Overview
- Republican Kurt Alme has been declared the winner after independent Seth Bodnar conceded, ending a four-way contest for the open Montana Senate seat.
- Preliminary returns showed Alme leading with roughly 47 percent to Bodnar’s 39 percent in early returns reported by local outlets, and the Associated Press projected Alme’s victory as more votes were counted.
- The race was reshaped when Sen. Steve Daines withdrew minutes before the filing deadline and endorsed Alme, consolidating Republican support and avoiding a GOP primary.
- Bodnar’s independent campaign drew backing from many prominent Democrats, which kept Democrat Alani Bankhead on the ballot and split Democratic-aligned voters during the campaign.
- Spending by campaigns and outside groups was lower than in Montana’s 2018–2024 Senate cycles, and Alme’s background as a former U.S. attorney and state budget director will be central as he prepares to take office.