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Bodnar outpolling Montana Democrat

News · Heat 6.1 / 10 · 2 shows · 17m airtime

In the 2026 Montana Senate race, independent Seth Bodnar, former president of the University of Montana, is polling ahead of the Democratic nominee, with prominent former Democratic leaders in the state backing him. Bodnar says his campaign never pressured Bankhead to drop out, and he would immediately restore health care subsidies and reverse Medicaid eligibility changes, arguing paperwork changes will cost about 30,000 Montanans coverage. Jon Tester says Democrats still have an opening over the Iran war, tariffs and diesel prices. Bodnar is one of four independents who say they will be placed on committees despite not caucusing, and the race has divided state Democrats over whether to back him or their own nominee.

How 2 podcasts covered it

  1. The NPR Politics Podcast, 2026-10-28 (0:45 to 2:32)
    Reports Bodnar outpolling the Democratic nominee
    Reports from Montana on the Senate race, where independent Seth Bodnar, a former University of Montana president, is outpolling the Democratic nominee and drawing support from prominent former Democratic leaders, dividing the state party.
    New angle: Independent Seth Bodnar is polling better than the Democratic nominee in Montana's Senate race.
  2. The NPR Politics Podcast, 2026-10-28 (3:24 to 5:06)
    Reports Tester's opening on Iran and diesel
    Reports from Montana festivals and a homecoming game: even Republican-leaning voters frustrated with Trump's second term won't back Democrats, and Jon Tester, at his farm, says the brand's toxicity is real but sees an opening on Iran, tariffs and diesel prices.
    New angle: Jon Tester says Democrats have an opening in Montana over the Iran war, tariffs and diesel prices.
  3. The NPR Politics Podcast, 2026-10-28 (5:11 to 7:29)
    Questions independents' committee assignment claims
    Widens the lens from Montana to the independent class: Bodnar, Osborn and two others say they will land committee assignments despite not caucusing, and the hosts note non-caucusing members typically get none. Ricketts's 'secret Democrat' line against Osborn gets a mention.
    New angle: Bodnar, Osborn and two other independents say they will be placed on committees despite not caucusing.
  4. The Fox News Rundown, 2026-10-31 (16:13 to 18:08)
    Rounds up the independents and the pressure campaign
    Rounds up the four competitive independents and the pressure campaign against the Democrats still in those races. Adds Bodnar's on-the-record denial that his campaign pressured Bankhead to drop out, and names Republican Kurt Alme as the third candidate in Montana.
    New angle: Bodnar says his campaign never pressured Bankhead to drop out; Kurt Alme is the Montana Republican.
  5. The Fox News Rundown, 2026-10-31 (18:08 to 21:45)
    Interviews Bodnar on his own framing of the race
    Sits down with Bodnar for his own framing of the race: the Constitution as his most conservative position, health care as his most liberal. Puts specific Montana numbers on the record - 30,000 losing coverage and premiums up almost a third.
    New angle: Bodnar says paperwork changes in the big beautiful bill will cost about 30,000 Montanans their health care, and that ending marketplace tax credits raised Montana premiums by almost a third.
  6. The Fox News Rundown, 2026-10-31 (21:45 to 22:45)
    Puts Bodnar on record on the big beautiful bill
    Puts Bodnar on the record on what he would do with the big beautiful bill: restore the subsidies and reverse the Medicaid eligibility changes rather than erase the bill, plus a tax-code overhaul aimed at loopholes. A policy answer the earlier health-care cost attack did not include.
    New angle: Bodnar says he would immediately restore the health care subsidies and reverse the Medicaid eligibility changes.
  7. The Fox News Rundown, 2026-10-31 (22:48 to 25:24)
    Restates the constitutional case against the Iran war
    Bodnar expands on his constitutional argument against the Iran war, calling it unauthorized and citing $6-plus diesel, fertilizer costs and the trade war with Canada. It restates the Article I, Section 8 claim already on the record and adds only color from a Conrad farmer.
  8. The Fox News Rundown, 2026-10-31 (25:24 to 27:22)
    Retells Bodnar's denial and widens the attack
    Bodnar repeats his denial that he or his campaign pressured Bankhead to drop out, and says she has publicly confirmed it. He widens the attack to Daines and Alme over the Republican primary and to Daines's super PAC backing the Democrat. Retells the denial already on the record.
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