Republican Senator Steve Daines announced on Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in Montana, a decision that reshapes the state’s upcoming Senate race.
The announcement came as the candidate filing deadline closed, leaving Kurt Alme as the only major Republican candidate in the primary.
Alme filed for the race just minutes before the deadline and quickly received an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Daines shared the decision in a video message posted on social media, saying: “Serving the people of Montana in the US House and the US Senate the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of my professional career.”
“I’m grateful to God for allowing me to serve, but after much careful thought. I’ve decided not to seek reelection,” he added.
The timing of the decision drew criticism from independent candidate Seth Bodnar, who said the move limited competition in the race.