Montana Senate Race 2026

Compare candidates running in this Montana federal race. Review their positions, voting records, campaign promises, and donor information.

Michael Black Wolf

Party: Democrat

Alani Bankhead

Party: Democrat

Michael Hummert

Party: Democrat

Seth Bodnar

Party: Independent

Reilly Neill

Party: Democrat

Kurt Alme

Party: Republican

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Montana Senate Race

Election: Nov 3, 2026Updated: Apr 6, 2026
📊Polling+27 Alme
Alme leads Democratic challengers by significant margins in early polling; in a three-way race with independent Bodnar, Alme leads with 52% while Neill has 25% and Bodnar 16%.
Source: American Pulse Research & Polling2026-02-23
52%
Alme
25%
Neill
16%
Bodnar
likely r— Sabato

This open seat in a Republican-trending state is crucial for Senate control. Democrats need to flip multiple red states, making Montana a challenging target despite an independent candidate potentially splitting the anti-Republican vote.

Michael Black WolfD
Alani BankheadD
Michael HummertD
Seth BodnarI
Reilly NeillD
Kurt AlmeR

Summary

Michael Black Wolf is a preservation officer and community leader from the Fort Belknap Indian Community. He's running to put Montana priorities back in Washington: good-paying jobs, better rural healthcare, and respect for Tribal sovereignty. Michael Black Wolf, a first-time political candidate running as a Democrat for one of Montana's U.S. Senate seats, says he entered the race to protect the rights of women, minorities, and Native Americans.

Alani Bankhead, a retired lieutenant colonel and special agent, is running as a Democrat for one of Montana's U.S. Senate seats with a focus on accountability, affordable housing, and combating child sex trafficking. Bankhead, 43, has spent much of her life moving from state to state, as both she and her husband were active-duty military members. She says they came to Montana about three years ago, after her husband retired. She remains in the Air Force Reserves, but is planning to retire next month. Bankhead says she spent much of her career investigating crimes like human trafficking and child sexual abuse, including time with the Hawaii Attorney General's office.

Michael Hummert (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Montana. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on June 2, 2026. Michael Hummert served in the U.S. Army and in the U.S. Navy. His professional experience includes working as a deep-sea hardhat salvage diver, marine mammal operator, diving instructor, school bus driver, and owner of a home remodeling company. Michael Hummert, 66, is a Navy veteran and the former owner of a home remodeling business in Helena. In 2024, he challenged U.S. Sen. Jon Tester in the Democratic primary, receiving just 3% of the vote after he says he felt "frozen out" of any attention in the race. He also immediately announced plans to run again in 2026.

Seth Andrew Bodnar (born February 2, 1979) is an American academic administrator, veteran, and business executive who was the 19th president of the University of Montana. He is a graduate of West Point and was a Rhodes Scholar with master's degrees from Hertford College, Oxford. In January 2026, Bodnar resigned his post as president of the University of Montana, and two months later he officially announced his run for U.S. Senate in 2026. Bodnar is married to Chelsea Bodnar, a pediatrician and fifth-generation Montanan. The couple, who met as Rhodes Scholars, have three children and live in Missoula, Montana.

Reilly Neill (born 7 September 1973) is an American politician from Montana. A member of the Democratic Party, she is a candidate for Montana's US Senate seat, currently held by Republican Steve Daines. Neill served in the Montana House of Representatives for one term, from 2013 to 2015. Neill founded and published Livingston Current, a weekly newspaper that covered the arts, entertainment, and culture of Park County, Montana. from 2003 until 2012. She also published The Montana Press, a statewide arts and entertainment journal, from 2019 until 2021, which won numerous Society of Professional Journalism awards.

Kurt Alme is an officeholder of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, assuming office on October 7, 2025. Kurt was born in Great Falls, attended high school in Miles City, and graduated with honors from Harvard Law School. After law school, Alme clerked for U.S. District Judge Charles Lovell in Montana, and practiced law at the regional law firm now known as Crowley Fleck. A native Montanan, Kurt graduated from Custer County District High School in Miles City. Kurt is married to Sandra, they live in Billings and have two grown children.

