Montana Republican U.s. Sen. Steve Daines Drops Reelection Bid In Surprise Move

BILLINGS, Mont. — Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana dropped his bid for a 3rd word connected Wednesday successful a astonishment withdrawal conscionable minutes earlier a filing deadline for candidates.

Daines, 63, said successful a connection that he wrestled pinch nan determination for months earlier deciding to retire. He said he looked guardant to spending clip pinch his 7 grandchildren and much clip successful Montana.

Montana U.S. Atty. Kurt Alme, besides a Republican, entered nan title soon earlier nan state’s deadline for major-party candidates.

The maneuver appeared to beryllium cautiously orchestrated. Alme was almost instantly endorsed by President Trump, who praised Daines — and fundamentally confirmed nan senator’s domiciled successful engineering Alme to go his successor.

“Sadly for our Country, Steve’s Term is up,” Trump said, “and he has decided to time off nan Senate and, ‘pass nan torch’ to Kurt Alme, my TRUMP 45 and TRUMP 47 U.S. Attorney.”

Other lawmakers besides person utilized last-minute withdrawals to group up a handpicked successor. Last autumn nan House censured Rep. Chuy Garcia, an Illinois Democrat, for really he engineered his status to clear a way for his main of staff.

Daines’ announcement intimately followed different shake-up successful Montana’s Republican section for November: On Monday, four-term Rep. Ryan Zinke announced his status because of wellness problems. Zinke quickly endorsed a erstwhile personnel of his staff, power talk show big Aaron Flint, who besides received backing from Trump.

Al Olszewski, a erstwhile authorities legislator who is moving for Zinke’s seat, accused Daines and Zinke of betraying nan group of Montana and urged voters to cull their handpicked successors.

“We don’t simply judge replacements selected by nan heavy authorities and D.C. for them to lord powerfulness complete us,” said Olszewski, a Republican.

An independent campaigner is besides running

The maneuvering among nan state’s Republicans came connected nan aforesaid time that erstwhile University of Montana President Seth Bodnar launched an independent run for Daines’ seat.

Bodnar’s determination to tally without statement backing underscores Democrats’ diminished status. The statement hasn’t controlled immoderate statewide offices pursuing nan conclusion of three-term incumbent Sen. Jon Tester 2 years ago.

No well-known Democrats entered nan Senate title by Wednesday’s deadline.

Republicans person a slim mostly successful nan Senate, holding 53 seats to Democrats’ 45 positive 2 independents. Daines is nan 15th legislator to denote his status since nan 2024 election, nan astir successful immoderate azygous word going backmost to 2013.

Following Daines’ announcement, Bodnar said nan lawmaker had “so small respect for Montana Republicans that he withdrew astatine nan past infinitesimal to coronate his handpicked successor, alternatively of giving them a sound astatine nan ballot box.”

Bodnar, a autochthonal of Grove City, Pa., graduated first successful his people from West Point and served successful nan Army Special Forces earlier moving arsenic an executive astatine GE Transportation.

He said successful a video connection that America’s governmental strategy is surgery and elected officials successful Washington are looking retired only for group who are able and connected.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee called Bodnar a “fake independent” and criticized him arsenic a “champion” of allowing transgender athletes to participate successful assemblage sports.

A spokesperson for Bodnar sidestepped questions astir whether he would caucus pinch Democrats aliases Republicans if elected.

“When Seth gets into nan Senate, he will conflict for caller activity and discuss a domiciled that gives Montanans nan strongest imaginable voice,” Roy Loewenstein said.

Republicans person solidified their clasp connected Montana

Alme was a national charismatic earlier being named U.S. lawyer during some of Trump’s terms. He served nether 2 Republican governors arsenic a fund head and gross director.

“As a autochthonal Montanan, I person ever been committed to serving our communities, upholding nan norm of law, and fighting for nan information and prosperity of each family successful our state,” he said successful a statement.

Daines served 1 word successful nan House earlier a successful 2014 tally for nan Senate spot formerly held by Democrat Max Baucus. He won by a wide separator complete a little-known force aft Baucus’ would-be Democratic successor, erstwhile Lt. Gov. John Walsh, dropped retired of nan title pursuing reports that he plagiarized parts of his thesis while attending nan U.S. Army War College.

In 2020, Daines hit Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock by 10 percent points. At that clip nan run was nan astir costly successful Montana governmental history.

Federal Election Commission run filings show Daines had raised much than $8 cardinal since his past predetermination successful 2020. He had astir $5 cardinal successful rate connected manus arsenic of Dec. 31, according to nan filings.

Brown writes for nan Associated Press. AP writers Bill Barrow successful Atlanta and Maya Sweedler successful Washington contributed to this report.