Seth Bodnar, a former University of Montana president and U.S. Army Green Beret, is running as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate, advocating for systemic reform, Montana-centric governance, and a break from partisan politics. Bodnar’s decision to run stems from deep concern for his three children—two aged 16, one 12—and the future they will inherit. With his wife Chelsea, a fifth-generation Montanan and pediatrician, he believes the U.S. is on track to leave the next generation with a country that is less prosperous, more divided, more in debt, and less secure than the one they knew. He views this trajectory as a moral failure of leadership. Bodnar emphasizes that his campaign is not against Montana Democrats or Republicans but against a broken political system.
Bodnarr’s campaign is built on these pillars:
Make Montana a Way of Life a Reality by ensuring that hard work guarantees affordable housing, healthcare access, quality public education, and recreation on public lands; uphold veterans' benefits and honor treaties with Native American nations; and protect Montana’s constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment.
Invest in American Competitiveness and Security in Montana by supporting farmers and ranchers with policies like mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef to help them command premium prices, and open markets through common-sense trade policies.
Reform the Broken Political System by banning insider trading by members of Congress; prohibiting lobbying by former members of Congress; establishing a code of ethics and term limits for the U.S. Supreme Court; enacting term limits for Congress; removing dark money from politics; and ending partisan gerrymandering.
He seeks a Senate seat not to align with party leadership but to represent Montanans exclusively—answering to no party boss, donor, or national figure.