Campaign Promises

Justice
  • Tribal Sovereignty and Native Rights
Economy
  • Economic Opportunity
Healthcare
  • Rural Healthcare Access
Justice
  • Accountability in Government
  • Combat Child Sex Trafficking
Economy
  • Affordable Housing
Immigration
  • American Sovereignty, Security, and Migration
Other
  • Constitutional Amendments for Government Reform
Other
  • Commonsense Solutions Across Party Lines
Economy
  • Address Cost of Living
  • Address Tariffs Impact
Economy
  • Cost of Living Relief
Healthcare
  • Family Insurance Act
Environment
  • Environmental Stewardship
Justice
  • Law and Order Focus
Economy
  • Economic Growth and Energy Independence

Key Issue Positions

Birthright Citizenship Protection
Defend Native American and immigrant birthright citizenship
Montana deserves a Senator who understands that Tribal Sovereignty and American citizenship are not in conflict. Montana deserves a Senator who understands that both are foundational to our amazing states identity.
Tariffs
Tariffs harm Montana workers
Black Wolf also identifies tariffs – which he calls "import taxes" – as a major concern for Montana. He argues the state's members of Congress are out of touch with their voters' priorities.
Government Accountability
Hold officials accountable for crimes
"So I'm going to run my race in letting people know that I'm a person who's gotten results in government – and not just speaking about it. We actually have arrested corrupt government officials, we've held folks accountable financially for the crimes that they commit, and we've done all these things without all the fanfare."
National Debt and Fiscal Responsibility
Address unsustainable spending
I'm running for the United States Senate because I believe America has a right to remain a nation—sovereign, secure, and financially solvent.
Two-Party System Failure
Critical of both major parties
"This country is in crisis, and our national political parties are failing us," Bodnar said, over footage of him in a military uniform, hanging out with a family at home and hunting.
Healthcare Access
Support affordable healthcare
Bodnar cited the cost of living, access to health care, public education and access to public lands as political priorities.
Agricultural Economy
Support for farmers and ranchers
"I'm focused on issues like supporting our agricultural economy, funding public education, and addressing cost of living and government overreach."
Voting Rights
Protect voting access
Neill says Montana voters are increasingly frustrated by impacts from tariffs, rising costs and threats to health care and public assistance. She says one of her top concerns is protecting the right to vote.
Public Safety
Pro-aggressive law enforcement
Trump wrote that Alme "knows the Wisdom and Courage it takes to ensure LAW AND ORDER, advocate for our Heroes in Law Enforcement, and strongly support our Military and Veterans."

Top Donors

No donor data available.

No donor data available.

No donor data available.

Jon Tester (Former Senator - Informal Support)
Individual
Former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, who remains in many ways the standard bearer of the Democratic Party in Montana, had been quietly urging the veteran-turned-higher-education-administrator to run and lining up support from party insiders to back him as an independent challenger.

No donor data available.

Donald Trump (Endorsement)
Individual
President Trump endorsed former federal prosecutor Kurt Alme to succeed Sen. Steve Daines, who announced the same day he will not run for reelection in November.
Steve Daines (Endorsement)
Individual
Alme's announcement shared endorsement statements from Trump, Daines, Sheehy and Gianforte. Daines said he has known Alme for years.

Contradictions

No contradictions documented.

No contradictions documented.

No contradictions documented.

