The terms of two Montana Supreme Court justices, Ingrid Gustafson and James Rice, are ending on December 31, 2022. The candidates competed in a nonpartisan primary election on June 7, 2022. James Rice and Bill D’Alton competed in the primary for Rice’s seat. Ingrid Gustafson, James Brown, and Mike McMahon competed in the primary for Gustafson’s seat. The two candidates who received the highest number of votes in each primary (James Rice, Bill D’Alton, Ingrid Gustafson, and James Brown) will advance to the general election, which will be held on November 8, 2022.
Kantar Media/CMAG: Estimated Total TV Spending: $523,870*
- Estimated spending by James Brown: $218,130
- Estimated spending by Ingrid Gustafson: $138,360
- Estimated spending by Montana Business PAC: $10,460
- Estimated spending by Republican State Leadership Committee – JFI Montana PAC: $47,650
- Estimated spending by Realtors for Better Government: $21,660
- Estimated spending by Montanans for Liberty and Justice: $87,600
- Estimated spending by Montana Republican State Central Committee: $10
*Spending figures last updated November 7, 2022.
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November 6 – MT Gustafson Tayt
In this ad, Ingrid Gustafson’s daughter says, “My mom, Ingrid Gustafson, is steadfast, confident, loyal, strong. She got into law for the betterment of other people.”
Sponsor: Ingrid Gustafson
Estimated Spending: TBD
November 6 – MT RSCC Small Business 15
In this ad, a voiceover says “James Brown will enforce the law and follow the constitution. Brown’s pro-business and endorsed by small business owners.”
Sponsor: Montana Republican State Central Committee
Estimated Spending: TBD
November 2 – MT RSCC Fourth Generation 15
In this ad, a voiceover says “James Brown will preserve the rule of law, uphold the constitution, and protect our way of life.”
Sponsor: Montana Republican State Central Committee
Estimated Spending: $10
November 1 – MT Brown Fought 15
In this ad, a voiceover says “Just like Joe Biden, liberal Ingrid Gustafson’s bad for Montana jobs.”
Sponsor: James Brown
Estimated Spending: $34,250
October 26 – MT RSLCJFIMT Trust 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “Gustafson even heard a case brought by her own court’s employee. We call that unethical. Liberal Ingrid Gustafson, wrong for Supreme Court.”
Sponsor: Republican State Leadership Committee – JFI Montana PAC
Estimated Spending: $4,090
October 26 – MT RSLCJFIMT Missing Records 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “Ingrid Gustafson voted to hide her own records from us. Ignoring ethics, Gustafson involved herself in a case brought by her own court’s employee. Ingrid Gustafson can’t be trusted.”
Sponsor: Republican State Leadership Committee – JFI Montana PAC
Estimated Spending: $5,360
October 25 – MT MFLJ Auction
In this ad, a voiceover says, “Auctioning off our public lands. James Brown lobbied for special interests scheming to limit our access to public lands and streams.”
Sponsor: Montanans for Liberty and Justice
Estimated Spending: $40,740
October 25 – MT Gustafson Negative Ads
In this ad, Ingrid Gustafson says, “Like you, I hate these negative ads. They’re outrageous lies and you shouldn’t believe them. This isn’t a game, this is about Montana’s future and whether you will let out-of-state dark money lobbyists buy a seat on the Montana Supreme Court.”
Sponsor: Ingrid Gustafson
Estimated Spending: $42,470
October 20 – MT MFLJ Power Bills Gazette
This ad features a Billings Gazette headline which reads “Commissioners approve large NorthWestern Energy rate hike” and a voiceover which says “power bills for NorthWest are going up thanks to PSC president and lobbyist James Brown.”
Sponsor: Montanans for Liberty and Justice
Estimated Spending: $120
October 19 – MT Brown Liberal Judge 15
In this ad, a voiceover says “Liberal judge Ingrid Gustafson is falsely attacking constitutional conservative James Brown to hide her record of using loopholes to overturn convictions of violent criminals and a child sex abuser.”
Sponsor: James Brown
Estimated Spending: $24,150
October 19 – MT Brown Always Fought 15
In this ad, a voiceover says “Ingrid Gustafson’s making false attacks because Gustafson’s F-rated by the Montana Chamber of Commerce on protecting jobs and small business.”
Sponsor: James Brown
Estimated Spending: $44,000
October 16 – MT RSLCJFIMT Bad Choice 15
In this ad, a voiceover says “Ingrid Gustafson: a bad choice for supreme court. Gustafson’s F-rated by the Montana Chamber of Commerce.”
