Montana U.S. Senate candidates square off in debate

Topics included the state’s housing challenges, rising health care costs, the economy and inflation, Social Security funding, artificial intelligence, international relations, the war in Iran and more.

Click here to watch the full debate. 

Housing In Montana

The candidates agreed Montana faces a housing crisis but differed on how to address it.

“This is an absolute crisis, I hear about it everywhere I go,” said Bodnar, a U.S. Army veteran and former president of the University of Montana. “We need action at the federal level to ensure that we’re incentivizing the type of housing supply expansion that we need. Zoning and code reform to build more homes.”

Alme, a former federal prosecutor and past budget director for the Gianforte Administration, argued for reigning in federal spending, lower construction costs and reduce mortgage rates 

“We also need to keep taxes low so hard-working Montanan families can keep more of their paycheck in their pocket to pay the rent,” Alme noted. “And we need to cut regulations to build more houses, to lower costs. 

Bankhead, a retired Air Force officer and federal special agent, would see more involvement from construction companies in regulation and lawmaking.

“When we talk to construction companies, what they tell us is that taxes are killing them,” Bankhead said. “So right now in this era we have to provide financial incentives, which means giving tax breaks to those who build affordable housing.

Austin, a Billing-area pharmacist, said the housing crisis is directly tied to the economy and bureaucrats' decisions.

“What you’re seeing with the housing crisis is a crisis across the board, it’s related to the economy,” said Austin. “They ran our mills and our lumber industry out of business; they outsourced everything overseas. They have high tariffs on the imports we need to build our houses.”

Rising Health Care Costs

According to data from the American Medical Association, health care costs have seen the highest growth rates in the last three decades. Candidates agreed something needs to change.  

Alme said people need more options and the current system, specifically Obamacare, has only led to subsidizing pharmaceutical and insurance companies. 

“We need to hold them accountable, and we need to make health care more affordable by making it more transparent, more competitive and by putting patients first,” he said.   

Bankhead argued for universal health care.

“We already have government-run health care; it’s called TRICARE. It’s the military health care system,” she explained. “It’s a single-payer system – primary care, dental, eyes and mental health are all covered under one system. And we actually have the money to pay for it. It’s called all the extraneous overhead for the insurance companies.”

Austin pointed to issues with access, affordability and corruption in the health care system.

“We have a health care crisis on the horizon,” he stated, adding that he has a unique plan to address it. “Called ‘Health Care 2.0’ that identifies the issues with our healthcare system that would consolidate it all under one program. To create one set of rules.”

Bodnar said Congress’s failure to already address the issue is why there needs to be change in D.C.

“I believe strongly that every American should have access to health care. No one should go bankrupt because they got sick. I’m calling for a universal coverage option while still maintaining choice and competition,” said Bodnar.

Funding Social Security

The Social Security Administration reports, unless something changes, the trust fund used for Social Security benefits will be depleted by the end of 2032. 

“The solution to the Social Security gap is actually very simple; it’s remove the wage limit,” Bankhead explained. “When we do that we will fund Social Security in perpetuity and we will fund other programs as well, like caregiver support.”

Austin says the Social Security program is outdated, and would rather see a trust fund created for each individual payer.

“My plan is in ‘Health Care 2.0’ where we will take care of the people on Social Security, make sure they have the tools and the resources they need. But we need to overhaul the system for a future, not just for today, not just for tomorrow, but the future generations to come,” said Austin.

Bodnar said the program must be protected to ensure those who have paid in will receive what they are due.

“It’s simple; we need a fair approach to taxation,” he explained.”It’s not right that someone that makes $75,000 a year has 100% of their income taxable for Social Security purposes while someone that makes $2 million a year has less than 10 percent of their income as taxable for Social Security purposes.“  

Alme said he would never support any cut to benefits for seniors and would work across the aisle to find a solution. 

“We made a promise to our seniors like my mom, that if they paid in during their working lives, the benefits would be there for them when they retire. We need to keep that promise,” said Alme.

War in Iran

The candidates differed in their stance on the conflict with Iran, with three of the four condemning the action and saying the Trump administration needs to be held accountable.  

Austin noted, “No, I do not defend the war in Iran and I do not believe we should be there.”

Bankhead also pushed 

“It’s a war we never should have gotten into,” said Bankhead. 

“We need U.S. senators that are going to lead in a way that is worthy of the sacrifices the men and women in uniform make on our behalf every single day,” said Bodnar. 

Alme was the only one to differ, saying that while he doesn’t support forever wars, the U.S. actions against Iran are needed.

“We need to support the president, our troops, our diplomats while they work to set back Iran’s nuclear program and work to reopen their control of the [Strait of Hormuz],” said Alme.

Click here to watch the full debate. 

Election Day is November 3, 2026, and people can check their voter information here.