Montana Republican Steve Daines drops Senate re-election bid minutes before deadline | Montana

Republican U.S. senator Steve Daines of Montana on Wednesday withdrew his re-election bid to a third term.

Daines withdrew his name just minutes before the deadline for candidates to file with the Montana secretary of state’s office for the November election. Daines confirmed his resignation in a statement.

“After wrestling with this decision for months, I have decided that I will not seek reelection,” Daines said. in question. “It is time for new leaders like Tim Sheehy to lead the fight for Montana in the United States Senate.

Montana’s U.S. attorney and Republican Kurt Alme entered the race shortly before the deadline.

The moves came the same day that former University of Montana president Seth Bodnar launched an independent campaign for Daines’ seat.

Democrats have been largely excluded by voters in the state in recent years, and Bodnar’s decision to run without party support underscores their diminished status. Montana Democrats control no statewide offices following the 2024 defeat of three-term incumbent senator Jon Tester.

No prominent Democrats entered the Senate race.

Daines is a former corporate executive and close ally of Donald Trump.

Republicans hold a slim majority in the Senate, holding 53 seats to Democrats’ 45 seats and two independent seats.