The Fix was In: Montana Senator Withdraws and Engineers his Replacement

With just minutes to the filing deadline, and the path greased for his successor, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, announced Monday he is not seeking reelection. He has not been a consequential senator, but his withdrawal could have shattering consequences for control of the U.S. Senate.

Daines is the sixth Republican senator to hang it up in the 2026 cycle, giving Democrats the opportunity to flip seats. Four are retiring. A pair of MAGA dunces, Sens. Tommy Tuberville in Alabama and Marsha Blackburn next door in Tennessee, are running for governor of their respective states .

The fix is in on the GOP side of the aisle. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme showed up to file, backed by Daines and blessed by a “complete and total” Trump endorsement. Sen. Tim Sheehy and Gov. Greg Gianforte chimed in, stating that Alme will “help President Trump put AMERICA FIRST.”

But greasing a path can create a slippery slope. Four largely unknown Democrats have filed. The real foe, however, is independent candidate Seth Bodnar, who recently resigned as president of the University of Montana. He’s been an Army Ranger, a Rhodes Scholar, and a General Electric executive.

https://www.postalley.org/2026/03/05/the-fix-was-in-montana-senator-withdraws-and-engineers-his-replacement/