In a surprising turn of events, Steve Daines, the Republican senator from Montana, has announced his decision not to pursue a third term in the United States Senate. This revelation came on Wednesday, capturing the attention of many in the political realm.

“Representing the people of Montana in both the US House and Senate over the past 13 years has been the pinnacle of my career,” Daines expressed in a video shared on X. “After careful consideration, I have concluded that I will not seek reelection.”

At 64, Daines joins a growing list of Republican senators who have opted out of the upcoming election cycle. His decision aligns him with fellow Republicans such as Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, all of whom have chosen not to run again as the November midterms approach.

Daines first stepped into the Senate in 2014 and notably held the position of chairman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee from 2023 to 2025. During his tenure, he played a crucial role in helping the Republican Party secure four additional Senate seats in the 2024 elections.

Following Daines’ announcement, former President Donald Trump praised him, calling the Montana senator “one of our truly Great United States Senators” in a message on Truth Social.

President Trump described the Montana Republican as “one of our truly Great United States Senators,” in a Truth Social post after Daines’ announcement.

“He honorably served for 12 years in the Senate, and 2 in the House of Representatives. He did a job like few others are capable of doing but, sadly for our Country, Steve’s Term is up,” the president said, before endorsing Daines’ possible successor. 

“[H]e has decided to leave the Senate and, ‘pass the torch’ to Kurt Alme, my TRUMP 45 and TRUMP 47 U.S. Attorney.” 

The president argued that if  Alme “didn’t have the highest level of aptitude and talent, Steve would have remained exactly where he is.” 

 “But, Kurt is exceptional,” Trump asserted, “and I will be giving him, based on Steve’s strongest recommendation, my Complete and Total Endorsement.”

 Alme, the US Attorney for the District of Montana, filed to run for Daines’ seat after the senator formally withdrew from the race, and just minutes before a Tuesday night filing deadline for candidates to enter the race, according to Politico. 

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report favors Republicans to win the now open Senate race in Montana, rating the state “solid R.”

Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), who flipped one of Montana’s Senate seats red in 2024 by defeating Democrat Jon Tester, praised Daines on X for  “doing something we don’t often see in modern politics: stepping down at the height of his power to clear the way for a new generation of leaders.”