Key facts
- A South Dakota Democrat has exited the Senate race.
- The withdrawal is intended to improve the chances of an independent candidate.
- This follows similar exits by Democrats in Idaho and Nebraska.
- Republicans are campaigning to portray Democrats and independents as aligned.
- Some local party members are pressuring remaining Democratic candidates to step aside.
A Democratic candidate in South Dakota has withdrawn from the Senate race, stating his decision was made with gratitude and sorrow. He is the third Democrat to leave a Senate campaign in a Republican-leaning state to give independent candidates a better opportunity to defeat Republican incumbents. Democrats in Idaho and Nebraska have previously exited their races and endorsed independent candidates.
However, Montana Democrat Alani Bankhead has maintained her campaign, supporting the better-funded independent Seth Bodnar. Republicans are actively working to counter the independent candidates by linking them to Democratic policies and attacking them as "socialist." The National Republican Senatorial Committee's communications director, Joanna Rodriguez, stated that Republicans will defeat these candidates in November.
Calls for Democrats to step aside are also coming from within the party. Some local Democrats in Montana and South Dakota have publicly urged their candidates to withdraw. Nancy Keenan, former executive director of the Montana Democratic Party, wrote in an op-ed that there is no viable path for a Democratic victory in that state's race. Bennett, a co-founder of Third Way, warned that if Democrats lose the Senate majority due to candidates who refuse to withdraw, it would be a "political calamity."
Bankhead, however, remains steadfast, asserting that she is not influenced by pressure from Washington or the desire for power and money. She believes that powerful political circles are attempting to prevent more progressive candidates from competing to maintain the status quo.