Sen. Steve Daines of Montana Won’t Seek Reelection in 2026

Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana first elected to the Senate in 2014 after one House term, announced he will not run for reelection in 2026, saying he wrestled with the decision for months and calling his time in Congress 'the greatest honor' of his career. Daines said it is 'time for new leaders' and endorsed former U.S. attorney Kurt Alme as his preferred successor, while also praising fellow Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy as the state’s future spearhead in the chamber. Alme, who twice served as U.S. attorney during Donald Trump’s presidencies, received a swift 'Complete and Total Endorsement' from Trump, who framed Daines’ retirement as a move made possible by Alme’s 'aptitude and talent.' The decision adds another GOP retirement to a growing list of Republicans leaving Congress and immediately turns Montana’s Senate race into a nationally watched contest, given the state’s Republican lean but recent history of electing Democrats statewide. Strategists and activists online are already parsing whether Daines’ exit and Trump’s quick blessing for Alme will deter other Republican hopefuls or set up a contested primary in a seat critical to the Senate majority fight.