Independent U.S. Senate candidate Seth Bodnar added VoteVets to his endorsement list this week, a national progressive veterans organization that describes itself as the largest of its kind in the country. The endorsement is the latest in a string of backing from groups that typically align with Democrats, a dynamic that reflects the unusual positioning of Bodnar's campaign in a state that has trended sharply Republican in federal races.
Bodnar, a former university president who entered the race as an independent, has been assembling a coalition that crosses traditional party lines. Picking up progressive organizational endorsements while running without a party label is a delicate needle to thread in Montana, where independent candidates have had mixed results in statewide contests. With just over three months until Election Day, the race for the seat is still taking shape.
The Montana U.S. Senate race has drawn national attention given the state's political landscape and the competitive nature of the open contest. VoteVets has previously endorsed Democratic candidates in Senate races across the country, making its support for an independent candidate notable. How that endorsement plays in Helena and Lewis and Clark County — a competitive area in statewide races — remains to be seen as the fall campaign builds.