Key facts
- Montana Democratic Senate nominee has refused to withdraw from the race.
- Her decision complicates Democratic efforts to flip the seat in the red-leaning state.
- Bankhead stated she would only exit the race if divinely convinced.
- Pressure from party leaders and allies of independent candidate Alme has not swayed her.
- Polling indicates Alme leads by over 20 points when Bankhead is on the ballot.
Montana Democratic Senate nominee has rejected calls to withdraw from the race, a decision that significantly complicates the party's strategy to flip the seat. Despite pressure from party leaders and allies of independent candidate Alme, the nominee stated it would take a divine intervention to convince her to exit. Democrats have previously seen success in other red states by having their candidates drop out to support independents, but Bankhead's refusal in Montana is a major setback. Polling indicates that while independent candidate Alme is competitive in a head-to-head contest, Alme leads by over 20 points when Bankhead is also on the ballot. This split ticket is seen as likely to cede the race to the Republican candidate and narrow Democrats' path to a Senate majority. Allies of Alme have intensified their focus on Bankhead, with a super PAC running television advertisements and local groups posting signs urging her withdrawal. However, these efforts, along with appeals from over 20 local Democratic lawmakers and former party leaders, have not changed Bankhead's stance. Alme himself has publicly criticized Bankhead for the first time, referring to her as an 'unvetted' candidate.