I haven’t raped anybody.
I have investigated rapists, terrorists, pedophiles and drug traffickers and put them in jail during my time in the U.S. military and as a law enforcement officer. Having power requires the highest levels of accountability and integrity, and I have spent my career holding those in power accountable. Because I hate bullies. I retired in February and recently won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in the State of Montana.
Every other major opponent in this race happens to be a man. That’s not the issue. Their records are.
One of them is Seth Bodnar. Court records demonstrate that his management while serving as President of the University of Montana resulted in a settlement that forced the university to put in place protections and procedures that help prevent discrimination and better protect victims of discrimination. Now, despite the settlement, Bodnar says the women who won the settlement are not telling the truth and are “without merit.” The women don’t agree.
He has yet to acknowledge my existence in this campaign, demonstrating a continued pattern of behavior of dismissing and ignoring women.
Another opponent, Kurt Alme, has hung his hat on being Trump’s nominee. He conspired with Daines to rob the people of Montana of the ability to choose their Republican nominee. He stands against women’s privacy and body autonomy and, during his time as U.S. Attorney in Montana, cut a deal with a child rapist that allowed a police officer who sexually abused a 6-year-old girl to serve less than a year in prison and avoid being registered as a sex offender. As a U.S. Attorney, he declined 64% of their sex assault referrals. Is a person with that weak record against sex crimes really going to hold the Epstein class accountable?
I am inspired by the groundswell of support from many Montana voters and community leaders from throughout the political spectrum of the Big Sky State. This includes Republicans who thought Trump would protect them and keep true to his promises of no new war and affordability. Montanans in every corner of the state don’t want more of the same protection and elevation of sex abusers. They want justice against those who hurt our communities, and they want leadership that will protect them.
Less impressive is the absolute lack of support or even encouragement from my national Democratic colleagues at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). The DC elites think they know how to win elections in Montana, and yet the 2026 election clearly demonstrates their strategies no longer work.
They were all in for Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, until they weren’t. And now there’s a new opportunity to redraw the roadmap to getting corruption out of the U.S. Senate. The country is hungry for leaders who have spent their careers protecting people – not protecting institutions or powerful insiders.
It’s not too late for the DSCC. We can take back the leadership of the U.S. Senate, and that path toward victory goes through the Big Sky State. I hope that the recent scrutiny of some of our less qualified, turbulent candidates will inspire these decision-makers to embrace candidates like me – an experienced leader with an honorable military background, a passion for public service, and a track record of protecting and defending our communities.
Alani Bankhead is the Democratic candidate running for U.S. Senate in Montana.