Seth Bodnar - independent US Senate candidate

[Irrelevant]

Reason number one is because she’s a Democrat.

This is really all any good Montanan needs to know.

The MT Democrats would be advised, if they want a more moderate person to stop running entirely in elections. Make a big bold announcement that because too many Republicans have turned into mindless zombies, we're not going to run any candidate. Good luck.

I mean it. Putting a D even in the race is a bad idea.

The maga candidate could shoot someone in the face and threaten to hang his adversaries once he's elected and he'd still win by a landslide

 

[R.K.]

I'm not sure what that means.

Bought out by big money and brainwashed into a mono party control.

 

[Robg2]

So I guess, how do Democrats win in Montana? I don’t know, but I would say a few things. Start by disavowing a lot of of the positions of the Democrat brand nationwide that are defeaters here (gun control, energy policy, stricter, environmental protections, “woke stuff”, etc.) - not as individuals, but as a party. But then it begs the question, are they Democrats anymore?

I’m not telling you anything new, but If they did that, they would never make it through the primary election (nor will reasonable republicans).

To get good people that want to make this place better for everyone, we need to change the primaries to truly open primaries, and possibly have runoff elections if a candidate gets less than 50% of the general election vote. Unfortunately, the far right opposed those options and the ballot initiatives to do so didn’t pass.

 

[Nameless Range]

This is really all any good Montanan needs to know.

The MT Democrats would be advised, if they want a more moderate person to stop running entirely in elections. Make a big bold announcement that because too many Republicans have turned into mindless zombies, we're not going to run any candidate. Good luck.

I mean it. Putting a D even in the race is a bad idea.

The maga candidate could shoot someone in the face and threaten to hang his adversaries once he's elected and he'd still win by a landslide

I don’t know if that’s entirely true though it might be. Political parties are a religion for some insofar as they’re a dogma (R good, D bad).

I’d like to think individuals could rise above it. I thought Steve Bullock or Tester wouldve done better than they did. Totally moderate candidates certainly harmed by national politics and they’re voluntary association with the organization known as the Democrat Party.

I wonder what it would be like if another Brian Schweitzer came along - a gentleman‘s Trump with “rural” (born in MT, pro agriculture, pro mining) bona fides. Even then, that damn letter by his name might curse him.

All that said, demographics - political and otherwise - change. I grew up in a Montana where Democrats often had majority control in the legislature and I like to think I’m not that old. I don’t wanna sound holier than thou to anyone “in the arena”. I think it’s virtuous and we should encourage people trying to make a difference even when the odds are shit.

But the two prevailing political parties of today gross me out.

 

[jimh406]

Bought out by big money and brainwashed into a mono party control.

Lots of candidates have more money and still lose all over the country.

Bodnar is still leading in fundraising last I heard. Tester also didn't have any problems raising money he raised more than anyone.

I agree Rs are favored, but it isn't just money.

 

[SAJ-99]

disavowing a lot of of the positions of the Democrat brand nationwide that are defeaters here

So 1) remove the D next to the name (Bodnar did this) and 2) disavow positions held by people outside Montana. ie. try to prove to people what you are not? Seems like a surefire way to lose when the opposition doesn't have to say or do anything.

I laugh when Montanans talk about being a "purple" state. It is pretty easy to see when the transformation away from that started - Mid-1990s when they got cable TV. The internet has made it worse.

Bankhead's main flaw is she is not an old white guy. As soon as people saw a picture they assigned the 'L'.

 

[Irrelevant]

BTW the same thing is happening in WA but on the opposite side of the political spectrum

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/08/10/for-wa-gop-a-tough-primary-delivers-alarming-results/

 

[Alpine01]

Bought out by big money and brainwashed into a mono party control.

You just described Colorado.

 

[Treeshark]

It is pretty easy to see when the transformation away from that started - Mid-1990s when they got cable TV. The internet has made it worse.

