PoliticsDeveloping
Montana voters choose a successor to retiring Sen. Steve Daines
By Mantle News
Coverage spectrum
Covered by 3 outlets, mostly center (67%).
3 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias
The Hill and NewsNation report that Montana voters are choosing a senator and a U.S. House representative in the 2026 midterm elections, with polls closing at 10 p.m. ET. The Hill says Republican Kurt Alme faces Democrat Alani Bankhead and independent Seth Bodnar in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Steve Daines, the first open Senate seat in the state since 1976. The Hill reports that Alme is backed by President Trump and Daines, and that Bodnar has led Bankhead in polling. NewsNation reports that Republican Aaron Flint faces Democrat Sam Forstag in the 1st Congressional District.
Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works
What happened
Key points
Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.
Montana voters are choosing a senator and a House representative on election day, with polls closing at 10 p.m. ET.
One side only: the centerReported byCenter2See the outletsHide the outlets
- Center
- The Hill, NewsNation
The Senate race is a three-way contest between Republican Kurt Alme, Democrat Alani Bankhead and independent Seth Bodnar.
One outletThe Hill· Center
The seat is being vacated by retiring Sen. Steve Daines, the first open Senate race in Montana since 1976.
One outletThe Hill· Center
Alme is backed by President Trump and Daines, according to The Hill’s reporting.
One outletThe Hill· Center
Polling has shown independent Seth Bodnar ahead of Democrat Alani Bankhead.
One outletThe Hill· Center
In the 1st Congressional District, Republican Aaron Flint faces Democrat Sam Forstag.
One outletNewsNation· Center
How each side tells it
Compare views
All three outlets publish pages for Montana’s 2026 elections, which are being covered as live results. The center outlets name the Senate candidates, the open seat and Bodnar’s polling lead, while CNN’s page lists only the results page and state navigation.
the left
1 outlet
CNN’s headline is a neutral results label, Montana 2026 election results, with no framing beyond the vote itself.
Montana 2026 election results
CNNLeftAll left-leaning headlines the center
2 outlets
Center headlines label live results pages, with The Hill naming the open Senate seat and NewsNation the midterm races for Congress.
Montana live results: 2026 Senate election
The HillCenterAll center headlines the right
No coverage yet
No right-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.
The words they chose
Language to notice
Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.
Mantle found no loaded language in this coverage. Every headline and opening was checked against Mantle’s published word list, and Mantle’s AI read all 3 articles in context. Straight reporting often has none.
See for yourself
Side by side
What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.
From the left
1 outletLeads with
- state results
- election day
Leaves out
- candidate names and the Senate race
- poll closing time
Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.
See the headline from the leftHide the headlines
- CNNLeft
Montana 2026 election results
RESULTS BY STATE MONTANA RESULTS CNN Sightline Browse election results by state Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts …
From the center
2 outletsLeads with
- open Senate seat
- three-way race
- Trump and Daines backing Alme
- Bodnar polling lead
See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
- The HillCenter
Montana live results: 2026 Senate election
Republican Kurt Alme is facing off against Democrat Alani Bankhead and independent Seth Bodnar in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Steve Daines (R) in Montana. This is the first open race for the upper chamber in the ruby-red state since 1976. …
- NewsNationCenter
Montana midterm election results 2026
(NewsNation) — Voters in Montana will choose a new senator and representative Tuesday, perhaps shifting the power in both chambers of Congress. In the race to represent Montana in the U.S. Senate, Democrat Alani Bankhead faces Republican Kurt Alme. …
From the right
0 outletsNo right-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.
The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?
The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.
Who reported it when
How the coverage built up
Left
First to report
CNN, Nov 3, 12:27 AM EST
Center
5 hr 32 min later
Its first report, Nov 3, 6:00 AM EST
Right
No report yet
From the outlets Mantle follows
See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
- CNNLeftNov 3, 12:27 AM EST
- NewsNationCenterNov 3, 6:00 AM EST
- The HillCenterNov 3, 12:00 PM EST
Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.
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