An Independent in Montana Roils a Crucial Senate Race

In some quarters, it's seen as a clever strategy to win a tough Senate race. The problem is that it's morphed into a brewing civil war among Montana Democrats, writes Michael Scherer in the Atlantic. With Republicans vulnerable after Sen. Steve Daines opted not to seek reelection, some Democratic insiders and donors began quietly backing Seth Bodnar, a well-credentialed moderate running as an independent, as a more viable statewide candidate than any official Democrat. The idea: in a red-leaning state, the Democratic label might be a liability—so why not route around it?

But that strategy is now blowing up. Grassroots Democrats see it as a betrayal—an attempt by national operatives and big donors to sideline their own nominee and effectively outsource the race to an independent they don't control. (Bodnar won't commit to caucusing with Democrats.) State party chair Shannon O'Brien insists there's no "hidden agenda" at play, and some state lawmakers say the intrigue is "fever dream" stuff. But former Democratic Sen. Jon Tester's widely circulated description of the Democratic brand as "poison," plus memories of past efforts to boost independents, keep the rumor mill spinning. The result: a high-stakes identity crisis that might well decide control of the Senate, writes Scherer. Read his full story.