In fairness, the Democrat party has moved as much (or more) away from the people in states like Montana as the people have from them.

 

[Nameless Range]

Bankhead's main flaw is she is not an old white guy. As soon as people saw a picture they assigned the 'L'.

Montana’s statewide races as of late are littered with “old white guys” who had a D by their name and were demolished.







It ain’t the dick nor the melanin in their skin that matters most

 

[SAJ-99]

In fairness, the Democrat party has moved as much (or more) away from people in states like Montana as the people have from them.

Nah. The democrats in Montana are practically republicans from the 80's and 90's. It's more an urban/rural divide. The problems faced by cities are more direct and prevalent than those in the rural areas.

BTW the same thing is happening in WA but on the opposite side of the political spectrum

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/08/10/for-wa-gop-a-tough-primary-delivers-alarming-results/

Could you image if a democrat president tried to "punish" red states like Trump does to "blue" ones?

I guess we can at least say the country lasted 250 years. 251 is a coin flip.

It ain’t the dick nor the melanin in their skin.

Sure. Keep telling yourself that, but it matters. Maybe not to you, but it does to many, and the parties know it. Who did they lose to? The last woman Montana elected to congress was Rankin in 1916. What does the House race between Flint and Forstag look like? Forstag still has a D next to his name. The simple fact is most voters are lazy, and getting lazier. They ain't doing research on positions.

 

[Treeshark]

The democrats in Montana are practically republicans from the 80's and 90's.

Not nationally, and national party image has a huge impact at the state and local level.

Many people would be embarrassed to admit out loud that they lean left in a lot of rural America these days. The party is starting to walk back some of the crazy because of this, fortunately, but a lot of the damage has been done (main explanation for a second round of DJT, imo).

 

[Irrelevant]

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/10/nx-s1-5920312/proportional-representation-poll

 

[SAJ-99]

Many people would be embarrassed to admit out loud that they lean left in a lot of rural America these days.

Probably true, but that is because they allowed someone else to paint a picture of a Dem for them. Like I said, it is just a matter of time before Dems stops giving handouts to rural America in an attempt to sway their vote. I keep reading about parts of states wanted to succeed so they aren't run by the nasty urban Dems. I sure hope it happens someday...

 

[Irrelevant]

Probably true, but that is because they allowed someone else to paint a picture of a Dem for them. Like I said, it is just a matter of time before Dems stops giving handouts to rural America in an attempt to sway their vote. I keep reading about parts of states wanted to succeed so they aren't run by the nasty urban Dems. I sure hope it happens someday...

The exact same thing could be said for Rs. But they've managed more success.

 

[SAJ-99]

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/10/nx-s1-5920312/proportional-representation-poll

Wikipedia did the hard work below. There are quite a few political parties in America. Now someone has to convince Americans to vote for them.
Edit to add that almost half of all Americans call themselves Independent but almost none of them vote that way.

 

[Treeshark]

Is there anything that would prevent one of them from dropping out in mid-late October and handing the advantage to the other? Has the ship on that really sailed?

 

[Irrelevant]

Wikipedia did the hard work below. There are quite a few political parties in America. Now someone has to convince Americans to vote for them.
Edit to add that almost half of all Americans call themselves Independent but almost none of them vote that way.

View attachment 414268

Ok. In a two party system there's really no other choice. Most people call themselves Independent because they vote for both Rs and Ds depending on the race. You'll never get to actually vote for someone with moderate, nuanced positions

 

[jimh406]

Is there anything that would prevent one of them from dropping out in mid-late October and handing the advantage to the other? Has the ship on that really sailed?

It's sailed. They are all on the ballot. It seems Alme is playing not to lose, and that will probably be enough.

 

[R.K.]

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/10/nx-s1-5920312/proportional-representation-poll

While I agree that change needs to happen, proportional representation has flaws. I would prefer a ranked-choice, with a “none of the above” option that could disqualify all candidates if the vote count got high enough.