Montana Democrats say U.S. Senate race shake-up won't impact course

Democratic candidates say they will continue their campaigns despite late changes in the race

Mar. 10, 2026 at 1:48am

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At the Montana Democratic Party's annual Mansfield-Metcalf dinner in Helena, Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate race discussed the recent shake-up in the race, including Republican incumbent Steve Daines' last-minute decision to end his reelection campaign and endorse former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, as well as former University of Montana president Seth Bodnar's announcement that he will run as an independent. The candidates said the changing environment won't affect their campaigns, and they plan to continue focusing on meeting with voters and highlighting their own platforms.

Why it matters

The U.S. Senate race in Montana has seen a significant shake-up with Daines' withdrawal and Bodnar's independent bid, which could impact the dynamics of the race. However, the Democratic candidates say they will stay the course and continue to engage directly with voters to make their case.

The details

Reilly Neill, a former state lawmaker and Democratic candidate, said Daines broke a commitment to the state, though she wasn't surprised by his move. Neill has been critical of Bodnar, arguing an independent candidate won't be able to win in Montana. Michael Black Wolf, the tribal historic preservation officer for the Fort Belknap Indian Community and a Democratic candidate, said he would have preferred Bodnar to join the Democratic primary. Michael Hummert, a former home remodeling company owner and Democratic candidate, called Daines' withdrawal "treachery" and Bodnar's moves "Machiavellian." Alani Bankhead, a leadership coach, Air Force veteran and former criminal investigator, expressed a different view, saying she's glad Montana has more options for voters.

  • On Saturday, March 7, 2026, the Montana Democratic Party held its annual Mansfield-Metcalf dinner in Helena.
  • Just before the filing deadline, Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines announced he was ending his reelection campaign and endorsing former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme to replace him.

The players

Reilly Neill

A former state lawmaker from Livingston and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

Michael Black Wolf

The tribal historic preservation officer for the Fort Belknap Indian Community and a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

Michael Hummert

A Navy veteran and the former owner of a home remodeling business in Helena, who is a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

Alani Bankhead

A leadership coach, Air Force veteran and former criminal investigator from Helena, who is a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

Kurt Alme

A former U.S. Attorney who was endorsed by Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines to replace him in the race.

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What they’re saying

“We told you we were going to do it, and we did it: We got rid of Daines.”

— Reilly Neill, Former state lawmaker and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

“Personally, nobody has contacted me, nobody has reached out to me, whether it was email or letter or anything like that, encouraging me to get out – and for me personally, I think that's really encouraging.”

— Michael Black Wolf, Tribal historic preservation officer and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

“The Democratic Party needs to come back to being the shield for the working class. We've lost our way. We need to not be thinking about just half the country, we need to be thinking about all the country and what's best for our nation – not the party, the nation.”

— Michael Hummert, Former home remodeling company owner and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

“I'm a proponent of democracy, and I'm really glad that Montana has options – unlike previous elections, where it's been kind of two sides of the same coin.”

— Alani Bankhead, Leadership coach, Air Force veteran and former criminal investigator, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

What’s next

Late Wednesday afternoon, a fifth Democratic candidate, Christopher Kehoe of Missoula, filed to run in the U.S. Senate race. MTN has not yet been able to get hold of him.

The takeaway

The Montana U.S. Senate race has seen a significant shake-up, but the Democratic candidates say they will continue to focus on engaging directly with voters and highlighting their own platforms, despite the changing dynamics. The race now features a mix of Democratic, Republican, and independent candidates, providing Montana voters with more options.