Outside Groups Spend Over $5 Million in Montana Democratic Senate Primary Ahead of Tuesday Vote
More than $5 million in outside spending has flooded Montana's Democratic Senate primary ahead of Tuesday's election, with groups from both parties running ads to influence the outcome. Republicans are backing some Democratic candidates they believe will help their preferred general election matchup, while Democrats are doing the same with candidates they think will benefit their chances. The primary's outcome could significantly shape the competitiveness of the general election between Republican Kurt Alme and independent Seth Bodnar.
Montana's Democratic Senate primary has attracted unusually heavy outside spending as both major parties attempt to influence which candidate advances to the general election. More than $5 million in outside spending has been deployed, including ads from the More Jobs, Less Government PAC (aligned with retiring Republican Sen. Steve Daines) describing candidate Reilly Neill as "too liberal" while claiming another candidate, Alani Bankhead, "will work with Trump." Meanwhile, Progressive Vet PAC is running ads boosting Bankhead. The strategic spending reflects both parties' calculations about which Democratic candidate would be easiest to defeat in November against Republican Kurt Alme and independent Seth Bodnar. Republicans suspect Bankhead would essentially cede the race to Bodnar, making the general election more competitive, while Democrats believe Neill is more likely to split the vote in ways that help them. Both parties are effectively backing candidates they believe have little chance of winning the general election but could influence the outcome.
What's missing
The article does not provide information about the positions or backgrounds of the candidates beyond characterizations in ads, making it difficult for readers to independently evaluate the candidates' actual policy records or qualifications.
What different sources said
- SemaforCenter
Why groups are spending big in Montana’s Democratic Senate primary
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