Republican senator abruptly abandons Montana seat

Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), a longtime Trump supporter first elected to the Senate in 2015, withdrew his re-election paperwork on Wednesday in an abrupt announcement. His decision came after University of Montana President Seth Bodnar announced an independent Senate bid backed by former Democratic Sen. Jon Tester. Daines endorsed U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme as his successor, who filed for office minutes before Daines' retirement announcement. Trump praised Daines as "exceptional" and threw his complete endorsement behind Alme, calling him Trump 45 and Trump 47's U.S. Attorney. Trump stated that Alme's "highest level of aptitude and talent" persuaded Daines to step aside. CNN's Manu Raju characterized Daines' exit as "abrupt," signaling another GOP lawmaker abandoning his seat amid challenging electoral dynamics in Montana.

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