The independent and Democratic candidates for Senate went head-to-head on campaign funding, tax reform and other policy priorities on Sunday.
Democrat Alani Bankhead and independent Seth Bodnar spoke to voters, answering questions from the hosting organization Indivisible Missoula and the crowd.
The two mostly agreed on issues like preventing ICE-related violence and making sure retirees can survive the impending social security cliff.
The two clashed over campaign finance. Bankhead and Bodnar each accused each other’s campaigns of being infected with outside spending.
Bodnar criticized Bankhead for a windfall of PAC funding that bolstered her campaign in the final weeks of her primary.
“More than 4,000 Montanans have made an individual contribution to this campaign," Bodnar said. "My Democratic opponent won the primary fueled by over $3 million of dark money spending.”
That $3 million came from Progressive Vet PAC, who spent it on ads supporting Bankhead’s primary bid. That support stopped after she won. The PAC’s treasurer is Moffie Funk, a former Democratic state Representative. Now Funk is supporting Bodnar’s campaign.
Bankhead said Bodnar is “governed by the billionaire class” and called him a “DC insider,” referring to some rumors surrounding the race.
“So all of that dark money was pushed to me without my permission so that he could try to push me out of this election," Bankhead said. "And folks, I'm still standing.”
There’s been speculation that Progressive Vet actually supports Bodnar and propped up Bankhead during the primary in hopes that she would drop out to clear the way for the independent. The PAC has denied that accusation.
Libertarian candidate Kyle Austin and Republican Kurt Alme were invited to the panel. Austin said he had a scheduling conflict. Alme declined. His team said “Montanans can only assume that candidates who attend [Indivisible Missoula’s] left-wing political rallies share that same view.
