At 4:52 p.m. Wednesday, with only minutes left before Montana’s candidate filing deadline, Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme filed paperwork to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Sen. Steve Daines.
Eight minutes later, the filing window closed.
Montana law requires candidates to submit their paperwork before the 5 p.m. filing deadline in order to appear on the ballot, making the final minutes of the filing period one of the last opportunities for campaigns to enter or exit a race.
By then, Daines was no longer in the race.
State candidate records show the senator, who had previously filed to seek another term, withdrew his name from the ballot shortly before the 5 p.m. deadline, reshaping the Republican field in the final minutes before filings closed.
BREAKING: Senator Steve Daines appears to have withdrawn from the race for reelection.
— Bradley Warren (@bradmwarren) March 5, 2026
Working this.#MTpol #MTnews pic.twitter.com/2mCrZYOrh5
Reporters tracking the state filing system quickly spotted the change. Shortly afterward, Daines’s chief of staff confirmed the senator had withdrawn from the race.
But the senator himself had not yet addressed the move publicly.
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At 8:02 p.m. Eastern, more than three hours after the filing deadline had passed, Daines posted a video message confirming that he will not seek reelection, bringing an end to a congressional career that has lasted more than a decade.
An announcement👇 pic.twitter.com/7HCofBTUMA
— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) March 5, 2026
In the video statement, Daines said the decision followed months of consideration about his future after 13 years in Congress.
“Serving the people of Montana in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of my professional career. After much careful thought, I’ve decided not to seek reelection.”
Daines first entered Congress after winning Montana’s at-large House seat in 2012 before successfully running for the Senate in 2014. Over time, he became a prominent figure within the Senate GOP conference and later served as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee from 2023 through 2025, helping oversee the party’s Senate campaign strategy during a pivotal election cycle.
In Wednesday night’s statement, the retiring senator also made clear who he believes should succeed him.
“Daines endorsed Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme for the Senate seat and praised his work confronting crime and drug trafficking issues across the state.”
Daines endorses Alme>>> pic.twitter.com/tpjqOPYZRc
— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) March 5, 2026
Alme later confirmed he will run for the Senate seat, seeking the Republican nomination to represent Montana in Washington.
“Alme said he was proud to launch his campaign and emphasized his commitment to serving Montana communities while strengthening public safety and upholding the rule of law across the state.”
By the time Daines spoke publicly on Wednesday night, the race had already been reshaped.
The filing deadline had passed. His name was off the ballot. And Montana’s Senate race had a fresh new face.
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