US ELECTIONS: Promoting energy independence, Daines wins reelection in Montana Senate race

Campaigning on an energy independence platform, Republican Senator Steve Daines squeaked out a victory Nov. 4 against his challenger Democratic Governor Steve Bullock to retain his US Senate seat in Montana.

Daines, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, has been a supporter of the Keystone XL Pipeline and Bakken shale development. His energy strategy includes the use of alternative fuels with a continued mix of coal, oil and gas.

The Montana race drew national attention as an election fight that could have helped Democrats take control of the Senate. Both candidates insisted they were the best option for maintaining Montana's outdoor values and sought to play up their environmental records in a state that continues to depend heavily on fossil fuel revenues.

Montana ranks sixth among US states in coal production, according to the US Energy Information Administration. But it also is the fifth-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the US.

Daines pulled away with about 53% of the vote with 80% of districts reporting, according to The Associated Press, which called the race. His win dims prospects for ambitious climate legislation clearing Congress as he has touted the need to balance environmental protection with an energy economy.

Notably, he partnered with Colorado Senator Cory Gardner, a western Republican who has lost his seat to a Democrat this election, to overcome GOP resistance and help convince Trump to sign into law a bill securing permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund used to finance parks and conservation projects across the country.