Frozen copy retrieved 2026-08-15T23:29:16Z for audit 2026-08-15T23-40-00Z. Original URL: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4682095/democrats-seth-bodnar-montana-alina-bankhead/. The Stochastic Parrot does not host or redistribute; this snapshot exists solely so that quoted spans remain verifiable if the original page changes. Character offsets below index into this plain text; highlighted spans are the quotes cited in the audit.

Democrats' independent gamble hits major roadblock in Montana

Washington Examiner · back to the audit

By David Sivak, published 2026-08-11

Republicans' chances of keeping both of Montana's Senate seats just shot through the roof after Democrats failed to clear the field for Seth Bodnar, an independent backed by ex-Sen. Jon Tester.

As of now, Bodnar is running in a three-way race that is expected to split the Democratic vote in Montana and potentially gift wrap Kurt Alme, the Republican nominee, the win in November. Montana Democrats in the state legislature made a late push to get Alani Bankhead, their party's nominee, to drop out, but she vowed to stay in the race on Monday — the last day to remove herself from the ballot.

Bodnar's support is part of a nationwide effort by Democrats to compete in traditionally Republican states by fielding or backing independent challengers. But their inability to convince Bankhead to bow out means that Montana's Senate seat is likely to stay in Republican hands next year.