Claim: Bodnar criticized Daines for handpicking his successor
Contradiction: "Steve Daines has so little respect for Montana Republicans that he withdrew at the last minute to coronate his handpicked successor instead of giving them a voice at the ballot box," he said in a press release. However, former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, who remains in many ways the standard bearer of the Democratic Party in Montana, had been quietly urging the veteran-turned-higher-education-administrator to run and lining up support from party insiders to back him as an independent challenger.
Source: Montana Free Press, Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Claim: Bodnar claims to represent independent Montanans
Contradiction: His communications manager, Roy Loewenstein, was a top staffer for Tester. Bodnar himself has previously donated to Democratic campaigns.
Source: The Pulp
Claim: Bodnar raising $550,000 in first 48 hours
Contradiction: Bodnar's campaign said it had raised more than a half million dollars in its first 48 hours; Alme's team declined to provide any information on fundraising efforts so far.
Source: MSU Exponent
Claim: Neill claims she doesn't take corporate or dirty money
Contradiction: "And I think my campaign has done that, on what some might call limited resources. We don't take any corporate money, we don't take any dirty money."
Source: KTV (Montana news)
Claim: Alme has no publicly released platform
Contradiction: He had no publicly released platform. He had no announcement, no press conference, no town halls, no conversations with voters.
Source: Daily Montanan
Claim: Alme claimed to be earning votes
Contradiction: "When I was given the opportunity late in the process to step up, I stepped up," he said. "Now, I'm just going to work as hard as I can to earn people's votes all the way across Montana." However, Steve Daines was the very first candidate to file for re-election when the window opened on Feb. 17. He filed. He was in. And then, sometime between Feb. 17 and March 4 — while the rest of Montana's candidates spent months building their campaigns, knocking on doors, raising money, and making their case to voters — Daines and a small circle of Republican power brokers decided who his replacement would be.
Source: Daily Montanan / Montana politics analysis

What Opponents Say

Reilly Neill (Democrat)

Black Wolf would not get out of the race for an independent

Michael Black Wolf, the tribal historic preservation officer for the Fort Belknap Indian Community, told MTN he would have preferred Bodnar join the Democratic primary instead of running as an independent. He said he's opposed to any suggestion that Montana Democrats should throw their support behind an independent candidacy.

No opponent claims documented.

Reilly Neill (Democrat)

Hummert called Daines' withdrawal 'treachery'

Michael Hummert called Daines' last-minute withdrawal "treachery" and Bodnar's moves "Machiavellian."

Reilly Neill (Democrat)

Bodnar's independent candidacy will split the vote

Park County's Reilly Neill took to social media Wednesday to pillory Bodnar and his independent candidacy, rattling off a list of grievances before saying, "He's worse than Daines. … I won't let this guy bully me out of the race."

Conservative PAC/NRSC

Bodnar is a liberal in independent clothing

In a statement on social media Wednesday, the NRSC sought to paint Bodnar as a liberal and attacked him because a transgender student participated in university athletics under his tenure. That student was Juniper Eastwood, who in 2019 became the first transgender athlete to compete in an NCAA Division I cross-country meet. "Now, Both Ways Bodnar wants Montanans to believe he's transitioning from a Democrat to a fake independent," the committee tweeted.

Seth Bodnar (Independent)

Neill is critical of independent candidacy

She's also been the Democratic candidate most vocally critical of Bodnar, saying no independent has successfully won a congressional election in Montana and arguing Bodnar will only split the vote and allow a Republican to win.

Seth Bodnar (Independent)

Alme was handpicked by Washington insiders

"The same DC politicians who handpicked Kurt Alme are responsible for the rising costs that are making housing unaffordable for Montana families, hurting Montanans at the gas pump and jacking up the cost of groceries," campaign spokesperson Roy Loewenstein said. "Since he has support of party bosses, he doesn't seem to think he owes Montanans any explanation about what he would do to make life more affordable in this state. The last two weeks have made crystal clear that Kurt Alme was picked by Washington and that he will serve Washington, not Montana."

Endorsements

Dean of Montana Senateindividual
Wolf Point Community Organizationorganization

No endorsements listed.

No endorsements listed.

Jon Tester (Former U.S. Senator)individual
Mayor Wilmot Collins (Helena)individual
Donald Trumpindividual
Steve Dainesindividual
Tim Sheehyindividual
Greg Gianforteindividual
View Michael Black Wolf's Full Profile →View Alani Bankhead's Full Profile →View Michael Hummert's Full Profile →View Seth Bodnar's Full Profile →View Reilly Neill's Full Profile →View Kurt Alme's Full Profile →