Steve Daines
Republican Montana Senator who withdrew from the 2026 Senate primary, creating the state's first open seat since 1976.
Last refreshed: 28 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why did Steve Daines pull out of Montana's Senate race he was expected to win?
Timeline for Steve Daines
Mentioned in: Fellowship PAC drops $3M on GOP races
US Midterms 2026Daines exits; Bodnar leads Montana race
US Midterms 2026- Why did Steve Daines withdraw from the Montana Senate race?
- Steve Daines withdrew from the 2026 Republican Senate primary ahead of Q1 fundraising disclosures that showed independent Seth Bodnar leading in fundraising for Montana's first open Senate race since 1976.Source: Q1 2026 fundraising disclosures
- Is Steve Daines still in the Senate?
- Yes. Daines withdrew from the 2026 primary but retains his Montana Senate seat through 2027. He is no longer running for re-election to a second full term.
Background
Steve Daines is the Republican US Senator for Montana, having served since 2015. He was previously a US Representative for Montana's at-large congressional district (2013-2015) and the Montana state treasurer before that. Daines withdrew from the 2026 Republican Senate primary ahead of Q1 fundraising disclosures, transforming what had been expected to be a straight Republican-hold race into an open primary — Montana's first open Senate contest since 1976.
Daines's withdrawal is one of the more surprising political events of the 2026 cycle. With Montana having voted heavily Republican in recent presidential elections and Daines representing a SAFE-looking Republican seat, his departure was not anticipated. The Q1 fundraising disclosures that preceded his exit suggested independent candidate Seth Bodnar was outpacing the Republican field — a remarkable dynamic for a state where Republicans have dominated federal races.
Daines remains Montana's junior senator (his term runs through 2027) and retains influence in state Republican politics, but his primary withdrawal removed the incumbent-calibre Republican candidate most likely to hold the seat comfortably in November 2026.