Montana Senate Candidate Denies He Referred to Native American as “Pets”

Guest Opinion

As the Libertarian candidate  for the United States Senate, I wish to address the false information being twisted by my opponent, Seth Bodnar, who is running as the Independent candidate. In an article published by Native News Online on October 27, the information was based largely on Seth Bodnar’s social media post.

As the only candidate in this race running without being funded by dark money or handpicked by Washington, D.C., it is important for readers and voters to know that I am the only candidate who will stand side-by-side with our tribal nations. I was born here in Montana, raised on a farm, and attended the University of Montana, where I graduated with my Doctor of Pharmacy degree. I have Native American friends and Native American neighbors. Unlike my opponents in this race, I have spent years providing healthcare services as a pharmacist to Native Americans in Montana and Alaska.

During the forum, I used the generalized term “pets of society” to refer to how the far left has victimized our people. However, my lying opponent, Seth Bodnar, would rather smear his opponents and attempt to earn votes than state the truth and face the facts. Bodnar edited the video and referred to Native Americans as pets—not me. It is Bodnar who views Native Americans as pets through his far-left agenda.

Bodnar also accused Alani Bankhead, the Democratic candidate, and me of laughing about the comment; however, that is also far from the truth. If you review the entire forum, you will find that Alani and I were laughing about something separate. People really need to be laser-focused on the lies of Independent candidate Bodnar, as this is not his first lying campaign.

Bodnar says he is an independent; however, his agenda is far left, including the killing of babies. Bodnar claims to be a war hero but has never seen a day of combat in his life. Bodnar claims to have been a successful University of Montana president; however, his track record shows that enrollment went down and tuition went up during his eight years.

During the forum, I called for empowering Native Americans. The exact quote from the video state:

“Why don’t we empower the Native American tribes? How about we give them the power to be independent!”

As the true conservative, I was referring to the importance of self-government and independence from the federal government.

I addressed the problem of dependency on the federal government. I am stating that the far left has led many people to become victims of socialism. We need to teach independence. We need common sense. We need to be free from socialist ideas, and we need to put America first.

My campaign didn’t call anybody pets. If you listen to what I am saying, you would hear me say, “The left keeps them as a pet of society,” meaning dependent on the federal government. I used the word “dependent,” and everybody who has ever served in the U.S. military knows that meaning.

But my principle is correct: Federal dependency equals federal control, and that is a double-edged sword.

On a final note, I demand that Seth Bodnar publicly apologize to Native Americans for his personal attack and name-calling. His actions in using Native Americans to smear his opponents and attempt to gain votes lack professionalism, integrity, and leadership. These are not traits that should be found in any leader in the United States Senate. A real leader listens to the issues and finds reasonable solutions without creating division in our society.

As Montana’s next United States senator, I will tackle the problems facing our nation and our tribal communities and find solutions that last for future generations. I am the only candidate in this race who will truly represent ALL Montanans.

Dr. Kyle Austin is the Liberatarian Party’s candidate for the open U.S. Senate seat in Montana in the 2026 midterm elections. He is a praticing pharmacist.