands on its own," Bucy said. "It's clearly written, well sourced and specific. It reflects the experience and treatment our campaign encountered through the general election as well. It requires a strong, introspective look at what happened, what was allowed to happen, why it happened, and what needs to change to rebuild an effective, transparent and trusted executive board. It deserves a real answer."
The party's processes, auditing and transparency should be assessed by an independent investigation. The point is understanding, not targeting anyone. The review should establish:
- Exactly what happened.
- Where the bylaws were violated, how it happened, and why it wasn't caught and fixed at the time.
- What may not have broken the bylaws but did break their intent.
- Full recommendations so none of it happens again.
"Nobody should be targeted," said Brian Miller, the 2026 Democratic nominee for Montana's 2nd Congressional District. "Every candidate, every volunteer and every member who gives the party their time and money should be able to trust the process. An independent review is how we get there."
Building the bench
The most common thing the campaign heard across the state was the need to build the bench and bring more people into the party.
Bankhead made the same case in June. "With Montanans, folks are often too humble to offer their services in service to their community because they think they're not quite good enough," she said. "So we're actually working on elevating those folks. And not only that, we're establishing a bench that's going to benefit Montana for 20, 30, 40 years to come. And we're already cultivating the next generation of leaders."
"You grow a bench by supporting first-time candidates and helping them get involved in their communities," said Jakob Miles, a member of the Montana Democratic Party's executive board and chair of the Lewis & Clark County Democrats. "You mentor them, teach them, give them resources and give them room to grow, even in races they may not win that year. Beto O'Rourke and Stacey Abrams didn't win Texas or Georgia in 2018, but the people and organizing behind those campaigns helped pave the way for James Talarico and Keisha Lance Bottoms this year. That's what comes next for Montana. And it's how we rebuild the Democratic brand here, with people in every county who their neighbors already know and trust. Every Democrat that gets involved with their central committee is appointed to a local board, or runs for any office is one more voice in our bench. The more voices we have, the stronger we become."
Montana for the Many
Montana for the Many was built by individual Montanans and isn't paid for or sponsored by any campaign or organization. It brings resources, education and information from across the state into one place, to support the Montana Democratic Party, its county central committees and the people doing the work. The campaign fully supports the effort and looks forward to helping Montana and its Democratic Party rebuild unity, trust, and a true, supportive, grassroots path forward. It is sharing the site with the press today to give it a boost, so it reaches Democrats and would-be candidates in every county.
The site includes:
- A guide to every public office in Montana, from school board and county commission to statewide office: what it does, what it pays and how to get there.
- A page for every county, and a short "Find Your Fit" quiz for people deciding where to start.
- Step-by-step guides to running for office and building a campaign.
- How Montana laws and budgets get made, and how to use petitions, initiatives and public comment.
- How to get involved in your county party and precinct, plus a directory of Montana groups already doing the work.
"I've wanted to run for office since I was a teenager," said Lea Bossler, a Missoula area progressive. "It always seemed like something you could only do if you fit the party-approved persona. Having all of it in one place, with no barriers, makes it feel like something regular Montanans can actually do. The next step is for the party to move past the political-industrial complex and commit to the people."
"It's a work in progress, and it will keep changing as people give feedback, ask questions, share resources and get involved," Bucy said. "If it helps build communities of interest across the state and gives more Montanans a voice, then it's doing exactly what it's meant to do. It's a website for the people, powered by the people, and used to grow and advance the people."
Montana for the Many is live at montanaforthemany.com. Every page has a feedback form for questions, corrections and ideas.
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