Consultant Matt Rosendale, a Montana Republican, entered the state Senate race on Friday, kicking off a doubtlessly divisive major race in a vital nationwide battleground for management of the chamber.
Mr. Rosendale enters the race from the far proper nook of the social gathering. He’s a staunch opponent of abortion rights who voted to cancel the 2020 election, and performed a key position final yr within the elimination of Consultant Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican, as speaker of the Home.
However whereas the traditional resume would make him a fan of Donald J. Trump's political motion, lots of the former president's loyalists have lined up behind Tim Sheehy, a retired Navy SEAL and fireplace firm founder airman who began his personal Senate marketing campaign in July.
The winner of the first will face Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat looking for his fourth time period. Mr. Tester has been one of many nation's hottest senators, in line with the Morning Seek the advice of ballot, however is seen as a weak incumbent due to the deep nature of a state that Mr. Trump gained by 16 proportion factors. in 2020. Montana additionally has a Republican governor and a Republican supermajority within the Legislature.
Earlier than this yr, the one time that Mr. Tester shared a vote with a presidential race was in 2012, when President Barack Obama gained a second time period. Mr. Obama misplaced Montana by 13.5 factors that yr, however Mr. Tester gained his race by 4 factors.
Within the re-election of Mr. Tester 2018, he defeated Mr. Rosendale, 50.3 p.c to 46.8 p.c. That loss performed into the choice of Republican leaders, together with Senator Steve Daines of Montana, to recruit Mr. Sheehy on this yr's race. Mr. Daines oversees the social gathering's Senate races as chairman of the Nationwide Republican Senatorial Committee.
Mr. Daines has, in some ways, helped Mr. Sheehy win the assist of Trump loyalists and deep Republican donors, two forces within the social gathering which have commonly labored at cross functions in recent times. Mr. Sheehy has been endorsed by Consultant Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and a brilliant PAC supporting Mr. Sheehy has raised thousands and thousands from rich Wall Road executives.
Mr. Sheehy additionally contributed about $1 million to his personal marketing campaign, which spent greater than $4 million final yr and entered this yr with about $1.3 million readily available.
However whereas Mr. Sheehy seeks his first elected seat, Mr. Rosendale is a well known determine in Montana Republican politics. The Senate race can be Mr. Rosendale's eighth political marketing campaign within the final 14 years. In his seven earlier contests — 4 federal races, two state legislative campaigns and one for state auditor — Mr. Rosendale has gained 5 and misplaced two.
Mr. Rosendale has the backing of key figures in Mr. Trump's orbit, together with Steve Bannon, Trump's former White Home strategist, and Consultant Matt Gaetz of Florida. However he principally lacks the assist of Mr. Trump himself and his son Donald Trump Jr., each of whom repeatedly campaigned with Mr. Rosendale throughout the 2018 Senate race.
Mr. Rosendale's reluctance to endorse Mr. Trump's 2024 presidential bid instantly helped persuade many Trump loyalists to rally behind Mr. Sheehy final yr, and is a key motive the previous president has but to endorse a candidate within the Senate race, in line with folks within the know. with the deliberations. Mr. Rosendale endorsed Mr. Trump's candidacy in December.
These pro-Trump forces confirmed their energy on Wednesday when Home Speaker Mike Johnson backed away from his plan to endorse Mr. Rosendale after going through criticism from prime Republican officers and outstanding Trump supporters.
