2026 United States Senate election in Montana
November 3, 2026
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The 2026 United States Senate election in Montana will be held on November 6, 2026, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of Montana. Primary elections will be held on June 2, 2026. With no incumbent running, this is the first open seat since 1976 and the first in this seat since 1960.[a]
Two-term incumbent Steve Daines, who was re-elected in 2020 with 55.0% of the vote, withdrew from the Republican primary just minutes before the primary filing deadline and endorsed U.S District Attorney Kurt Alme to succeed him.
Seth Bodnar, the former president of the University of Montana, is running as an independent.
Background
Montana is considered to be a red state at the federal level, having not voted for a Democratic president since Bill Clinton's plurality victory in 1992.[1] Recently, the state has also been trending red on a statewide level, as Republicans flipped the governorship in 2020,[2] and the Class I Senate seat in 2024.[3]
Republican primary
The filing deadline for participation in primaries was March 5, 2026 at 5:00pm.[4] At 4:52 p.m. Kurt Alme filed to run, and 3 minutes later Steve Daines withdrew. At 5:02 p.m, Daines announced his withdrawal and endorsed Alme. The last minute switch was seen as controversial.[5] Daines’ maneuver has been criticized by members of both parties.[6][7][8] After the announcement, the Montana Republican Party announced they would not endorse any candidates in any federal races, saying it "supports a competitive primary process to let voters pick their preferred candidates."[9]
Candidates
Declared
- Kurt Alme, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana (2017–2020, 2025–2026)[10]
- Lee Calhoun, mechanical engineer[11]
- Charles WalkingChild, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024[12]
Withdrawn
- Steve Daines, incumbent U.S. senator (2015–present) (endorsed Alme)[13]
Endorsements
Kurt Alme
- Executive branch officials
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[14] (previously endorsed Daines)[15]
- U.S. senators
- Steve Daines, Montana (2015–present)[13]
- Tim Sheehy, Montana (2025–present)[16]
- Statewide officials
- Greg Gianforte, governor of Montana (2021–present)[16]
Steve Daines (withdrawn)
- Executive branch officials
Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[15] (endorsed Alme after Daines withdrew)[14]
- Organizations
Declined to endorse
- Political parties
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Steve Daines (R) | $8,108,303 | $3,311,751 | $4,904,334 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[18] | |||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
- Alani Bankhead, Air Force lieutenant colonel and leadership coach[19]
- Michael Black Wolf, tribal historic preservation officer at Fort Belknap Indian Community[20]
- Michael Hummert, retired remodeling contractor and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024[21]
- Christopher Kehoe[11]
- Reilly Neill, former state representative from the 62nd district (2013–2015)[22]
Withdrawn
- Kathleen McLaughlin, homemaker (running for Montana House of Representatives)[23]
Declined
- Jon Tester, former U.S. senator (2007–2025)[24]
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Alani Bankhead (D) | $5,318 | $2,000 | $4,478 |
| Michael Black Wolf (D) | $13,598 | $4,922 | $8,675 |
| Michael Hummert (D) | $10,000 | $200 | $10,544 |
| Reilly Neill (D) | $147,227 | $136,319 | $10,907 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission[18] | |||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Declared
- Kyle Austin, Republican candidate for Montana's 2nd congressional district in 2024[25]
- Tom Jandron[11]
Independents
Candidates
Declared
- Seth Bodnar, former president of the University of Montana (2018–2026)[26]
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Elections[27] | Likely R | March 5, 2026 |
| The Cook Political Report[28] | Solid R | October 14, 2025 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[29] | Likely R | March 4, 2026 |
| Race to the WH[30] | Likely R | September 4, 2025 |
Polling
Hypothetical polling
Steve Daines vs. Reilly Neill vs. Seth Bodnar
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Steve Daines (R) |
Reilly Neill (D) |
Seth Bodnar (I) |
Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Pulse Research & Polling[31] | February 14–18, 2026 | 607 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 52% | 25% | 16% | – | 7% |
| 56% | 37% | – | ||||||
| 51% | – | 42% | ||||||
| yes. every kid.[32] | January 23–26, 2026 | 500 (RV) | ± 4.4% | 43% | 19% | 15% | 3%[c] | 20% |
Steve Daines vs. Seth Bodnar as a Democrat
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Steve Daines (R) |
Seth Bodnar (D) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Pulse Research & Polling[31] | February 14–18, 2026 | 607 (LV) | ± 4.0% | 54% | 40% | 6% |
Notes
- ^ John Walsh, the incumbent Senator at the time, appointed to finish Max Baucus's term, ran for a full Senate term in 2014, but withdrew due to plagiarism allegations.
