January 13, 2026

Busse’s Back Again

By Larry Keane

He’s baaa-aack.

Ryan Busse, the firearm industry turncoat, former paid gun control lobbyist and failed gubernatorial candidate, announced he’s throwing his hat in the ring and again seeking the approval of Montana voters who just two years ago overwhelmingly rejected him in favor of reelecting Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte.

Busse shopped around the state like he was flipping through the pages of the Fall men’s outdoor wear catalogue and chose Montana’s western First Congressional District to try and win a congressional seat. He’s for now in a four-way Democratic primary, with the winner taking on incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke.

The election is just over nine months away.

Run It Back?

Ryan Busse is apparently ignoring his resounding rejection as many democrats do these days, and doubling down on unpopular policies in this next go around. He lost his gubernatorial bid to Gov. Gianforte by nearly 20 percent after Montana voters roundly rejected his platform to lead the state, which included implementing strict gun control laws. That includes a ban on AR-15-style semiautomatic rifles — highly popular in the Big Sky State among both men and women — that he gave full-throated support to in 2024. 

That’s a real tough position to sell to voters again in the state with the highest percentage of gun owners per capita in the entire country. For his part, Rep. Zinke has been a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment and firearm industry that provides for exercise of that Constitutional right. Rep. Zinke earned an A+ in the 2024 NSSF Congressional Report Card, denoting his exceptional support and advocacy for legislation that supports the industry and the right to keep and bear arms. In that regard, Rep. Zinke and Busse are as far apart on Second Amendment issues as Montana is wide.

Cashin’ In

In his congressional campaign announcement video, beyond making it abundantly clear to everyone that he is of the “I’m a hunter, but…” persuasion, Busse declares, “I know the difference between serving a place, and cashing in on it.”

“Cashing in on it” is exactly what Busse did professionally after spending 25 years working for a leading American firearm manufacturer, during which span they produced more than 2.3 million rifles, pistols and revolvers. What did he do after that? He went and took a hefty paycheck from the national gun control group GIFFORDS Courage to Fight Gun Violence the very next year after leaving his previous employer. GIFFORDS still has the press release up announcing Busse was joining as a “senior advisor” and he’s parlayed that role into television appearances and media opportunities ever since to push an antigun agenda more in line with Fudds than true Montana ranchers and outdoorsmen and women.

Astonishingly, though, Busse wants Montanans to believe he’s transparent and noble in his new gun control cause, but he won’t show them the proof — choosing during his previous campaign to keep his financial records and tax returns private.

Not a Sure Thing

If Busse assumed he’d be taking on Rep. Zinke in nine months in an attempt to knock off the incumbent, he’s got to whoa his ponies a bit. There are currently four announced candidates for the Democratic nomination.

In addition to Busse, the Daily Montanan reported “Missoula smokejumper and union leader Sam Forstag announced his candidacy,” for the seat as well, in addition to Matt Rains, of Simms, and Russ Cleveland, of St. Regis, “who each bring similar backgrounds as veterans and in agriculture to their campaigns.”

Should he be the Democratic candidate and hypothetically knock off a popular incumbent in Rep. Zinke, there’s little doubt a Busse would side with national gun control activists in many of the most consequential anti-Second Amendment proposals that would come out of Washington, D.C. He’s already cashed those groups’ checks and taken the donations and endorsements.

When it comes to voting against the values of Montanans, Busse would be another rubber stamp.

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Post-COVID Crime Data Debunks Gun Control’s ‘Wild West’ Narrative