Alani Bankhead says she will remain in the Montana Senate race and rejects accusations that she is a Republican “plant,” telling reporters she won’t drop out despite pressure from party leaders and rivals.
Bankhead has repeatedly denied the plant charge, saying she will not disenfranchise the roughly 48,000 Montanans who voted for her in the primary and that she intends to keep campaigning across the state, according to reporting by The Washington Post and local station KTVH.
The Washington Post reported that Bankhead has “vigorously denies” the allegation and held a news conference after her primary victory vowing she would “never” drop out, while KTVH published a longer interview in which she defended her record and argued experience in Washington makes her the right choice for the seat.
Bankhead has also faced scrutiny over outside spending: The Washington Post reported that the pop-up PAC Progressive Vet spent $3.2 million on her primary, a point critics cite when calling her candidacy suspicious.
Her campaign says it had no contact with the PAC and Bankhead has told voters she is staying in part because she would not want to disenfranchise those who supported her, the Post reported. Local coverage by KTVH notes Bankhead’s stump appearances around Helena and her pitch to Montanans about affordability and public lands.
Critics inside the Montana Democratic fold, including some prominent Democrats, have publicly backed independent candidate Seth Bodnar or urged a unified approach to avoid splitting the liberal vote; The Post said several top Democrats have endorsed Bodnar instead of Bankhead.
The split has national implications for control of the Senate: national outlets and analysts have flagged the race as one where a divided liberal vote could help the Republican nominee, and Bankhead’s decision to remain in the contest has kept that scenario alive.
Sources
- The Washington Post — reporting that Bankhead denies being a Republican plant, that Progressive Vet spent $3.2 million in her primary, and that she vowed not to drop out.
- KTVH — interview with Bankhead in which she defends her record, says she will keep campaigning, and addresses questions about her ties and experience.
