By Lindsay Wise

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, a close ally of President Trump, said he wouldn't run for re-election this year, formally exiting the race shortly before the filing deadline closed for candidates in his state on Wednesday.

"After wrestling with this decision for months, I have decided I will not seek re-election," Daines said, in a move that came as a surprise to many colleagues on Capitol Hill. He said he and his wife, Cindy Daines, "look forward to the next chapter: cherishing moments with seven grandchildren, spending more time in Montana, and continuing to make a difference."

Daines, 63 years old, had filed his paperwork to run for re-election on Feb. 17. Montana's primary is June 2. Daines, a businessman, was first elected to the House in 2012 and the Senate in 2014.

Later Wednesday night, Daines and Trump endorsed Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who had registered to run minutes before the deadline.

Trump called Daines "one of our truly Great" senators. He wrote on social media that Daines "did a job like few others are capable of doing but, sadly for our Country, Steve's Term is up, and he has decided to leave the Senate and, 'pass the torch' to Kurt Alme." He added: "Kurt is exceptional, and I will be giving him, based on Steve's strongest recommendation, my Complete and Total Endorsement."

Trump said Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Montana's other senator, Tim Sheehy, also are endorsing Alme. Daines said he has known Alme for years and said Montanans "will be proud to have" him as their next senator.

In April 2023, Daines became the first member of Senate Republican leadership to endorse Trump for his second presidential run and privately urged fellow GOP senators to endorse him before the Iowa caucuses.

He led Senate Republicans' campaign arm last election cycle, helping the GOP win back the Senate majority. Daines's strategy involved intervening directly in Republican primaries -- sometimes angering base voters and activists in his own state and others.

Daines persuaded Trump to endorse all of his preferred candidates, including Sheehy, a wealthy entrepreneur and former Navy SEAL who would go on to defeat Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in 2024, fulfilling Daines's longtime goal of flipping the Montana seat from blue to red after 18 years.

Some on Capitol Hill saw Daines as a potential future Senate majority leader, but he declined to run after helping to win the majority in November 2024, instead backing Sen. John Thune of South Dakota for the job.

Former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar, who launched an independent campaign for Daines's seat, said in a statement that Daines "has so little respect for Montana Republicans that he withdrew at the last minute to coronate his handpicked successor instead of giving them a voice at the ballot box."

Write to Lindsay Wise at lindsay.wise@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 04, 2026 21:15 ET (02:15 GMT)

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