Montana's GOP Senator Steve Daines Declines Third Term, Endorses Successor
Senator Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana, confirmed Wednesday that he will not pursue a third term in office, joining a growing list of Republicans opting to exit Congress this year.
At 63, Daines had previously filed to run again this fall but withdrew just "minutes before" the state’s candidate filing deadline, according to the Montana Secretary of State's office. His official statement came only after the deadline had passed.
In his announcement, Daines expressed his support for Kurt Alme, Montana's U.S. attorney, who submitted his candidacy paperwork a mere eight minutes prior to the deadline. This timing coincided with Daines' decision to step back from the race.
"After wrestling with this decision for months, I have decided I will not seek re-election," Daines stated. He praised Alme for his efforts in "cracking down on crime" and addressing fentanyl trafficking, calling him "a man of faith."
Alme publicly declared his candidacy on the same day.
“As a native Montanan, I have always been committed to serving our communities, upholding the rule of law, and fighting for the safety and prosperity of every family in our state,” he remarked.
“We need proven doers in Washington who will stand up for our values without apology,” he continued. “I’m running for Senate to be a relentless advocate for Montana and to help President Trump put America First.”
Later that evening, President Trump endorsed Alme on Truth Social, commending Daines for "passing the torch" to him.
"In fact, if Kurt didn’t have the highest level of aptitude and talent, Steve would have remained exactly where he is but, Kurt is exceptional, and I will be giving him, based on Steve’s strongest recommendation, my Complete and Total Endorsement," Trump stated.
Daines has been a congressional figure since 2013, initially serving in the House before winning a Senate seat in 2014. His election was marked by a unique circumstance where his Democratic opponent withdrew due to a plagiarism scandal just weeks before the election. Daines subsequently won against the replacement Democratic nominee and secured re-election in 2020 by a margin of 10 percentage points over then-Governor Steve Bullock.
Despite Montana's history of electing Democrats, recent trends have favored Republicans. Trump won the state by approximately 20 points in 2024, while Democratic Senator Jon Tester lost his re-election bid by 7 points. Tester was the last Democrat to win a statewide election in Montana back in 2018.
With backing from both Trump and Daines, Alme emerges as the frontrunner for the now-open Senate seat, which had previously garnered little attention while Daines was expected to run again. Independent candidate Seth Bodnar, a military veteran and former president of the University of Montana, criticized Daines' last-minute decision.
“Steve Daines has so little respect for Montana Republicans that he withdrew at the last minute to coronate his handpicked successor instead of giving them a voice at the ballot box," Bodnar remarked.
"This is the disgusting arrogance of Washington politicians and their party bosses who trade power back and forth like candy while Montanans are crushed under higher costs and fewer opportunities."
Four Democrats have already announced their campaigns for Daines' vacated seat: former state Representative Reilly Neill; Air Force veteran Alani Bankhead; Michael Hummert, who served in both the Army and Navy; and Michael Black Wolf, a preservation officer and community leader from the Fort Belknap Indian Community.
Last-minute filing maneuvers are not uncommon in politics; Democrats faced backlash last year when Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of Illinois had his chief of staff file paperwork for his seat shortly before announcing his retirement. The House voted in November to publicly rebuke Garcia.
