Pete Buttigieg endorses independent Seth Bodnar for Montana Senate

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has endorsed independent candidate Seth Bodnar in the Montana U.S. Senate race. In a statement, Buttigieg praised Bodnar, a former University of Montana president and Green Beret, noting that while they do not agree on everything, Bodnar possesses the character necessary to serve Montanans.

The endorsement marks a rare move by a prominent Democrat to support an independent candidate. Some members of the Democratic Party believe Bodnar offers a stronger challenge to Republican candidate Kurt Alme than the official Democratic nominee, Alani Bankhead.

Bankhead, an Air Force veteran who won the Democratic primary in June, has refused calls to withdraw from the race to support Bodnar. She has alleged that individuals within the Democratic Party attempted to pressure her into dropping her bid, a claim the party denies. The split between the Democratic nominee and the independent candidate could potentially divide votes intended to challenge Republican control of the seat.