GREAT FALLS — Candidates running to represent Montana's eastern congressional district will debate one another at 6 p.m. Saturday in Great Falls.
For the first time in 30 years, Montanans will send two representatives to the U.S. House.
MTN will broadcast two debates Saturday simultaneously and local CBS stations will air the debate for the district in which voters live.
Both debates will also be available online and on all MTN stations’ streaming apps, which you can download for free on devices like Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Android TV.
Republican candidate and U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale spent the last two years serving as Montana's at-large representative in congress. He is running for Montana's eastern congressional district against Democratic candidate and former Billings City Councilmember Penny Ronning and Independent candidate and Billings business man Gary Buchanan.
Libertarian candidate Sam Rankin will also appear on the ballot in November, however Rankin was not invited to the debate because the network determined he did not meet established criteria.
That set of criteria included:
● The candidate must be a legally qualified candidate as specified by the FCC (They must publicly announce his or her candidacy, must be eligible to hold office if elected, and must qualify for a place on the ballot).
● The candidate must have at least 10 percent support in independent polls of the electorate.
● The candidate must have an active campaign, with a campaign office, staff, website and/or telephone number.
● The candidate must have raised funds from outside sources, other than the candidate's own resources.
