HELENA — Alani Bankhead of Helena announced that she’s running against Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines.
“I believe that a politician's job is to, first and foremost, listen to their constituents, and second, vote on their behalf – and that's not happening right now,” she told MTN. “I thought based on my career and the experience that I bring to the table, I have a responsibility to serve the people of Montana so that they can thrive, too.”
Bankhead, 43, has spent much of her life moving from state to state, as both she and her husband were active-duty military members. She says they came to Montana about three years ago, after her husband retired. She remains in the Air Force Reserves, but is planning to retire next month.
Bankhead says she spent much of her career investigating crimes like human trafficking and child sexual abuse, including time with the Hawaii Attorney General’s office. She plans to bring her dog Lulu – a retired K-9 trained to search for electronic equipment – along on the campaign trail.
“The primary thing I'm campaigning on is accountability,” Bankhead said. “I have had a lifetime of doing that, and holding people in power accountable is one of government's functions.”
Bankhead describes herself as a moderate and an “independent Democrat.” She believes voters are looking for someone who won’t act purely based on party lines.
“Montanans aren't necessarily blue or red; they believe in rolling sleeves up and getting the job done no matter what,” she said.
Three other candidates have filed campaign finance paperwork to run for the Democratic nomination to take on Daines:
- Reilly Neill, a former state lawmaker from Livingston
- Michael Black Wolf, a tribal historic preservation officer from Hays
- Michael Hummert, a 2024 U.S. Senate candidate from Helena
Besides Daines, a second Republican candidate – Charles Walking Child of Helena – has also declared a campaign for the seat.
Kyle Austin, a Billings pharmacist who has previously run for U.S. House as a Republican, has filed campaign finance paperwork to run for Senate as a Libertarian.
Daines will be up for a third term in 2026. National political analysts like the Cook Political Report and Inside Elections have projected his seat as safe for Republicans next year.
