Trending Now - Senate Race Heats up as Daines Departs and Retirements Surge

WHO:

Steve Daines, Republican Senator from Montana

Kurt Alme, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana

President Donald Trump

Seth Bodnar, independent candidate and former President of the University of Montana

Ryan Zinke, Republican Representative from Montana

Monica Robinson, spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

WHAT:

Steve Daines announced he will not seek reelection for a third term on March 4, 2026.

Daines withdrew his Senate reelection paperwork just minutes before the filing deadline on March 4, 2026.

Kurt Alme filed to run for Daines' seat eight minutes before the deadline.

Daines endorsed Alme as his successor.

Daines stated, “Serving the people of Montana in the US House and US Senate the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of my professional career.”

Trump endorsed Alme, stating, “Steve Daines... has decided to leave the Senate and, ‘pass the torch’ to Kurt Alme.”

Daines raised over $8 million since his last election in 2020 and had about $5 million in cash on hand as of December 31, 2025.

Daines served two terms in the House before being elected to the Senate in 2014.

Daines won reelection in 2020 against Democratic Governor Steve Bullock by 10 percentage points.

WHERE:

Montana

U.S. Senate

U.S. House of Representatives

WHEN:

Daines announced his decision on March 4, 2026.

The filing deadline for candidates was on March 4, 2026.

Daines was first elected to the Senate in 2014 and won reelection in 2020.

WHY:

Daines stated he had wrestled with the decision for months and expressed a desire for new leadership in the Senate.

Daines mentioned looking forward to spending more time with his family, including his seven grandchildren.

HOW:

Daines' withdrawal was seen as a strategic move to prevent Democrats from fielding a strong candidate for the open seat.

Alme's entry into the race was timed to coincide with Daines' withdrawal, effectively blocking potential Democratic candidates from entering.

On March 4, 2026, Steve Daines announced he will not seek reelection for a third term in the U.S. Senate, withdrawing his paperwork just minutes before the filing deadline. In a strategic move, Kurt Alme, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, filed to run for Daines' seat shortly before the deadline and received Daines' endorsement as his successor. President Trump also endorsed Alme, noting Daines' decision to "pass the torch" to him. Daines expressed that serving the people of Montana over the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of his career and mentioned his desire for new leadership and more family time, including with his seven grandchildren. Daines, who raised over $8 million since his last election, previously won reelection in 2020 against Democratic Governor Steve Bullock by 10 percentage points.