Beer, Buds, and the Big Sky Podcast

In this episode of One Hitters, we sit down with Alani Bankhead, a retired lieutenant colonel, former special agent, and candidate for U.S. Senate in Montana.

We talk about her background in military and public service, why she decided to run, the role of accountability in government, and how Montana voters are responding to corruption, dark money, and the current political moment.

Website: https://alaniformt.com

In this One Hitter episode of Beer, Buds, and the Big Sky, we’re joined by Helena Lovick from Great Falls to talk through a strange and fast-developing political situation in Cascade County.

With reports of Republican-affiliated candidates entering Democratic primaries, the conversation explores election strategy, open primary dynamics, and what this means for voters in Montana.

Helena provides on-the-ground perspective from Great Falls, breaking down the motivations behind these moves and how local political groups are responding.

A quick, informative snapshot of Montana politics — without the fluff.

In this episode of One Hitters, we sit down with Sam Lux, a farrier and congressional candidate running in eastern Montana.

We talk about what it means to run a working-class campaign, why kitchen-table issues matter, the role of corporate money in politics, healthcare reform, and how Montana voters are responding to the current political moment. Sam also shares why he believes rural communities need more direct representation and less influence from big-money interests.

Website: https://luxformontana.com/home

In this episode of One Hitters, we sit down with Adrianne Marsh to talk about rural voters, the Democratic brand, and why fears about AI are showing up in a major way in voter research.

We discuss what rural voters value, why Democrats have lost ground in red states, how AI is affecting trust and anxiety across generations, and why active listening may be the key to rebuilding political credibility.

Website: https://www.altum-insight.com/

This week on Beer, Buds & the Big Sky, the guys sit down with Matt Rains, candidate for U.S. House in Montana, for a long-form conversation about the state of Montana and the country.

They cover the latest chaos around Iran, rising gas prices, reports of major Pentagon spending under Pete Hegseth, the pressure on farmers and ranchers, healthcare costs, tariffs, and why so many voters are frustrated with Washington.

Matt also talks about his campaign, why he decided to run, and what kind of leadership Montana needs right now.

It’s part candidate interview, part political therapy session, and part total derailment.

Learn more about Matt Rains here:
https://www.mattrainsformontana.com

Beer, Buds, and the Big Sky Podcast delivers unapologetic political commentary with a heavy pour of biting satire. No Spin, no safe spaces - Just unfiltered opinions, sharp humor, and plenty of beer-fueled honesty.

Grab a beer and settle in — this one is a big one.

In this special episode of Beer, Buds & The Big Sky, we hosted a live candidate roundtable at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center featuring the Democratic candidates running for Montana’s 1st Congressional District.

Instead of a traditional debate format, this conversation was designed to give voters a chance to hear directly from the candidates in a long-form discussion about the issues facing Montana — including affordability, public lands, healthcare, dark money in politics, and the future of the state.

Joining us for the roundtable:

Ryan Busse
Russell Cleveland
Matt Rains
Sam Forstag

Each candidate shares their background, priorities, and vision for representing Montana in Washington.

This event was hosted live in Whitefish and streamed for voters across the state to hear the candidates side-by-side in a more open conversation than a typical debate.

Crack a beer and dive in.

Ryan Busse
https://www.busseformontana.com

Russell Cleveland
https://www.clevelandformontana.com

Matt Rains
https://www.mattrainsformontana.com

Sam Forstag
https://www.samformontana.com

Candidate Websites

This week on Beer, Buds, and the Big Sky, the crew is joined by U.S. House candidate Ryan Busse for a wild, unfiltered conversation on the growing chaos at home and abroad.

They dive into the fallout from the Iran war, rising gas prices, the state of the economy, the continued Epstein file backlash, and why major Montana Republicans like Zinke and Daines seem to be heading for the exits. Along the way, the guys take aim at political corruption, healthcare insanity, dark money, and the growing frustration voters are feeling across Montana.

It’s part rant, part therapy session, part political roundtable—and completely uncensored.

Topics include: Ryan Busse, Iran war, Trump, Epstein files, Montana politics, Ryan Zinke, Steve Daines, healthcare, gas prices, dark money, economy, Democratic roundtable, Whitefish politics

Grab a beer and settle in — this one gets into it. The Beer Buds Big Sky crew welcomes Andy Boyd, founder of the Montana Resistance, for a deep dive into the dark money networks shaping Montana elections. From "The Table" — the behind-the-scenes power circle controlling Democratic strategy in the state — to the staggering sums being shuffled between PACs, C4s, and 527s on both sides of the aisle, Andy breaks it all down with the kind of candor you won't hear from the consulting class.

The guys also tackle NPR's Epstein investigation and the pages being scrubbed from federal files, Trump's State of the Union victory lap, and why Western Montana polling has both Daines and Zinke underwater heading into 2026.

Plus: excitement builds around the four Democratic candidates running in MT-1, a live round table event coming to Whitefish, and the crew sounds off on the Save Act, Medicaid threats, and the ever-widening income gap.

Next up: Congressional candidate Ryan Bussey joins the pod.

🎙️ New episodes weekly. Find us on YouTube, Facebook, and all major podcast platforms.

We watched the entire State of the Union live — and reacted in real time.

No script. No edits. No spin.

We break down the biggest moments, fact-check claims, talk about executive power, immigration, the economy, military recognition, culture politics, and what this all means heading into the midterms — especially in Montana.

This one is raw.

If you’re tired of cable news shouting matches and want regular people working through it together, this episode is for you.

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Beer, Buds & The Big Sky
Politics. Culture. Montana. Real talk.