Montana Senate hopeful Seth Bodnar defends China-linked study program despite security warnings
Independent Senate candidate Seth Bodnar kept a University of Montana partnership with the China-United States Exchange Foundation, even after a congressional chairman urged its termination.
Seth Bodnar, running as an independent for the U.S. Senate in Montana, has refused to end the University of Montana’s study-abroad collaboration with the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), despite a December 2023 request from former Rep. Mike Gallagher, chair of the Senate’s China competition committee. Bodnar, who led the university from 2018 to 2026, said ending the tie would shrink opportunities for students and hurt America’s global competitiveness.
The program, administered by the Baucus Institute, paid for 15 students to travel to Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, where they attended events linked to senior Chinese officials and state-run institutions. Critics, including former ambassador Joseph Cella, argue the partnership advances Chinese United Front influence in U.S. academia. Bodna r’s stance contrasts with his campaign rhetoric warning that China is outpacing the United States in energy and mining sectors. The controversy unfolds amid a three-way Senate race where Bodnar trails Republican Kurt Alme but remains competitive against Democrat Alani Bankhead.
Why it matters
Voters need to know if a candidate’s ties to a Chinese influence group conflict with his hard-line China stance.
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