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Steve DainesR · MT · SEN
How outlets cover Daines · Mar 4 – Mar 10, 2026

Steve Daines Withdraws Reelection Bid as Kurt Alme Enters Senate Race

Daines withdrew from Montana’s Senate race and endorsed Kurt Alme, who entered the race. Coverage differs over whether the move sidelined voters or is chiefly a retirement-and-succession story.

Lead article · Roll Call · CENTERSen. Steve Daines announces surprise retirement
Image · Roll Call
ARTICLES
14
OUTLETS
11
AVG CRED
65MEDIUM
AVG BAL
62SOME TILT

Community verdict

9 VOTES
How does this story look for
Steve Daines R · MT · SEN
● OPEN
tl;drSUMMARY ACROSS OUTLETS

Steve Daines withdrew from Montana’s Senate race shortly before the filing deadline and endorsed Kurt Alme, who entered the race.

Left-leaning outlets cast the filing sequence as an insider handoff that could sideline voters. Center outlets focus on Daines’s withdrawal, Alme’s entry and endorsement, and the resulting race changes. Right-leaning outlets largely present a retirement-and-succession story, with some stressing praise for Daines and support for Alme.

Outlets by lean

10 RATED · 1 UNRATED

Compare by side

THE FRAMEAVG CRED 59
“A voter-excluding handoff”

Left-leaning coverage casts the filing sequence as an insider handoff that could sideline voters.

3 LEFT ARTICLES
TPM – Talking Points MemoMAR 5 · 1:00 PM ET
Five Points on the Montana Senator Trying to Deceive Voters and Gift His Seat to Chosen HeirDaines withdrew from Montana’s Senate race shortly before the filing deadline, amid criticism that he was clearing the way for a chosen successor.CRED 74BAL 50 PORTRAYS DAINES: CRITICAL
Raw StoryMAR 4 · 8:08 PM ET
Senate Republican 'abruptly' retires after 2 termsDaines withdrew his paperwork to seek another term and endorsed Kurt Alme as his successor.CRED 57BAL 55 PORTRAYS DAINES: NEUTRAL
Alternet.org (original publisher not identified)MAR 10 · 7:21 AM ET
The history behind Montana senator's mysterious schemeDaines withdrew shortly before the filing deadline, opening the race to his preferred successor, Kurt Alme.CRED 45BAL 40 PORTRAYS DAINES: CRITICAL
UNRATED · 1 · NOT ON THE SPECTRUM

How outlets portrayed Daines

Each article counts once, however many sites carried it. Sides are each outlet’s published lean. How portrayal is read

Left: 0 favorable, 2 critical, 0 mixed, 1 neutral. Center: 0 favorable, 0 critical, 0 mixed, 4 neutral. Right: 1 favorable, 0 critical, 0 mixed, 2 neutral.

1 UNRATED ARTICLE NOT SHOWN

When each side covered it

Articles per day by side. MAR 4: Left 1, Center 3, Right 2. MAR 5: Left 1, Center 1, Right 1. MAR 6: Left 0, Center 0, Right 0. MAR 7: Left 0, Center 0, Right 0. MAR 8: Left 0, Center 0, Right 0. MAR 9: Left 0, Center 0, Right 0. MAR 10: Left 1, Center 0, Right 0.

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