GOP Sen. Steve Daines of Montana says he won't seek re-election
Key Points:
- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., announced he will not seek a third term, withdrawing his name just before the state filing deadline and endorsing Montana U.S. attorney Kurt Alme as his successor.
- Alme, who filed his candidacy minutes before the deadline, received endorsements from both Daines and former President Donald Trump, positioning him as the front-runner for the open Senate seat.
- Daines has served in Congress since 2013 and won his Senate seat in 2014 and re-election in 2020, but Montana has recently trended Republican, with Trump winning the state by about 20 points in 2024.
- Independent candidate Seth Bodnar criticized Daines for withdrawing last minute