Viewpoint: The Independent path to protecting our democracy
Nancy Keenan
I grew up in Anaconda, in the shadow of the smelter stack.
As a proud union Democrat, I was 12 years old before I realized “Damnrepublicans” was actually two words. I ran for the Montana Legislature as a Democrat, later served as Superintendent of Public Instruction, and spent my career fighting for working families. When I ran for Congress in 2000, I carried my father’s lunch bucket with me across the state as a reminder of where I came from and who I was serving.
I have supported Democrats my entire life, and I will continue to do so.
That is why some may be surprised that, in this year’s race for Montana’s open U.S. Senate seat, I am supporting an Independent, Seth Bodnar.
Our democracy is facing one of the most serious tests of our lifetime. Across the political spectrum, Americans know that something fundamental has changed. We’re seeing rapid declines in our civic freedoms as the Trump administration embraces a wide range of authoritarian policies and actions that undermine the institutional pillars of our democracy and erode human rights protections. As I write this, Trump and his allies are circulating a draft executive order to declare a national emergency to thwart the mid-term elections in November.
At its best, democracy asks us to put the long-term interests of the country ahead of short-term political gains. That is why so many were angered by Senator Steve Daines’ effort to anoint his preferred successor, Kurt Alme. Montanans should decide who represents us in the United States Senate, not politicians.
Thank you to every Democratic candidate who stepped up to run in this primary. Mounting a statewide campaign takes immense courage and sacrifice. That’s why my first call the day after the primary was to congratulate the Democratic primary winner, Alani Bankhead. I respect Alani, her background, and her reasons for running. But a harsh truth remains - there is not a viable path for a Democratic victory in this race. In a state Trump won by 20 percent, in a race 18-year incumbent Jon Tester lost by 7 percent, recent polling and Montana’s electoral landscape make that clear.
Polling is also clear that in a two-way race, Seth Bodnar can defeat Alme. I’m supporting Seth because he is committed to standing up for working families and seniors at a time when programs like Social Security and Medicare are under threat. As a father of three and the son of public school teachers, he has been a strong advocate for public education.
As a veteran of the 101st Airborne Division who served in Iraq, he understands the obligations we owe those who serve. This is crucial as members of our military are being committed to new wars around the world - wars that no one besides Donald Trump wants.
My support for the Independent candidate is not a rejection of my Democratic values. It is an expression of them.
The stakes in this election are extraordinarily high. At this moment, I believe Montanans should be willing to look beyond party labels and consider an independent path forward - one that puts country, community, and democracy first.
Nancy Keenan was born and raised in Anaconda. She attended Eastern Montana College earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education before earning her master’s from the University of Montana. At the age of 26, Nancy became active in politics serving three terms in the Montana House, followed by three terms as the Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction, and a run for U.S. Congress in 2000.
In 2013, she returned to her Montana roots and served as the Executive Director of the Montana Democratic Party from 2015-2019.