Democratic Senate candidate Alani Bankhead announced on Monday, August 11, 2026, that she will remain in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Steve Daines in Montana. Speaking at a press conference just hours before the deadline to drop out, Bankhead, an Air Force officer, declared, “I’ll never bow down. I am in this race to win it and I am staying through November.”

Bankhead’s decision is expected to make it more difficult for Independent candidate Seth Bodnar to defeat the GOP nominee, Kurt Alme. Some Democrats had hoped Bankhead would withdraw by the deadline to consolidate support behind Bodnar and increase the chances of preventing another GOP Senate seat.

The race is now a crowded contest including Bankhead, Bodnar, GOP nominee Alme, and Libertarian candidate Kyle Austin. Bodnar, who has also stated he has no intention of dropping out, said at a news conference on Friday, August 8, 2026, “Let me be very clear: I am in this race until the very end. I am committed to building a campaign that Montana deserves.”

A July poll from Strength In Numbers showed Bodnar leading Alme 50 percent to 44 percent in a head-to-head matchup. Meanwhile, Sen. Steve Daines is stepping down after 13 years in the House and Senate.

Sources