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U.S. Senate · Montana

Statewide, Montana.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

Kurt Alme, projected winner

CandidateVotesShare
Kurt Alme232,91648.3%
Seth Bodnar181,67437.7%
Alani Bankhead58,55512.1%
Kyle Austin8,8691.8%

About 98% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

  • This is an open seat. On March 4, 2026, incumbent Sen. Steve Daines (R) withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Kurt Alme, who filed to run the same day; Seth Bodnar also filed as an independent that day. According to Montana Free Press, this makes the race the first Montana U.S. Senate election without an incumbent running in 40 years. Alme, Alani Bankhead and Bodnar are viewed as the leading candidates. On July 8, 2026, 17 Democratic state legislators publicly asked Bankhead and Bodnar to decide which of them would end their campaign, warning a split vote could help Republicans; neither withdrew, and the deadline to withdraw from the ballot passed on August 10, 2026, so both remain on the ballot.[1]

On the November 3 ballot · 4 candidates

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Protect legal access to abortion

  • Kurt Alme
    —
  • Alani Bankhead
    Supports[2]

    In her Ballotpedia survey she names reproductive freedom as a policy priority and says Montanans wrote it into the state constitution.

  • Seth Bodnar
    Supports[3]

    Campaign site lists codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law.

  • Kyle Austin
    —

Stricter gun laws

  • Kurt Alme
    —
  • Alani Bankhead
    —
  • Seth Bodnar
    Opposes[3]

    Campaign site says he opposes a federal assault weapons ban, a new universal background check mandate and a federal red-flag law.

  • Kyle Austin
    Opposes[4]

    Campaign site says he believes everyone should have unrestricted access to bear arms.

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

  • Kurt Alme
    —
  • Alani Bankhead
    —
  • Seth Bodnar
    In their own words[3]
    “Enforcing the immigration laws already on the books.”

    On his campaign site, under 'Secure our border and enforce immigration laws'

  • Kyle Austin
    —

Loosen zoning rules to build more housing

  • Kurt Alme
    —
  • Alani Bankhead
    —
  • Seth Bodnar
    Supports[3]

    Campaign site lists zoning and code reform that expands housing supply.

  • Kyle Austin
    —

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

  • Kurt Alme
    —
  • Alani Bankhead
    Supports[2]

    Her campaign site says she would remove the Social Security wage cap so the wealthiest pay in on all their income.

  • Seth Bodnar
    In their own words[3]
    “Strengthening long-term solvency through fairer contributions from the highest earners.”

    On his campaign site, under 'Protect Social Security and Medicare'

  • Kyle Austin
    —

Expand public health coverage

  • Kurt Alme
    In their own words[5]
    “We need to hold them accountable, and we need to make healthcare more affordable by making it more transparent, more competitive, and by putting patients first,”

    In the Oct. 11, 2026 Bozeman debate, per the Daily Montanan, after saying the Affordable Care Act subsidized drug and insurance companies

  • Alani Bankhead
    Supports[2]

    Her campaign site says she will protect the Medicare and Medicaid payments rural hospitals depend on and protect and properly fund Medicaid long-term care.

  • Seth Bodnar
    Supports[3]

    Campaign site lists defending Medicaid expansion and an affordable coverage option for every American.

  • Kyle Austin
    In their own words[5]
    “to create one set of rules, to get the payers to clean up their mess and actually pay our providers what they’re worth.”

    In the Oct. 11, 2026 Bozeman debate, describing his 'Healthcare 2.0' plan, per the Daily Montanan

Public funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)

  • Kurt Alme
    —
  • Alani Bankhead
    —
  • Seth Bodnar
    Opposes[3]

    Campaign site says he opposes school vouchers.

  • Kyle Austin
    —

Broad tariffs on imported goods

  • Kurt Alme
    —
  • Alani Bankhead
    —
  • Seth Bodnar
    Mixed[3]

    Campaign site supports targeted tariffs as leverage and opposes blanket tariffs on allies such as Canada.

  • Kyle Austin
    —

Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad

  • Kurt Alme
    —
  • Alani Bankhead
    —
  • Seth Bodnar
    Supports[3]

    Campaign site lists reasserting Congress's authority to declare war before troops are committed to combat.

  • Kyle Austin
    —

Research notes & limits

Basic-tier research relying primarily on Ballotpedia's race and candidate biography pages, as no incumbent is running and no personal campaign websites were consulted in the time available. Write-in candidate Jami Woodman was excluded. Alme's U.S. Attorney tenure dates differ between Ballotpedia and Wikipedia; the biography states both. Austin's House runs in 2022 and 2024 come from news reports; the Montana Libertarian Party had endorsed a different primary candidate, which is omitted here.

Sources · 31

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

  1. 1.United States Senate election in Montana, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.Alani Bankhead, Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey Candidate's own words
  3. 3.Seth on the Issues · Seth for Montana campaign site Candidate's own words
  4. 4.Kyle Austin for U.S. Senate · Austin for Senate campaign site Candidate's own words
  5. 5.Montana US Senate candidates share debate stage (Oct. 12, 2026) · Daily Montanan News report
  6. 6.United States Senate election in Montana, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  7. 7.Meet Kurt · Alme for Senate Candidate's own words
  8. 8.Kurt Alme files for U.S. Senate, immediately endorsed by outgoing Sen. Daines, President Trump · Daily Montanan · 2026-03-04 News report
  9. 9.Kurt Alme · Ballotpedia Reference
  10. 10.Kurt Alme · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  11. 11.Montana U.S. Senate election results 2026 · NBC News News report
  12. 12.United States Senate election in Montana, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  13. 13.Meet Alani Bankhead · Alani Bankhead for U.S. Senate Candidate's own words
  14. 14.Press Kit · Alani Bankhead for U.S. Senate Candidate's own words
  15. 15.Alani Bankhead · Ballotpedia Reference
  16. 16.Fourth Democratic candidate running for Montana U.S. Senate seat · KPAX News report
  17. 17.Bankhead, Bodnar remain on the Senate ballot, setting up a three-way race · Montana Public Radio · 2026-08-12 News report
  18. 18.Montana Dem lawmakers call for Bankhead to drop out of U.S. Senate race · Daily Montanan · 2026-08-08 News report
  19. 19.U.S. Senate · Montana results 2026 · NBC News News report
  20. 20.United States Senate election in Montana, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  21. 21.About Seth Bodnar · Seth for Montana Candidate's own words
  22. 22.A surprise resignation could open the door for an independent to win a Montana Senate seat · Georgia Public Broadcasting (NPR) News report
  23. 23.Seth Bodnar · Ballotpedia Reference
  24. 24.Former UM President Seth Bodnar discusses independent bid for U.S. Senate · NBC Montana · 2026-04-02 News report
  25. 25.Seth Bodnar · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
  26. 26.U.S. Senate · Montana results 2026 · NBC News News report
  27. 27.United States Senate election in Montana, 2026 · Ballotpedia Reference
  28. 28.Kyle Austin (Montana) · Ballotpedia Reference
  29. 29.Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Austin on the road campaigning · KTVH News report
  30. 30.Kyle Austin hopes to improve health care with U.S. Senate run · NBC Montana · 2026-05-02 News report
  31. 31.U.S. Senate · Montana results 2026 · NBC News News report