This story was updated Nov. 3, 2026, at 9:50 p.m., to include reporting about Troy Downing’s acceptance speech and comment from Michael Eisenhauer.
The Associated Press has called Montana’s Eastern U.S. House District race for Republican incumbent Troy Downing, who first won the seat in 2024. Downing defeated Democrat Brian Miller, independent candidate Mike Eisenhauer and Libertarian Patrick McCracken. Downing had received 53% of the counted ballots when the race was called, with Miller polling 36% and Eisenhauer 9%.
AP called the race at 9:18 p.m., with about 40% of the vote reported.
After the AP announced Downing’s victory, the Republican addressed supporters during a watch party at the DoubleTree hotel in Billings. “Back in Black” by AC/DC played as he walked on stage. Downing thanked his “Lord and savior Jesus Christ,” along with his wife, campaign team and voters.
“Tomorrow the work continues. Please keep me informed. Keep me accountable. This is the honor of a lifetime,” Downing said.
Miller told Montana Free Press on Tuesday night that he is waiting to concede the race until he sees vote totals released from Yellowstone County.
Eisenhauer told MTFP via a text Tuesday night that he offered Downing his “sincerest congratulations” by phone a little after 9:30 p.m.
Downing did not face a primary challenger.
Tonight’s outcome offers little surprise for pundits or political mapmakers. The district’s electorate consists of large swaths of Republican-leaning rural voters. And out of the roughly 30 members of the state Legislature hailing from the district’s two largest cities, Billings and Great Falls, only five are Democrats. Since the district’s inception in 2022, the area has reliably voted Republicans into Congress by double-digit margins. Throughout this year’s election, poll aggregator 270ToWin ranked MT-02 as safely Republican.
Downing founded a technology business and later a real estate firm. He also served two tours in Afghanistan after 9/11. He first ran for federal office in 2018, placing third in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. In 2020, he was elected state auditor. As his first term came to an end in 2024, he won a crowded primary for Montana’s Eastern U.S. House District.
During his freshman term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Downing served on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources. He also introduced a bill that would deny federal housing funding to communities that don’t share information about immigrants with federal officers or detain people arrested by immigration agents. He has voted along party lines 99.4% of the time.
Phoebe Tollefson contributed reporting.
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