Campaign Former university president Seth Bodnar launches independent bid challenging Daines by TheHill.com - 03/04/26 5:00 AM ET by TheHill.com - 03/04/26 5:00 AM ET Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email NOW PLAYING Former University of Montana president Seth Bodnar is launching an independent bid against Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) this year, making a bet that voters in Big Sky Country have an appetite for a third-party candidate. “This country is in crisis, and our national political parties are failing us. Montanans are an independent people, and they deserve an independent voice fighting for them in Washington, D.C.,” Bodnar  said in his launch ad  released Wednesday. “We need a new approach — an independent senator who will fight for hardworking Montanans,” he said. “A leader driven by common sense, civility and patriotism who will bring us together to generate solutions, not outrage.” Bodnar leaned into his personal biography as a Green Beret and his time helming the University of Montana, where he served as president for eight years, while also touching on the issues such as cost of living and tariffs. While Bodnar criticized Daines in his ad, he also took hits at both parties. “The American Dream is getting crushed, and both parties are to blame. They pit us against each other, while they line their own pockets,” Bodnar said. Bodnar  was reportedly expected  to make a run for Daines’ seat, though he faces an uphill climb at toppling the former chairman of the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm. For one, five Democrats are running to challenge Daines. Candidates include former state Rep. Reilly Neill, military veterans Alani Bankhead and Michael Hummert, nonprofit treasurer Kate McLaughlin and preservation officer Michael Black Wolf. Bodnar could end up as a spoiler for Democrats as an independent candidate. While independent candidates have sought to keep races competitive — including independent Evan McMullin, who ran against Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) in 2022 and independent Dan Osborn, who ran against Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) in 2024 and is running against Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) this cycle — they’ve struggled to cross the finish line in a general election. Still, there are signs that Bodnar could pose a serious challenge given his tenure helming one of the largest universities in Montana as the state eschewed its last Democratic senator Jon Tester in 2024, when Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) defeated him. Add as preferred source on Google Tags Deb Fischer Evan McMullin Jon Tester Mike Lee Pete Ricketts Steve Daines Tim Sheehy Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Share ✕ LinkedIn LinkedIn Email Email More Campaign News See All Senate Talarico beats Crockett in Texas Democratic Senate primary by Julia Mueller 1 hour ago Senate  /  1 hour ago