Independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Montana. Every point on this page links to its source. We don't grade candidates or tell you how to vote. As of 2026-09-28.
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Where they stand
In their own words, from their campaign website, summarised in plain English.
Economy and cost of living
No stated position on their website.
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Taxes and government spending
No stated position on their website.
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Health care
No stated position on their website.
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Social Security and Medicare
No stated position on their website.
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Immigration and the border
No stated position on their website.
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Abortion
No stated position on their website.
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Energy and climate
No stated position on their website.
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Guns
No stated position on their website.
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Foreign policy and defense
No stated position on their website.
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Elections and ethics in government
No stated position on their website.
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Money
From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.
Seth Bodnar (IND)
Raised
$3.2M through 2026-06-30individuals $3.1M · PACs $93K · cash on hand $978K
INDEPENDENT PAC— $4.7M supporting Bodnar
· 26 ads on this pageMONTANA FREEDOM PAC— $2.5M supporting Bodnar
· 2 ads on this pageLargest donors:
WAY BACK PAC $900K (43%); WESTERN FUTURES FUND $825K (39%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); GLOBAL IMPACT SOCIAL WELFARE FUND $200K (10%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Scott Shenker $100K (5%), Icsi, ScientistMORE JOBS, LESS GOVERNMENT— $962K opposing BodnarLargest donors:
RESTORATION OF AMERICA PAC $2.0M (57%); CLUB FOR GROWTH ACTION $400K (11%); DAINES SENATE MAJORITY FUND $291K (8%) (its largest donors: WU, GARY $239K); Konstantin Sokolov $250K (7%), IJS Investments, Investor; RAI SERVICES COMPANY $200K (6%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC)MONTANANS FOR PUBLIC LANDS— $60K supporting BodnarWILD MONTANA ACTION FUND— $16K supporting Bodnar
· 6 ads on this pageand 1 more
Bundled through PACs
none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-09-27
14 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE PAC $1,000
COONEY FOR CONGRESS $2,000
COUNTRY FIRST $5,000
CROSSPARTISAN PAC I $5,000
ENGINEERS POLITICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE (EPEC) $5,000
What named supporters and critics say, as reported. Shown in equal numbers.
Praise
Montana Federation of Public Employees: Montana's largest union, representing 25,000 workers, endorsed Bodnar's Senate campaign. mtpr.org
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Jon Tester: Former Sen. Jon Tester encouraged Bodnar's run, citing his impressive resume including his family, business background, UM presidency, military service, and Rhodes scholarship. mtpr.org
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Clayton Christian: Montana's Commissioner of Higher Education said Bodnar had the right blend of leadership and vision to get UM back on track. mtpr.org
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Criticism
Montana Democrats (populist primary candidates): Democratic primary candidates called Bodnar an outsider propped up by Washington consultants and outside money. nytimes.com
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National Republican Senatorial Committee: The NRSC called Bodnar a fake independent and criticized his support for transgender athletes competing in women's sports. apnews.com
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Brock Lowrance: A Republican strategist called Bodnar a longtime Democrat merely posing as an independent because the Democratic brand is unpopular in Montana. axios.com
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Controversies
Stated as reported. Most are reported by at least two independent news outlets or found in an official record; any with only one source so far is marked Single source.
Court cases
Gender-discrimination lawsuit against University of Montana naming Bodnar
Eighteen current and former University of Montana employees sued the university alleging gender discrimination, and additional women later joined the suit; the lawsuit specifically accused university President Seth Bodnar of "taking the reins" in the university's alleged unequal treatment of women. The case was reported to have been settled roughly three years after it was filed.
Lawsuit allegation that Bodnar did not want to hire a qualified female candidate Single source
Only one source found so far. We keep looking for a second, independent report.
According to the Associated Press, the lawsuit against the University of Montana alleges Bodnar did not want to hire a job candidate named Cole despite her having more than 25 years of experience, even though she was selected by the hiring committee.
Montana Democratic Party op-ed criticizing Bodnar over discrimination allegations Single source
Only one source found so far. We keep looking for a second, independent report.
Montana Democratic Party executive director Emily Marburger wrote an op-ed describing Bodnar as "another man who looked away" regarding the 2021 gender-discrimination lawsuit, arguing the settlement's "legal fine print" shouldn't obscure that Bodnar would "treat women's experiences as a public relations problem" if elected; the column caused internal disagreement among Montana Democrats about the characterization, with former Sen. Jon Tester calling it based on "bullshit."
NRSC characterization of Bodnar as a "fake independent" Single source
Only one source found so far. We keep looking for a second, independent report.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee called Bodnar a "fake independent" and criticized him as a "champion" of allowing transgender athletes to participate in college sports; a spokesperson for Bodnar sidestepped questions about whether he would caucus with Democrats or Republicans if elected.
Response: A spokesperson for Bodnar sidestepped questions about whether he would caucus with Democrats or Republicans if elected.
Investigation into allegedly fraudulent signatures gathered for Bodnar ballot campaign Single source
Only one source found so far. We keep looking for a second, independent report.
Cascade County authorities opened an investigation into allegedly improper signature-gathering activity related to getting Bodnar and another candidate on the ballot; the county attorney said the allegedly improper signatures were identified by county election staff before totals were submitted and were not counted, and stated neither campaign was accused of wrongdoing. The signature-gathering firm said the issue stemmed from one employee of a subcontractor it had since cut ties with.
UM law school deans step down amid sexual harassment protests Single source
Only one source found so far. We keep looking for a second, independent report.
The dean and associate dean of the University of Montana's School of Law stepped down from their leadership positions after students protested how they handled sexual misconduct allegations while Bodnar was university president; the same report noted Bodnar was being sued over gender discrimination claims.
Asbestos found in UM child care centers during Bodnar's presidency Single source
Only one source found so far. We keep looking for a second, independent report.
The University of Montana found asbestos contamination in a second child care center on the same day Bodnar, then university president, had issued a written apology to parents after asbestos was discovered in a UM preschool.
Semblen analyzed 95 ads from Seth Bodnar's campaign; 42 used at least one manipulation technique, most often Glittering Generalities, Appeal to Prejudice, Loaded Language. See the ads, the money and every candidate in this race →
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