Monday’s withdrawal deadline passed with Alani Bankhead still in Montana’s Senate race, after she publicly insisted she would stay in and win despite having less than $24,000 on hand.
That keeps Democrat Bankhead and independent Seth Bodnar on the November ballot with Republican Kurt Alme, a three-way setup analysts say is likely to split anti-GOP votes and strengthen Alme’s position.
Bankhead won the Democratic primary with 47.3% after more than $4 million in supportive super PAC spending, but much of that outside help faded after the primary while Bodnar and Alme each raised about $2 million.
The race is unusually open — Montana’s first Senate contest without an incumbent in 40 years for only the third time — and Sabato’s Crystal Ball currently rates it leaning Republican.