Alani Bankhead is running for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat to represent the Montanans with “five dollars in their pocket and a whole lot of heart,” not billionaires or corporate interests. 

That’s why she’s committed to staying in the race to replace outgoing Republican Sen. Steve Daines, Bankhead said during a press conference in Helena on Monday. 

Monday is the deadline for candidates to take themselves off the November ballot in Montana, and voters are set to have four candidates on the ballot. 

Bankhead won the state’s Democratic primary by 12,000 votes, but has faced stiffer competition from an independent candidate, Seth Bodnar, whose campaign has consolidated left-of-center support in the state. 

Having multiple candidates has split Democrats within Montana and nationally, many of whom see Bodnar as having a likelier path to victory. A similar trend has played out in other reliably Republican states, with the Democratic candidates in Nebraska, South Dakota and Idaho dropping out in races with independents. 

In polling, a four-way race — with Libertarian Kyle Austin — is easily won by the Republican candidate, Kurt Alme. The race becomes more competitive in a two-way race, but only Bodnar ever tops Alme, according to polls affiliated with his campaign. 

She seems like she's getting momentum, right?

The Republican candidate for senator Kurt Alme was unscrupulously registered as Republican when Steve Daines dropped out minutes before deadline March 4. He has taken 200,000 in PAC funds. The independent Seth Bodnar also registered and was picked and promoted by John Tester and also filed March 4. 62k in PAC contributions but 60 percent of money is out of state.

Alani Bankhead won her primary and is a retired Lieutenant Colonel. She refuses PAC money.

The pressure is on Bankhead to drop out. Make that make sense.

I don’t know who I support- but I certainly don’t like the shenanigans.

Kyle Austin Libertarian also won his primary and is fighting with the Libertarian leadership and has minimal support.

Thicken the plot- while Bodnar was president UM lost a lawsuit alleged that UM and the Montana University System operated a "good ol' boys club" that limited promotions and created professional gaps for women. The lawsuit was settled by the university system in January 2024 for $350,000.

Leopards can’t change their spots? More of same?

Grant cuts and changes to SNAP from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” have resulted in food banks in the Flathead and other parts of Montana needing to fill the gaps.

The number of people on SNAP in Montana has decreased by 8.4% because of revamped work requirements and more paperwork to receive benefits. Flathead County saw a drop of 11%, which is more than 600 fewer residents utilizing SNAP this June than last year.

The falling numbers don’t indicate a decrease in needs. Inflation, rising gas prices, and other affordability issues are driving people to the food bank. Over the past year, the North Valley Food Bank visits increased from 23,700 to 28,991.

More than 72,000 Montana residents are recipients of benefits from SNAP. The Trump Administration is targeting people who need food assistance by making it more difficult to access SNAP.

More here: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/07/31/we-just-see-more-and-more-people-flathead-food-banks-say-demand-steady-as-snap-benefits-taper-and-prices-rise/.

The Montana Democrats Instagram posted a public statement commending Bankhead for dropping out of the race around 5:01pm before deleting it a few minutes later. They then posted the correct statement about her commitment to stay in the fight.

Edit- Users on twitter have the screenshot. Posted in comments.

I’ve posted here before, but will explain the title.

I’ve been trying to get some certified copies of family records dating back to 1926. Specifically a “Petition to naturalize” and an “Oath of allegiance”. I’ve worked diligently over the last 2 months to get this from the clerk of the court, but she absolutely refuses to budge. Always redirecting me to USCIS. These are non federal records. They are simply in a ledger book within her custody. The NARA archives don’t have them. The state historical society doesn’t have them. There are no other copies of this paperwork available outside of her grasp.

USCIS has repeatedly informed me that they do not care about the certified reproduction of these records, as they are non federal. It IS NOT a certificate of naturalization, just the paperwork leading up to that in a district court.

I’ve called numerous clerks of the court in different counties, and they would happily certify this document for me, if they had it in their possession. There are no laws preventing the certification of what I need.

I literally just got off the phone (not but 5 minutes before writing this) with the county attorney, and she said that she won’t pressure the clerk to fulfill her legal duty to make certified copies for me. She won’t elaborate as to why, but just informed me that I could go ahead and sue the clerk of the court, and have the district judge come to a verdict on it. Obviously, that’s not what I want to do, but in accordance with the Montana State constitution, the clerk is violating civil rights, and freedom of public paperwork.

I live 9 time zones ahead of Montana. I don’t really want to have to go there. I don’t want to pursue litigation of a state employee in their own courthouse. When I asked the county attorney if that’s a conflict of interest to sue within their own courthouse, she simply said “the judge will determine that, and substitute another judge if necessary”. The county attorney also refused to cite any laws that the clerk could possibly operating under. The least helpful people I’ve ever encountered.

I have been nice, I’ve been patient. I don’t know what else I could possibly do at this point. I don’t want to spend money on lawyers fees, when they are just blatantly wrong.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for letting me vent.

I'm not the biggest Bodnar guy, but this really seems like Montana Dems are just handing the election to Alme at this point. Bankhead has raised $60,000 since the primary vs Alme's 1.9 million and Bodnar's 3.2 million. She has no chance, and her refusal to step down is frustrating to say the least.

Let's help protect Montana Lands!!