Bankhead-Supporting PAC Backs Out of Montana, Citing Lack of ‘Viable Path’ for a Democrat to Win
The Progressive Vet PAC poured millions into the Senate primary during its final weeks in support of Democrat Alani Bankhead. Now, it says it’s shifting its focus to back a Democratic candidate running in Kansas.
By Mariah Thomas
The political action committee that spent millions backing Alani Bankhead in the final weeks of her primary race for the U.S. Senate has pulled back its support from the Democrat, citing recent polling and fundraising reports that “make it clear that a Democrat does not have a viable path to winning the Montana Senate seat.”
The Progressive Vet PAC, in a Tuesday press release, announced it would shift its focus to support Noah Taylor, a Democrat running in a crowded primary in Kansas to take on incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall.
Little is known about the PAC, which first formed on April 27 and poured millions into Montana’s Democratic Senate primary. The release stated it “formed in early 2026 to combat MAGA Republicans trying to rig the Montana Democratic primary for US Senate.”
The Beacon left a message for Moffie Funk, a former Democratic legislator from Montana listed as the PAC’s treasurer, and emailed the PAC’s contact address for more information, but didn’t receive a response before publication.
The PAC threw its support behind Bankhead, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and federal supervisory special agent, during the final weeks of her bid for the Democratic nomination. It also spent money opposing Reilly Neill, a former legislator from Livingston who had been the fundraising frontrunner among Democrats.
Bankhead said in a recent press conference she didn’t know the PAC’s motives, and explained she legally cannot coordinate with the group. Still, questions about the PAC’s allegiances have percolated following its hefty last-minute expenditures on Bankhead’s behalf. Some have speculated the PAC’s real purpose was to boost Bankhead’s competitor, independent Senate candidate Seth Bodnar. Bodnar’s ability to win in a general election, pundits have said, is contingent upon a Democratic candidate dropping out — though Bankhead has made clear she has no plans to do so, both before and after her primary win.
Progressive Vet PAC listed two major donors in its Federal Election Commission filings: the American Values Project PAC, and Contours, Inc. Progressive Vet PAC received $200,000 from the American Values Project PAC, and another $2.6 million from Contours, Inc.
Jason Carroll, a managing partner and co-founder at Hudson River Trading, LLC, a trading firm based in New York, bankrolled the American Values Project PAC. Carroll’s donation history, per the Federal Election Commission, shows him donating mostly to Democratic candidates; though he also made $7,000 in donations to Bodnar in early May.
Contours, Inc., the other organization that bankrolled the Progressive Vet PAC, is based out of Delaware. The group is classified as a 501(c)(4), meaning it’s considered a “social welfare” organization and can engage in unlimited lobbying and spending on political campaigns. Its sparse website states it “educates voters and advocates for changes that give greater voice and choice to voters from coast to coast.”
Contours, Inc.’s donation history shows it has given funding to Independent Candidates Action. That group aims to “recruit, support, and help elect independent candidates who can compete and win where the two-party system has given up.” The organization’s website lists Bodnar as one of five candidates it’s supporting in House and Senate races across the country.
The group has also given to the Working Class Heroes Fund, a PAC founded by Dan Osborn, who has run as an independent for Nebraska’s Senate seat in the previous two election cycles. Osborn’s PAC states it’s “dedicated to uniting and mobilizing working people across party lines to give the working class a seat at the table.” So far, the PAC has only spent on one candidate: Karen Matthews, an independent running for a House seat in California.
Outside of PAC spending on her behalf, Bankhead’s campaign has directly raised $23,884.15. Republican Kurt Alme has raked in nearly $1.2 million. Independent Bodnar’s campaign has so far brought in more than $2.1 million. Both have more than $900,000 on-hand to spend on their races.
Most polling shows Alme, the Republican, leading both Bodnar and Bankhead. But a Montana Free Press poll ahead of the primary showed none of the candidates enjoyed the benefit of familiarity with voters.