Seth Bodnar
Candidate for Montana U.S. Senate · Independent
On the 2026 ballotCandidate · Montana U.S. Senate · Nov 3 General
Ballot status source: Secondary source: Listed on the general election ballot for U.S. Senate · read Sep 24, 2026
Sources (2)
- Secondary source: Listed on the general election ballot for U.S. Senate (Independent) as "Seth Bodnar" by a secondary source
- not yet confirmed on an official state list. Review. Source · news.ballotpedia.org
Results
Certified results for Montana U.S. Senate
United States Senator
2024 General Election · Nov 5, 2024| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim SheehyRepublican | Republican | 319,682 | 52.6% |
| Jon TesterDemocrat | Democrat | 276,305 | 45.5% |
| Sid DaoudLibertarian | Libertarian | 7,272 | 1.2% |
| Robert BarbGreen | Green | 4,003 | 0.7% |
Certified — Montana Secretary of State general election canvass, precinct by precinct · Montana Secretary of State — General Election Precinct by Precinct results
United States Senator
2024 General Election · Nov 5, 2024| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim SheehyRepublican | Republican | 319,682 | 52.6% |
| Jon TesterDemocrat | Democrat | 276,305 | 45.5% |
| Sid DaoudLibertarian | Libertarian | 7,272 | 1.2% |
| Robert BarbGreen | Green | 4,003 | 0.7% |
Certified — Montana Secretary of State Statewide General Election Canvass · Montana Secretary of State — State Canvass by county
United States Senator
2020 General Election · Nov 3, 2020| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steve DainesRepublican | Republican | 333,174 | 55.0% |
| Steve BullockDemocrat | Democrat | 272,463 | 45.0% |
Certified — Montana Secretary of State general election canvass, precinct by precinct · Montana Secretary of State — General Election Precinct by Precinct results
Key Votes
The record
Appointed office: President, University of Montana (hired Nov. 2017; stepped down Jan. 2026) — no voting record
Montana Board of Regents minutes, Nov. 16-17, 2017: item 177-100-R1117, "Hire of President, UM Missoula" (finalist Seth Bodnar), motion passed 6-0. University of Montana announced on Jan. 21, 2026 that he would step down after eight years. Appointed post, not elected office; no legislative votes. Checked 2026-09-24.
Nov 16, 2017 · Official · Montana Board of Regents · source
Newest first. A close vote was decided by 5% of the votes cast or less (or 10 votes or fewer, under a fifth of the votes). Broke with party: voted against most of their party, where the record gives the party split.
Their Money
Campaign finance
- Last Change
- Profile updated · Sep 24
- Raised
- $3,238,151cycle to date through Jun 30
- Cash on Hand
- $977,779cycle to date through Jun 30
- Spent
- $2,260,371cycle to date through Jun 30
- Debts Owed
- $0cycle to date through Jun 30
- Next Report Due
- Q3 Report · Oct 15
View on FEC.govFEC, cycle to date through Jun 30, 2026
Top Payees
Who the campaign paid most, as its filing reports it.
- ASCEND DIGITAL STRATEGIES · list acquisition$667.7K
- GROUNDSWELL CONTACT · petitioning$278.2K
- UPCARD · petitioning$188.2K
- BALLOT ACCESS MARKETING, LLC · petitioning$125.0K
- BRYSON GILLETTE · advertising production$84.6K
Campaign finance — Seth Bodnar for Montana: July Quarterly 2026, through Jun 30, 2026
Jun 30, 2026 · Official · Federal Election CommissionFinance Reports
Campaign finance — Seth Bodnar for Montana: July Quarterly 2026, through Jun 30, 2026
Raised $3,238,150.74 this cycle · spent $2,260,371.43 · cash on hand $977,779.31 · debts owed by the committee $0.00 — through Jun 30, 2026. Where the money came from (cycle to date, as reported): Individuals $3,143,869.53 (97%); PACs and other political committees $93,050.00 (3%). Where it went (itemized operating expenditures this cycle, FEC-processed through Sep 20, 2026): digital $690.9K; field/canvass $591.4K; general consulting $112.5K; fundraising $95.0K; media/ad buying $86.0K; legal $69.3K.
Jun 30, 2026 · Official · Federal Election Commission
Money shows as the filings named here report it. Payees are who the campaign paid; individual contributors are not shown.
Advertising
Who is advertising for and against Seth
Advertising summary — for and against (2026 cycle)
For: own campaign $23,000 on Google; outside Google ads $0–$0; Snap $0; broadcast TV pending; FEC independent expenditures $3,873,023. Against: outside Google ads $0–$0; opponent campaign ads $0–$0; Snap $0; broadcast TV pending; FEC independent expenditures $0. 2026 cycle. Broadcast TV: not yet searched — not yet counted. Meta not included.
Aug 11, 2026 · Official · Ads summary (2026 cycle)Google/YouTube ads — Seth Bodnar for Montana (supporting)
The candidate's own campaign (Seth Bodnar for Montana). 4 ads since Nov 2024; Google-reported $23,000 since Nov 6 2024 (exact, advertiser-wide).
