Montana Republican Steve Daines withdrew his Senate reelection paperwork Wednesday minutes before the deadline — and minutes after U.S. attorney Kurt Alme filed to run for the seat himself.
Daines’ decision appeared to catch most of Washington off guard, but he said he had been pondering it for some time.
“Serving the people of Montana in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of my professional career and I am grateful to God for allowing me to serve,’’ he said in a statement. “After wrestling with this decision for months, I have decided I will not seek re-election.”
