PRESS RELEASE
Former Montana Governor Steve Bullock Endorses Independent Candidate Seth Bodnar for U.S. Senate
Bullock: “I know and trust him, and trust that he shares my values on everything from public lands to personal freedoms”
MISSOULA, MT — Former Montana Governor and Attorney General Steve Bullock today endorsed Independent candidate Seth Bodnar for U.S. Senate, becoming the latest prominent Montana Democrat to cross party lines in this race.
“I'm honored to have the support of Governor Steve Bullock, someone who has served this state and knows what it takes to deliver for the people of Montana, regardless of party,” said Bodnar. “This is exactly the coalition we're building: Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are done being told which team to root for, and who believe Montana deserves an Independent senator who will fight to lower costs, end corruption, and answer only to them.”
In a new op-ed, Bullock wrote he has “known and worked with Seth Bodnar for nine years. Do I wish he was a Democrat? I do. But I know and trust him, and trust that he shares my values on everything from public lands to personal freedoms. I know that like me, he wants his kids to have a shot at a good job and raising a family in Montana. I believe he would serve our – all Montanans’ – interests in the U.S. Senate. And I have watched him build out the organization and support it takes to win this race.”
Bullock also noted that “a successful campaign requires asking Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike for their votes. No campaign powered by partisanship alone can succeed here. [Alani] Bankhead hasn't done that. Worse, the same SuperPAC that spent tens of millions of dollars against me in 2020, and against Jon Tester in 2024, is now spending to support her. Something doesn’t add up, and it matters that we get this right.”
Read the full op-ed here.
Bodnar has been endorsed by a large, cross-partisan coalition of former Montana officials, including former Republican Governor Marc Racicot, former Montana Republican Party Chair Susan Geise, former Democratic legislator and gubernatorial candidate Dorothy Bradley, former Montana Democratic Party Chair Nancy Keenan, and former Democratic U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus. See the full list of Bodnar’s endorsements here.
Seth Bodnar is a Green Beret, business leader, and former president of the University of Montana running for the U.S. Senate to be an independent voice for Montana. Seth is guided by a lifelong commitment to duty, honor, and country. He graduated first in his class at West Point and served multiple overseas deployments, leading soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division and the 1st Special Forces Group, and serving as a special advisor to the commanding general in Iraq. After his military service and a successful career in business, Seth spent the last eight years leading the University of Montana. Under his leadership, the university achieved record high graduation rates, doubled research funding, launched the largest infrastructure renewal in campus history, restored financial stability, and was named the #1 military-friendly university in the country. Raised by two public school teachers, he believes leadership is about service, not party loyalty. Seth and his wife, a fifth-generation Montanan, are raising their three children in Montana.
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