Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has endorsed independent Montana U.S. Senate candidate Seth Bodnar, the campaign announced in a statement shared first with ABC News. Buttigieg, a prominent Democratic surrogate who has said he is considering a 2028 presidential bid, praised Bodnar’s service and character in the message.
“The best leaders I’ve served with, in uniform and in government, care more about getting the job done than about who gets the credit, and Seth is one of them. Seth and I don’t agree on everything, but he has spent his adult life serving this country and the next generation … and he’ll bring that same character to the Senate on behalf of all Montanans,” Buttigieg wrote in a statement shared first with ABC News.
The endorsement is notable because Buttigieg is a major figure in the Democratic Party and is backing an independent rather than the party’s nominee. ABC News reports that some Democrats believe Bodnar — a former University of Montana president and Green Beret — stands a better chance of defeating Republican Kurt Alme than the Democratic nominee, Air Force veteran Alani Bankhead.
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Bankhead, who won the Democratic primary in June, has rejected pressure to withdraw from the race to clear a path for Bodnar, ABC affiliate KWYB reported. According to KWYB, Bankhead has alleged that people within the Democratic Party tried to persuade her to drop her bid; the party has denied that claim.
Party strategists and observers tell ABC News the dynamic creates a potential challenge for efforts to flip the seat: Democratic-leaning voters or those seeking an alternative to Republicans could be split between Bodnar and Bankhead.
Buttigieg emphasized issues he said Bodnar would prioritize. “Montana deserves a senator who will fight corruption in Washington, defend reproductive freedom, and work across the aisle to lower costs and actually get things done. Seth Bodnar will be that Senator,” Buttigieg wrote. He did not mention Bankhead in the statement, ABC News noted.
Bodnar, in his own statement, said he was “honored to have Buttigieg’s support” and “proud that people across the political spectrum are joining this campaign.” He added, “Montanans have always voted for the person, not the party, and they want a senator who will put their families, jobs, and public lands ahead of partisan games in Washington. I’ll answer to Montana, and I’ll work with anyone who’s willing to do the same.”
The open seat is the result of Republican Sen. Steve Daines’ decision to retire. Former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme is the Republican nominee seeking to succeed Daines. ABC News reports both parties have increased attention on Montana’s congressional races: President Donald Trump joined Alme and other Republicans at a rally in the state last week, and Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to rally there next week.
At a campaign rally reported by ABC News, Alme said, “I’m ready to step up again to make our lives more affordable, make our communities safer, and protect our Montana way of life. And unlike my liberal opponents, I have the experience to get it done.”
ABC News also notes Montana is among several states — including Nebraska, South Dakota and Idaho — where many Democrats are backing independent Senate candidates this year. Buttigieg, who rose to national prominence during his 2020 presidential campaign, has spent recent years traveling to stump for Democratic candidates; while he has confirmed he would consider a 2028 presidential bid, he has said he is focused on the 2026 midterms and electing Democrats this year, according to ABC News.
