Former UM president Seth Bodnar enters Montana Senate race as independent

Seth Bodnar, who resigned his presidency at the University of Montana to run for U.S. Senate as an independent, officially launched his unconventional campaign against incumbent Republican Steve Daines in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

In an introductory campaign ad the former Army Green Beret and Rhodes Scholar unpacks his decision to run as an independent and not a Republican or Democrat.

“This country is in crisis, and our national political parties are failing us,” Bodnar said, over footage of him in a military uniform, hanging out with a family at home and hunting. “Montanans are an independent people, and they deserve an independent voice fighting for them in Washington, DC. I’m not a politician, I’m a soldier, a businessman, a husband, a father,” he said.

“The American dream is getting crushed, and both parties are to blame. They pit us against each other while they line their own pockets.”

The candidate also goes after Republican incumbent Steve Daines, accusing the two term Republican senator from Bozeman of protecting a political system that benefits people of wealth and privilege.

As an independent, Bodnar needs to gather about 13,000 signatures by May 26 to qualify for the general election ballot.

A conservative PAC hit Bodnar with an attack ad Jan. 21 when he gave his resignation to the University of Montana. The ad blames him for tuition hikes, transgender athletes participating in University of Montana athletics, and accuses him of inappropriately campaigning from his campus office.

At the same time, Democrats have accused Bodnar and former Democratic U.S. Sen Jon Tester, who supports Bodnar, of creating a scenario in which the independent splits the non-Daines vote, ensuring a third term for Daines.

Bodnar’s interest in a possible U.S. Senate campaign first surfaced in January in the form of a rambling text message, allegedly from Tester, about the possibility of a high-profile independent candidate running against Daines. The text message suggested that only an independent candidate could defeat a Republican incumbent, and characterized the Montana Democrats’ brand as “poison” to Tester’s campaigns. The text specifically mentioned Bodnar as an independent candidate for Senate.

Tester never responded to MTFP inquiries about whether the controversial text was his, though he did express support for Bodnar in the days that followed. Tester lost to Sheehy by 46,000 votes in 2024.

Independent candidacies for U.S. Senate drew national attention in 2024 after Dan Osborn of Nebraska drew more than 46% of the vote when challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Deb Fischer. Osborn outraised Fischer by several million, while PACs spent $20 million either supporting Osborn or opposing Fischer, according to the Federal Election Commission. 

But Nebraska Democrats sat out the 2024 general election, which the Republican candidate ultimately won. Four Montana Democrats are currently registered to appear on the primary ballot: Air Force veteran Alani Bankhead; Michael Black Wolf, a Fort Belknap Indian Community leader; U.S. Navy veteran Michael Hummert and Reilly Neill, a former state legislator from Livingston.

Together the Democrats report a combined $27,000 campaign cash on hand.

Daines reports $4.9 million cash on hand.

There are also two Libertarian candidates: Kyle Austin of Billings, and Tom Jandron of Clancy.

This story was updated March 12, 2026, to include Libertarian Tom Jandron, who registered his Senate candidacy after this article was originally published.