One of the key Senate races this year is set in Montana, where Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and Republican entrepreneur Tim Sheehy emerged as the primary winners. The race is crucial for partisan control of the Senate, with Montana being one of the GOP’s best chances to unseat a vulnerable Democrat. Sheehy, backed by Trump and with significant Republican investments, is expected to challenge Tester’s established appeal in the state that Trump previously won with wide margins. A Tester loss could potentially cost Democrats their Senate majority.
The Montana race has already seen significant spending on advertising, with Democrats and Republicans investing over $36 million combined through the primaries. An additional $124 million is budgeted for the general election, as both parties gear up for a highly competitive contest. Sheehy has been portrayed as a strong conservative, an American hero, and a successful businessman who will bring change to Washington, according to Sen. Steve Daines. Tester, on the other hand, has been depicted as a Washington insider and a top recipient of campaign cash from lobbyists.
Both Tester and Sheehy have sought to frame each other as being unfit for the Senate. Sheehy has portrayed Tester as entrenched in the Washington swamp, while Democrats highlight Sheehy’s newcomer status and controversies, including admitting to lying about a gunshot wound. The Democrat’s focus on Sheehy’s character and past actions, such as lying about the circumstances of his injury, is expected to be a major point of contention in the race. The contrast between the two candidates is stark, with each side emphasizing different aspects of their backgrounds and qualifications.
The Sheehy campaign has been scrutinized for various issues, including his admission of lying about a gunshot wound and controversies surrounding his aerial firefighting company and cattle ranch. Montana’s public hunting traditions and land ownership issues are likely to be topics of debate in the race, as Tester allies aim to highlight Sheehy’s questionable behavior and associations. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has released an ad titled “Shady Sheehy,” which references the candidate’s past controversies and lies, painting him as untrustworthy and self-serving.
As the race officially shifts to the general election, recent developments such as Trump’s conviction on felony counts in a New York trial could become a new tension point. While Tester has remained relatively quiet on the matter, Sheehy’s campaign has sought to portray the senator as part of a political persecution of Trump. An advertisement featuring a clip of Tester speaking figuratively about standing up to Trump has been used by Sheehy’s team to suggest that Tester is aligned with those seeking to undermine Trump’s supporters. The race is expected to remain fiercely competitive, with Montana voters set to decide between two starkly different candidates.
