Montana Senate
Steve Daines (R) is not running again. 4 candidates were on the ballot on November 3, 2026. The Cook Political Report rates it safe Republican.
Who should win this race, and why?Say what you think. Other readers can answer you.Discuss
Kurt Alme
Republican · former u.s. attorney for montana, former state budget director
B+Liberty Score B+88 out of 100 across 4 principles. Graded on what Alme has said and done, because I have no votes in Congress to count for Alme.
Raised $3,013,681 since January 2025: 58% from people, 27% from PACs and other committees, 13% transfers and other income. The filing at FEC.gov
Alani Bankhead
Democrat · retired air force lieutenant colonel, former special agent
FLiberty Score F50 out of 100 across 6 principles. Graded on what Bankhead has said and done, because I have no votes in Congress to count for Bankhead.
Raised $190,565 since January 2025: 95% from people, 2% the candidate’s own money, 2% transfers and other income. The filing at FEC.gov
Higher on Liberty Score: Kurt Alme. Kurt Alme: B+, 88 out of 100 from words and actions, with no votes in Congress to count. Alani Bankhead: F, 50 out of 100 from words and actions, with no votes in Congress to count.
Voting in Montana: how to register, vote early or vote by mail. Election Day was November 3.
Side by side
A solid letter is a grade from recorded votes on that principle. An outlined letter is on the same scale, for a candidate with no votes: it comes from what that candidate has said and done, and every source is listed below.
Kurt Alme, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Alme, so the grade above comes from this list: what Alme has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
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Asked about the War Powers Resolution, he said it is dangerous to tie the commander in chief's hands while Iran seeks nuclear weapons.
“It's dangerous to tie our commander-in-chief and troops' hands behind their backs. Especially when Americans are being targeted by adversaries and threats, and the world's largest state sponsor of terror is trying to get its hands on nuclear weapons.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing war powers limits that would stop action against Iran is the with side; he also said Congress must enforce its role, so this is not a blanket rejection of oversight.
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In the Bozeman debate he said the US should back the president and the troops in setting back the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.
“We need to support the president, our troops, and our diplomats as they work to set back Iran's nuclear program”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Backing American action against the regime's nuclear programme is the with side of this measure.
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He said more homes need cutting the red tape that holds up construction, and that government should get out of the way.
“To increase housing supply, we must unleash small businesses, contractors, and communities by cutting red tape that ties up construction and prevents more homes from being built.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Less regulation is the with side of this measure.
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His campaign site says that as state revenue director he led the largest income tax rate cut in Montana's history.
“Kurt served as director of the Department of Revenue under Governor Judy Martz where he spearheaded the largest income tax rate cut in state history”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Cutting income tax rates is the lower taxes side of this measure.
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He said he would protect the 2025 Working Families Tax Cuts Act, including its tax cuts on Social Security, tips and overtime.
“I'll protect the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which delivered the largest tax cut ever, including tax cuts on Social Security, tips, and overtime.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Keeping named tax cuts in law is the lower taxes side of this measure.
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In the debate he said he had doubts about tariffs but defended pushing back on Canada with them.
“I had my doubts about tariffs, but Canada has gone with unfair trade for too long. Somebody needed to stand up and push back for a level playing field”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Defending broad tariffs on an ally's goods is the against side of this measure.
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In the debate he listed DEI and boys in girls' sports among the policies he says his opponents would bring back.
“They'd take us back to the Biden policies of open borders, defunding the police, reckless spending, higher taxes, woke DEI, and boys in girls sports.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing DEI and keeping girls' sport female is the with side of this measure.
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He said he would keep the border secure, deport criminal illegal immigrants and stop federal money to sanctuary cities.
“We need to keep our borders secure, prioritize prosecuting and deporting criminal illegal aliens, and stop funding sanctuary cities which leave dangerous illegal aliens like Jose Ibarra on our streets.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Securing the border, deporting lawbreakers and opposing sanctuary policies are the with side of this measure.
Alani Bankhead, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Bankhead, so the grade above comes from this list: what Bankhead has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
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Asked how to lower living costs, she listed ending the war with the Islamic Republic as one of her three actions.
“end the war with Iran that is pushing fuel prices higher.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
Calling for the war to end, with no policy, bill or vote named, does not settle the Iran regime measure.
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Her campaign site backs what it calls a full arms embargo on Israel while the Gaza assault continues and cites a UN finding of genocide.
“enforce the leahy law, which in practice means a full arms embargo while the assault continues; end the loan-guarantee program and the qualitative military edge mandate, oppose ndaa section 219, and keep humanitarian aid reaching civilians. cites the un commission finding that it meets the definition of genocide.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Cutting off weapons to Israel and calling its war genocide are the against side of this measure.
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Her campaign site says the US should keep arming Ukraine and make Russia bear the cost of its aggression.
“stand with ukraine with the weapons, intelligence, and sanctions it needs to hold the line, and make russia bear the cost of its aggression.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Backing Ukraine against Putin with weapons and sanctions is the with side of this measure.
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Her media plan rules out a revived fairness doctrine and any government choice of which newsrooms survive.
“no fairness doctrine, and no government deciding which newsrooms survive.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Refusing government control over what lawful media may say is the with side of this measure.
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She said the wealthy should pay more and that this means a wealth tax.
“in terms of taxes, what we have to do is we need to ensure that the wealthy and the billionaire class are paying their fair share. and to me, that means instituting a wealth tax.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
A wealth tax is the against side of this measure.
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Her health plan widens a public plan step by step to Medicaid for all and then Medicare for all.
“from there the public plan widens: medicaid for all, then medicare for all, until everyone is covered”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Government-run health care for all is the against side of this measure.
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She said she would drop tariffs that only raise prices and require a vote of Congress before any across-the-board tariff.
“I'd review every tariff country by country, keep the ones that stop real cheating, drop the ones that just raise prices, and require a vote of Congress before any across-the-board tariff takes effect.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing broad tariffs is the with side of this measure.
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Asked about her faith and abortion law, she said religion and government are two very different things.
“i view religion and government as two very different things.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Keeping a religion's rules out of law is the with side of this measure.
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She proposed paying for rural health care by taking money from the defence budget.
“my solution to rural funding is something i've spoken of often: take it from the defense budget.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Moving money out of the defence budget is the against side of this measure; she frames it as end-of-year waste, not a cut to readiness.
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Her campaign site backs raising housing, food and moving allowances for military families and free Tricare for Guard and Reserve members.
“restore the housing allowance to 100% of rent, scale the food allowance with family size, pay moving costs up front at what a move really costs, pass the healthcare for our troops act”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Spending more on the pay and care of the armed forces is the funding side of this measure.
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She said ICE should be shut down and rebuilt from scratch, and that detention should need a judicial warrant or a judge's danger finding.
“shut ICE down and build its replacement from scratch.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Abolishing ICE is the against side of this measure; she also backs enforcement against traffickers at the ports, which does not settle it the other way.
Also on the ballot
Kyle Austin (Libertarian), Seth Bodnar (Independent).
Who is on the ballot: the state election offices, as listed on Wikipedia on November 3, 2026, checked against the candidate file of the Federal Election Commission. Race rating: the Cook Political Report, November 2, 2026. See a name that is wrong or missing? Say so in the discussion.
Who should win this race, and why?
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Discussion
Montana Senate
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