Three challengers enter race to replace Sen. Steve Daines in Montana

The race to replace Sen. Steve Daines in Montana now features three challengers who will appear on the November ballot.

Daines, a Republican, left the race shortly before the candidate filing deadline. Former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme entered soon after and is backed by Daines, Sen. Tim Sheehy and President Donald Trump.

Alme served twice as U.S. Attorney in Montana under Trump and worked in Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration. He has not run for statewide office before.

Seth Bodnar, a former University of Montana president running as an independent, and Alani Bankhead also qualified for the ballot. Bodnar said D.C. insiders tried to install a handpicked candidate and that his campaign aims to send leaders to Washington who will put Montana first.

Bodnar leads in fundraising. His latest filing showed more than $754,000 raised since March, for a total of $2 million. Alme raised $259,000 in the same period.

Montana has supported Trump by double digits in each of his elections, giving the Republican nominee an advantage in the general election.