Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and Republican challenger Tim Sheehy have won their respective primaries in Montana, setting up a highly contested race for control of the Senate. Sheehy, a businessman and retired Navy SEAL, garnered significant support from former President Donald Trump and the GOP establishment, loaning his campaign about $2 million. Tester, who has been in office since 2006, is the last Democrat in nonjudicial statewide office in Montana and faces a tough competitive race for a third term, especially with Trump’s popularity in the state.
Sheehy secured the Republican nomination after hard-line Rep. Matt Rosendale withdrew from the primary race in February. The advertising battle between Tester and Sheehy has already begun in Montana, with Sheehy airing an ad linking Tester to Trump’s recent conviction in his New York hush money trial. Tester, on the other hand, launched a campaign ad highlighting burn pit legislation from 2022, emphasizing his support for veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits during their military service.
Sheehy, a Minnesota native and first-time candidate, has been introducing himself to Montana voters through ads that highlight his business record. Democrats have criticized him as a carpetbagger and questioned his business practices, with outside groups targeting him on TV for threatening access to public lands and operating a “hobby ranch.” Sheehy has defended his record, touting his Montana manufacturing business and pointing out that under Tester’s watch, China has stolen jobs and Chinese ownership of Montana farmland has increased.
With major fall advertising reservations already made by both parties in Montana, the race between Tester and Sheehy is expected to be highly competitive. The total spending for campaigns and outside groups amounts to over $112 million, with both parties committing around $56 million each. This race ranks as the second-highest in terms of spending among all Senate contests this year, only behind Ohio, where another Democratic incumbent is seeking reelection in a state Trump carried twice. The battle for control of the Senate is likely to intensify as Election Day approaches.
