Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) announced his retirement an hour after the re-election filing deadline on Wednesday, and a new candidate quickly earned the endorsement of President Donald Trump, Daines, and other key leaders. Daines pulled his re-election bid shortly before the 5 p.m. filing deadline through the Montana Secretary of State’s office, just moments after United States Attorney for the District of Montana Kurt Alme filed to run, according to the Montana Television Network. Alme is now the presumptive favorite for the Republican nomination, with the primary slated for June 2. “Serving the people of Montana in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate the past 13 years has been the greatest honor of my professional career. I’m grateful to God for allowing me to serve. But after much careful thought, I’ve decided not to seek re-election,” Daines said in a video posted Wednesday. An announcement