Sen. Steve Daines pulled the plug on his own reelection bid Wednesday afternoon, announcing just before Montana’s candidate-filing deadline that he will not seek another term in the U.S. Senate. Daines withdrew his name and immediately endorsed Kurt Alme, who had filed paperwork for the seat minutes earlier.
In a statement, Daines said he had “wrestled with the decision for months” and called his time in Congress “the greatest honor of my professional career.” He added that “it is time for new leaders like Tim Sheehy to spearhead the fight for Montana in the United States Senate,” as reported by CBS News.
Public filings show just how down-to-the-wire the switch was. Kurt Alme’s paperwork was logged at 4:52 p.m., and Daines’ withdrawal was received minutes later, according to KTVQ. Candidate filing for statewide and federal offices closed at 5:00 p.m. on March 4, 2026, per the Montana Secretary of State.
Who Is Kurt Alme?
Kurt Alme is the U.S. attorney for the District of Montana. He previously held that post from 2017 to 2020 and was renominated and confirmed again in 2025, according to the congressional record. His work on drug enforcement, Project Safe Neighborhoods and other community-safety initiatives has drawn praise from local outlets and from Daines’ own statement, as reported by Missoula Current.
Trump Throws His Weight Behind Alme
Former President Donald Trump wasted little time jumping into the Montana reshuffle. He quickly endorsed Alme on Truth Social, calling him “exceptional” and offering a “Complete and Total Endorsement,” as reported by CBS News. The original post is available on Truth Social.
What Comes Next
Daines’ departure hands Republicans an open seat in a state that has leaned solidly GOP, but the race could get complicated. Former University of Montana president Seth Bodnar filed as an independent earlier the same day, according to reporting by the Associated Press published in The Washington Post. Political analysts also point to an unusually large number of retirements and filings this cycle, a trend examined by The Washington Post.
Primary nominations will be settled on June 2, 2026, and the general election is scheduled for November 3, 2026. The candidate filing window closed March 4, per the Montana Secretary of State.