Sponsor: Republican State Leadership Committee – JFI Montana PAC
Estimated Spending: $24,740
October 2 – MT MFLJ Power Bills
In this ad, a voiceover says “our power bills are going up 20 percent thanks to PSC president and lobbyist James Brown.”
Sponsor: Montanans for Liberty and Justice
Estimated Spending: $46,740
October 2 – MT Gustafson Marc
In this ad, former Montana Governor Marc Racicot says, “She is a fine lawyer and a jurist that can be trusted. Reelect Justice Ingrid Gustafson to the Montana Supreme Court.”
Sponsor: Ingrid Gustafson
Estimated Spending: $16,890
October 2 – MT Gustafson Gregory Todd
In this ad, retired judge Gregory Todd says, “Justice Gustafson does not have an agenda. She calls it as she sees it.”
Sponsor: Ingrid Gustafson
Estimated Spending: $12,090
September 26 – MT Gustafson Twenty Years 15
In this ad, Ingrid Gustafson says, “I’ve spent my career protecting your constitutional rights: the right to privacy and access to public lands and water.”
Sponsor: Ingrid Gustafson
Estimated Spending: $9,030
September 25 – MT Gustafson Protecting Your Constitutional Rights
In this ad, Ingrid Gustafson says, “corporate lobbyists and partisan politicians are distorting my record and spreading misinformation.”
Sponsor: Ingrid Gustafson
Estimated Spending: $37,720
September 21 – MT Brown Way of Life 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “Joe Biden and liberal activist judges are attacking our way of life. But James Brown will fight back.”
Sponsor: James Brown
Estimated Spending: $30,610
September 21 – MT Brown Coming for our Jobs 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “Joe Biden is coming for our jobs, guns, way of life. But James Brown has the backbone to follow the Constitution.”
Sponsor: James Brown
Estimated Spending: $42,810
September 14 – MT RBG Fourth Generation 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “Brown’s pro-business and endorsed by small business owners.”
Sponsor: Realtors for Better Government
Estimated Spending: $21,660
June 6 – MT RSLCJFIMT Conservative Choice 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “James Brown, endorsed by Senator Daines, Governor Gianforte, and Attorney General Knudsen, 'cause they know James Brown is a true constitutional conservative.”
Sponsor: Republican State Leadership Committee – JFI Montana PAC
Estimated Spending: $13,460
June 6 – MT Brown Uphold the Constitution 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “He’ll uphold the constitution, stand for law and order, and fight to protect our Montana way of life.”
Sponsor: James Brown
Estimated Spending: $2,390
May 24 – MT Brown Fourth Generation 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “James Brown knows that defending our rights, protecting our values, depends on the strict interpretation of our constitution.”
Sponsor: James Brown
Estimated Spending: $6,880
May 24 – MT Brown Our Rights 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “James Brown, the constitutional conservative who sees our rights under Montana’s constitution as black and white.”
Sponsor: James Brown
Estimated Spending: $14,700
May 9 – MT Brown Fourth Generation
In this ad, James Brown says, “as your next justice, I will follow the law, defend the Constitution, and protect the Montana way of life.”
Sponsor: James Brown
Estimated Spending: $18,340
May 12 – MT Gustafson Soccer
In this ad, Ingrid Gustafson says, “just as there’s no room for politics on the pitch, there’s no room for politics in the courtroom. I have nearly 20 years of experience serving Montanans as a judge. Now I’m asking for your vote to re-elect me.”
Sponsor: Ingrid Gustafson
Estimated Spending: $8,780
May 12 – MT MTBP Lawyer 15
In this ad, a voiceover says, “on the Supreme Court, Brown will preserve the rule of law, uphold the Constitution, and protect our way of life.”
Sponsor: Montana Business PAC
Estimated Spending: $5,250
May 12 – MT MTBP Fourth Generation 15
This ad says, “Fourth generation Montanan, small businessman, James Brown will enforce the law and follow the Constitution.”
Sponsor: Montana Business PAC
Estimated Spending: $5,210
May 18 – MT Gustafson Appears to Be
This ad says, “Ingrid truly cares about the people in the judicial system. On the Supreme Court you want someone like Ingrid, who has now been five years on the Montana Supreme Court and believes deeply in our Montana Constitution.”
Sponsor: Ingrid Gustafson
Estimated Spending: $3,020