Aug 11, 2026 · Official · Google Political Ads Transparency Report (bundle updated 2026-09-23 21:37 PT) · source
Independent Expenditures
FEC independent expenditures on file: $4,968,568 supporting, $1,002,427 opposing, across 13 reports.
INDEPENDENT PACSupporting · $4,873,023
5 reports, newest Oct 1, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
MORE JOBS, LESS GOVERNMENTOpposing · $1,002,427
3 reports, newest Sep 30, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
AB PACSupporting · $80,954
3 reports, newest Oct 5, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
WILD MONTANA ACTION FUNDSupporting · $14,591
2 reports, newest Oct 2, 2026 · Federal Election Commission — electronic filing · newest filing
Spend as each platform or filing reports it. Each line is a separate measure, and they are not added together.
In Their Words
What they have said, on the record
“Montana deserves a senator who works for Montanans and nobody else, and that's my running as an independent.”
“My duty is to the Constitution of the United States,”
“I'm not about bumper stickers or slogans. I'm about getting things done,”
“Kurt Alme is nothing more than a rubber stamp for Donald Trump,”
“Tariffs should be used as tools, not toys.”
“It is the Constitutional responsibility of Congress to declare war, and Congress needs to do its job.”
Show all 11 statementsShow fewer
“Montanans are not backwards for asking who pays when the well runs dry, who pays when our electricity bills double?”
“We need real guardrails put in place right now,”
“Now this battle in Montana today is not between Republicans and Democrats, it's between the extreme and the rest of us,”
“I'm the son of two public school teachers.”
“I'm not going to be a foot soldier for either of these parties.”
In the News
Press coverage
- He Joined the Military at Age 18. Army Veteran Seth Bodnar Now Has His Sights Set on the US Senate (Military.com interview)Sep 23, 2026 · Press · Military.com
- Debate between US Senate candidates tips scales for audience membersSep 22, 2026 · Press · Daily Montanan
- Planned Parenthood endorses independent in Montana Senate raceSep 18, 2026 · Press · Daily Montanan
- Alme holds an 8-point lead over Bodnar in Senate raceSep 11, 2026 · Press · Montana Free Press
- Seth Bodnar (I) for U.S. Senate – MT | Public Lands, Chuck Schumer, and Making Politics Boring Again (Explore Big Sky, Outlaw Beat)Sep 9, 2026 · Press · Explore Big Sky
- Montana U.S. Senate candidates discuss how to manage data centers, AISep 1, 2026 · Press · KTVH (MTN)
- Bankhead, Bodnar remain on the Senate ballot, setting up a three-way raceAug 12, 2026 · Press · Montana Public Radio
- No candidates drop out of Montana U.S. Senate race as withdrawal deadline passesAug 10, 2026 · Press · KTVH (MTN)
- Four general election candidates to compete for Montana's open U.S. Senate seatJul 14, 2026 · Ballotpedia · Ballotpedia News
- Q&A: Seth Bodnar, independent U.S. Senate candidateMay 1, 2026 · Press · Montana Public Radio
Show all 12 articlesShow fewer
- Video: The Outsider Outrunning Every Candidate in Montana (Andrew Yang Podcast) — chapter 'Who Would Seth Caucus With?' at 14:53Apr 27, 2026 · Press · Andrew Yang Podcast
- Seth Bodnar thinks Montana could send an independent to the Senate. Hear why (CNN Inside Politics, Dana Bash, 5:22)Mar 12, 2026 · Press · CNN
Headlines link to the original reporting, captured on the date shown.
Reach Them
Websites and accounts
- Campaign Websitesethformontana.comCampaign website https://sethformontana.com/ captured 2026-09-24T14:35:43Z (1280x900 viewport, logged-out). Public metrics: none shown on site.Sep 24, 2026 · Self-published · Campaign websiteSelf-published
The 2026 Field
Who else is running for Montana U.S. Senate
- Kurt AlmeRepublican · On the 2026 ballot
- Kyle AustinLibertarian · On the 2026 ballot
- Alani BankheadDemocrat · On the 2026 ballot
- Jami Dee WoodmanNonpartisan · Write-in candidate
The Paper Trail
Filings, results and exhibits
On the ballot: U.S. Senate, Montana — November 3, 2026 general election
Listed as "SETH BODNAR" (IND) for United States Senator on the Montana Secretary of State candidate filing list for FEDERAL GENERAL 2026 (11/03/2026), status FILED. Also on the Secretary of State's 2026 General Election Ballot Certification as posted by Cascade County. Checked 2026-09-24.
Sep 24, 2026 · Official · Montana Secretary of State · sourceU.S. Senator · MT-SEN
Independent · Candidate · Not on the 2026 ballot
Sep 19, 2026 · OSINT
Not on file for Seth yet: Polls. Coverage varies by state and office.
File read Sep 25, 2026. Each item names its source. Record ID p_38k3jsg22.
GOTV Intel reports are sourced, cited research leads your campaign confirms against the primary record before use. They are never a consumer report and never for employment, credit, insurance, housing or licensure.