Alani Bankhead Refuses to Quit Montana Senate Race, Setting Up 3-Way Fight
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 15
Alani Bankhead Refuses to Quit Montana Senate Race, Setting Up 3-Way Fight
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 15
Summary
Alani Bankhead said Monday she will "never" drop out of Montana's Senate race, rejecting pressure from Democrats who wanted her to clear the field.
That decision keeps independent Seth Bodnar and Republican nominee Kurt Alme in a three-way contest for a Republican-held seat, with Democrats now at risk of splitting their vote in November.
Bankhead instead demanded that Bodnar step aside, attacking his record as former University of Montana president and citing a 2-year-old sex-discrimination lawsuit settlement during his tenure.
The standoff exposes a Democratic divide over electability in heavily Republican Montana, where many in the party view Bodnar as a stronger general-election candidate.