2026年10月23日 美国东部时间下午12:23 / CBS新闻
博德纳的竞选团队周五宣布，美国前交通部长皮特·布蒂吉格在蒙大拿州参议院竞选中，选择支持独立候选人塞思·博德纳，而非民主党提名人。
“我曾共事过的最优秀的领导者，无论是在军中还是在政府部门，都更在意能否把工作做好，而非谁来获取功劳，塞思就是其中之一。”有意参加2028年总统竞选的布蒂吉格在一份声明中表示。“我和塞思并非在所有问题上都达成共识，但他成年后始终在为这个国家和下一代服务，从陆军绿色贝雷帽到蒙大拿大学，他都会带着同样的品格代表所有蒙大拿人参选参议院。”
档案：2026年5月8日，塞思·博德纳在蒙大拿州利文斯顿的默里酒店参与参议院竞选活动。威廉·坎贝尔 / Getty Images
博德纳表示，他“很荣幸获得布蒂吉格部长的支持，并且骄傲地看到来自不同政治立场的人们都加入了这场竞选”。
他称，如果当选参议员，他不会加入民主党或共和党的党团，将保持独立身份。现年47岁的博德纳是一名已退役的美国陆军绿色贝雷帽军人，曾以西点军校班级第一名的成绩毕业，是罗德学者，直到最近还担任蒙大拿大学校长。他的竞选对手是民主党提名人阿拉尼·班克黑德和共和党提名人库尔特·阿尔梅。
蒙大拿州被视为共和党铁票州，投票给共和党候选人的选民数量远多于民主党选民。博德纳的履历以及他提出的独立、可负担性和打击腐败的竞选纲领，似乎正在赢得一些蒙大拿人的支持，因此，班克黑德已面临退选呼吁，以便为博德纳创造更好的胜选机会。如果两人都出现在选票上，他们很可能会分流那些不投票给阿尔梅的选民的支持。
共和党参议员史蒂夫·戴恩斯在3月报名截止日期前突然决定不再寻求连任，导致该席位出现空缺。
特朗普总统上周在蒙大拿州举行集会，为阿尔梅和国会候选人亚伦·弗林特拉票。副总统JD·万斯预计下周也将在蒙大拿州举行集会。
妮可·基利恩对本文有贡献。
Buttigieg endorses independent candidate Seth Bodnar over Democratic nominee in Montana Senate race
October 23, 2026 / 12:23 PM EDT / CBS News
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has endorsed the independent candidate in the Montana Senate race, Seth Bodnar, over the Democratic nominee, Bodnar’s campaign announced Friday.
“The best leaders I’ve served with, in uniform and in government, care more about getting the job done than about who gets the credit, and Seth is one of them,” Buttigieg, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, said in a statement. “Seth and I don’t agree on everything, but he has spent his adult life serving this country and the next generation, from the Army Green Berets to the University of Montana, and he’ll bring that same character to the Senate on behalf of all Montanans.”
File: Seth Bodnar at the Murray Hotel while campaigning for the Senate on May 8, 2026, in Livingston, Montana. William Campbell / Getty Images
Bodnar said he was “honored to have Secretary Buttigieg’s support, and proud that people across the political spectrum are joining this campaign.”
He says that if he’s elected senator, he will not caucus with Democrats or Republicans, remaining independent. Bodnar, 47, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret who graduated first in his West Point class, is a Rhodes scholar and was until recently the president of the University of Montana. He’s running against Democratic nominee Alani Bankhead and Republican nominee Kurt Alme.
Montana is considered a solidly GOP state, with far more voters who have cast ballots for Republican candidates than Democrats. Bodnar’s resume and platform of independence, affordability and fighting corruption appear to be winning some support with Montanans, and as a result, Bankhead has faced calls to drop out of the race to give him a better shot at victory. With both on the ballot, they are likely to split the support of those who are not voting for Alme.
Republican Sen. Steve Daines’ abrupt decision to not seek reelection shortly before the March filing deadline opened the vacancy.
President Trump held a rally in Montana last week to get out the vote for both Alme and congressional candidate Aaron Flint. Vice President JD Vance is also expected to hold a rally in Montana next week.
Nikole Killion contributed to this report.
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