Retiring Senator Anoints His Successor In A Backhanded Move
Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana pulled a bait-and-switch on GOP primary voters on Wednesday, withdrawing his name from the ballot minutes before the filing deadline and thus denying potential successors the chance to prepare to enter the race.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Daines had coordinated with his successor of choice—U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme of the Montana office—to ensure Alme was the only Republican on the ballot.
Even President Donald Trump appeared to be in on the scheme. He immediately endorsed Alme in a post on Truth Social. "Kurt is exceptional, and I will be giving him, based on Steve’s strongest recommendation, my Complete and Total Endorsement," Trump wrote.
The overt collusion led the political handicapping outlet Inside Elections to recategorize the seat as more competitive, going from “Solid Republican” to “Likely Republican.” Jacob Rubashkin, the site’s deputy editor, wrote that Daines' sly retirement move "is an unforced error by Republicans and introduces a unique element into the race."