Another GOP lawmaker is calling it quits in November, according to multiple reports.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) officially withdrew his paperwork to run for another term on Wednesday, NBC Montana reported. Daines was first elected to the Senate in 2015 and has been a staunch ally of President Donald Trump’s.
NBC Montana reported that Daines’ announcement came after University of Montana President Seth Bodnar announced he is running for Senate as an Independent. Bodnar is also supported by former Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat.
CNN’s Manu Raju described Daines’ announcement as “abrupt” in a post on X.
Daines has endorsed U.S. Attorney for Montana Kurt Alme in the race, who filed for office just minutes before Daines announced his retirement, according to a report by Missoula Current.
President Donald Trump weighed in on the news, praising Daines as “exceptional” and endorsing Alme as his successor.
“He did a job like few others are capable of doing but, sadly for our Country, Steve’s Term is up, and he has decided to leave the Senate and, ‘pass the torch’ to Kurt Alme, my TRUMP 45 and TRUMP 47 U.S. Attorney. In fact, if Kurt didn’t have the highest level of aptitude and talent, Steve would have remained exactly where he is but, Kurt is exceptional, and I will be giving him, based on Steve’s strongest recommendation, my Complete and Total Endorsement,” he wrote on Truth Social.
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