Montana Gov. Steve Bullock stands at left.
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock stands at left.
Gov. Steve Bullock, who suspended his presidential campaign Dec. 2, is staying mum about what he plans to do when his term in office is up in January 2021.
Shortly after ending his presidential bid, Bullock told reporters in Helena that he would not be making a run for U.S. Senate.
"I've said it before. I've said it during. I said it when I got out (of the presidential race)," Bullock said in a report published by the Helena Independent Record. "I'm not running for Senate."
Bullock, who in May made a relatively late entrance into the presidential race, gained some traction in Iowa but was not able to raise enough money to garner more support nationwide and qualified for only one debate.
Though term-limited and unable to run again for governor, Bullock did not appear to intimate private-sector plans during the interview with reporters.
“I have no idea, zero idea, and that’s not being cagey,” Bullock said.
Bullock said waiting until the legislature session finished in May to announce his presidential candidacy may have cost him support, given there were so many candidates at that point.
He added that his relatively moderate stance may not have struck a chord with voters.
“I’d put my record and what we've been able to do in Montana, when it comes to dark money, when it comes to education funding, when it comes to health care, against anybody in this field,” Bullock said.
“But that may be part of it, that whatever the perspective I was offering, in addition to the sort of the inherent obstacles when I got in and DNC debate rules and things like that, aren't what the people are looking for at this time. ... It may well be that voters just weren't looking for me, what I had to offer this time.”
Bullock acknowledged that shortly after he left the presidential race, he received calls and emails encouraging him to run for Senate. He added that first-term Republican Steve Daines may be a vulnerable candidate but declined to provide details.
According to last month’s Cook Report, Daines’ seat is still solid Republican.
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