- ^ a b Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear - ^ "Someone else/Other" with 2%; "Do not plan to vote" with 1%
References
- ^ https://www.270towin.com/states/montana
- ^ https://www.vox.com/2020/11/4/21536492/election-results-greg-gianforte-montana-governor-winner
- ^ https://www.npr.org/2024/11/09/nx-s1-5181908/with-democratic-senator-jon-testers-loss-in-montana-republicans-take-full-control
- ^ "2026 PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION CALENDAR". Montana Secretary of State. October 2025.
- ^ Browning, Kellen (March 5, 2026). "A Sly Political Switcheroo Stuns Montana and Starts a New Senate Fight". The New York Times.
- ^ https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5772231-steve-daines-retirement-maneuver/
- ^ https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5772231-steve-daines-retirement-maneuver/
- ^ https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/04/politics/steve-daines-kurt-alme-trump
- ^ a b "Montana GOP won't endorse in federal races this cycle". News From The States. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
- ^ "Trump backs former federal prosecutor for Daines Senate seat". The Hill. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
- ^ a b c "FEDERAL PRIMARY 2026 Candidate List". candidatefiling.mt.gov. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
- ^ "FEC Form 2 for Report FEC-1927829". docquery.fec.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
- ^ a b Drew, Micah (March 5, 2026). "With just minutes before filing deadline closes, Daines shocks Montana by withdrawing • Daily Montanan". Daily Montanan. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
- ^ a b "Trump Endorses Alme for Montana Senate as Daines Steps Aside". Bloomberg. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
- ^ a b Miller, Blair (April 23, 2025). "Daines gets Trump's endorsement as he readies 2026 Senate reelection bid". Independent Record. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
- ^ a b "Kurt Alme files for U.S. Senate, immediately endorsed by outgoing Sen. Daines, President Trump". News From The States. Retrieved March 5, 2026.
In his announcement, Alme noted he also received endorsements from President Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy, and Gov. Greg Gianforte.
- ^ "- AIPAC Political Portal". candidates.aipacpac.org. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ a b "2026 Election United States Senate – Montana". fec.gov. Federal Election Commission. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
- ^ Ragar, Shaylee (January 6, 2026). "Two more Montana Democrats launch congressional campaigns". Montana Public Radio. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ^ Ambarian, Jonathon (November 14, 2025). "Montana U.S. Senate race: Daines up for third term, three Democrats running". KTVH. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
- ^ "Filing FEC-1864033". Federal Elections Commission. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
- ^ Batura, Sean (November 19, 2024). "Park County resident runs for U.S. Senate". The Livingston Enterprise. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
- ^ McLaughlin, Kate. "McLaughlin Withdraws". Facebook. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
- ^ Guggenheim, Benjamin; Kashinsky, Lisa; Razor, Calen; McCarthy, Mia (June 25, 2025). "Johnson warns about a Medicaid backlash". Politico. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
Jon Tester won't run for elected office again after losing his Senate seat in the 2024 election, telling our Garrett Downs he's happy in retirement on his Montana farm. He would have been a top recruit for Democrats to take on GOP Sen. Steve Daines next year
- ^ "FEC Form 2 for Report FEC-1930861". docquery.fec.gov. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ^ Ambarian, Jonathon (March 4, 2026). "Bodnar announces independent run for Senate". KXLH. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
- ^ "Senate Ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ "2026 CPR Senate Race Ratings". Cook Political Report. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ "2026 Senate ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ "2026 Senate Forecast". Race to the WH. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Olson, Dustin (February 23, 2026). "Strategic Insights: Montana US Senate General Election Mathups". American Pulse Research & Polling. Retrieved February 24, 2026 – via Google Drive.
- ^ Foster, Scott (February 26, 2026). "Montana Voters Want More Education Freedom". yes. every kid. foundation. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
External links
- Official campaign websites