Montana
Western state with the first open Senate seat since 1976, where Seth Bodnar leads GOP primary fundraising.
Last refreshed: 28 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why does Montana's open Senate seat matter for 2026 control of the chamber?
Timeline for Montana
Mentioned in: Fellowship PAC drops $3M on GOP races
US Midterms 2026Daines exits; Bodnar leads Montana race
US Midterms 2026- Why is Montana's Senate seat open in 2026?
- Steve Daines withdrew from the Republican primary ahead of Q1 2026 fundraising disclosures, creating Montana's first open Senate race since 1976. Independent Seth Bodnar led fundraising at the time of the announcement.Source: Q1 2026 fundraising disclosures
- Who is leading the Montana Senate primary?
- Independent Seth Bodnar was leading fundraising in the Montana Senate race following Steve Daines's withdrawal from the Republican primary ahead of Q1 2026 disclosures.Source: Q1 2026 fundraising disclosures
- Can Democrats win Montana's Senate seat in 2026?
- Montana is a solidly Republican presidential state, but it has elected Democrats statewide before (Jon Tester held the seat for 18 years). The open seat and a competitive independent candidate give Democrats an outside chance.
Background
Montana has the first open Senate race since 1976 following Steve Daines's withdrawal from the Republican primary ahead of Q1 2026 fundraising disclosures. The departure of an incumbent-calibre Republican candidate — Daines had represented Montana in the Senate since 2015 — transformed what was expected to be a Republican hold into a genuine contested primary, with independent Seth Bodnar emerging as the fundraising leader.
Montana is a solidly Republican state in federal elections, having voted for Donald Trump by large margins in both 2020 and 2024. However, the state has a history of electing Democratic statewide officials — former Senator Jon Tester held the seat as a Democrat for 18 years before losing in 2024. An open seat in 2026, with a strong independent candidate, reopens questions about whether a non-traditional candidate can win in a state that mixes libertarian populism with tribal Democratic voting.
The Senate seat is one of the 2026 races to watch as Democrats seek to regain Senate control; Montana's open race gives them an outside chance in a state they would otherwise not contest.