Outside PAC Spending Stirs Conspiracy Theories in Montana Democratic Senate Primary
Why It Matters
Montana’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, set to conclude June 2, has been upended by a wave of outside spending and dueling accusations of electoral manipulation — raising questions about PAC transparency, cross-party interference, and the future of the state’s competitive fall Senate race.
What Happened
Alani Bankhead, an Air Force veteran running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, entered April with roughly $10,625 in her campaign account — enough for little more than a grassroots presence in the race’s final weeks. She was significantly outgunned financially by opponent Reilly Neill of Livingston, the only candidate in the four-person Democratic field with more than $100,000 available to spend.
Then Bankhead started receiving compliments on ads she never knew existed. A newly formed political committee called Progressive Vet PAC had quietly spent $592,000 on digital advertising and direct mail promoting her candidacy. Bankhead said she had no prior knowledge of the effort — and by law, candidates cannot coordinate with independent expenditure committees.
The PAC’s emergence has ignited accusations from fellow Democrats that the spending is not what it appears. Critics, led by eastern Montana U.S. House candidate Brian Miller, have argued in a series of Facebook videos that Progressive Vet PAC’s true aim may be to engineer a primary outcome favorable to independent Senate candidate Seth Bodnar. The theory holds that a Bankhead primary win could produce a Democratic nominee more willing to exit the general election race — avoiding a vote split among non-Republican candidates that could benefit the Republican in November.
Miller noted that Progressive Vet PAC’s treasurer is Moffie Funk, a former Democratic state legislator with a history of working on Democratic statewide campaigns. Several former staffers of retiring U.S. Sen. Jon Tester are now working for Bodnar’s campaign. Bankhead said she was unfamiliar with Funk and played no role in the PAC’s activities. Bankhead is not the only Montana candidate navigating a complicated primary landscape this cycle.
By the Numbers
$592,000 — Amount Progressive Vet PAC spent on ads and mailers supporting Bankhead through Thursday of this week.
$10,625 — Cash on hand in Bankhead’s campaign account at the start of April.
$282,618 — Spending by More Jobs, Less Government, a Republican-aligned PAC, on digital ads, texts, and mailers opposing Neill.
$22 million+ — The same PAC’s total spending in support of Republican Tim Sheehy’s successful 2024 Senate campaign.
2,800 — Combined views of Miller’s Facebook video series raising questions about Progressive Vet PAC, as of Thursday afternoon.
Competing Conspiracy Theories
Progressive Vet PAC has countered with its own theory of outside interference. The committee’s website alleges that Republicans are strategically boosting Neill through attack-style advertising designed to drive Democratic voters toward her — thereby weakening Bodnar’s general election position. Federal disclosure records confirm that More Jobs, Less Government has directed nearly $283,000 in spending specifically in opposition to Neill’s campaign.
The Republican PAC, which has not responded to press inquiries, employed a Montana political consulting firm that was paid more than $95,000 to produce text messages and mailers targeting Neill.
Neill has publicly stated she will not withdraw from the race in favor of Bodnar should she win the Democratic nomination. Notably, Bankhead has said the same. “Not only no, but hell no,” Bankhead said, asking that the word “hell” be included in any published account.
The dueling interference claims echo a 2012 episode in which a Democratic consulting firm arranged promotional activity for a Libertarian candidate in Montana’s Senate race, pulling votes away from the Republican nominee.
Transparency Gap
Progressive Vet PAC is new enough that it faces no disclosure requirement for its donor list before the primary closes on June 2. This late-organizing approach is a recognized tactic for keeping funding sources shielded from public view during a critical campaign window. When asked about the PAC’s financial backers, Funk declined to identify them, stating only that the committee’s website explained the rationale for supporting Bankhead.
What’s Next
Montana’s Democratic primary concludes June 2. The winner will face an independent race that includes Bodnar and an expected Republican nominee in November. Whether any of the competing outside-spending theories prove accurate may become clearer once post-primary financial disclosures are required. Eastern Montana’s U.S. House primary, where candidate Jonathon Windy Boy recently relaunched his campaign, adds another layer of complexity to the state’s crowded political calendar.