Rep. Matt Rosendale has launched his bid in the hotly contested Montana Senate race to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Tester this year, but before the conservative can tackle the longtime incumbent he’ll have to survive a bruising GOP primary battle.
Mr. Rosendale announced his candidacy Friday after months of speculation.
The Republican lawmaker styles himself as a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump’s agenda and argues he would act as a foil to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican.
“We’ve made great accomplishments in the House, only to see them die at the hands of Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer in the Senate,” Mr. Rosendale said on X. “Montanans want a Senator that fights for WE, THE PEOPLE, not the D.C. Cartel!”
The U.S. Senate race in Montana is one of a handful across the country that the GOP hopes to flip to regain control of the upper chamber. Mr. Rosendale’s late entrance into the race is a move typical of the rebellious lawmaker, who was one of the Gang of Eight that ousted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and sent the House into a tailspin for nearly a month.
Sen. Steve Daines, Montana Republican and chairman of the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, handpicked aerospace millionaire and veteran Tim Sheehy to run against Mr. Tester.
Mr. Daines and other Republicans hoped to avoid a costly primary fray for the first-time candidate, but Mr. Rosendale’s choice to ignore his colleagues and jump into the race has thrown a wrench into their plans.
Though untested, Mr. Sheehy has a formidable list of endorsements, including two Montanans, Gov. Greg Gianforte and Rep. Ryan Zinke, and senators beyond Mr. Daines.
Mr. Sheehy also boasts a campaign war chest brimming with cash and is a proficient fundraiser compared with Mr. Rosendale, who has often struggled to raise money.
“Both successful businessmen and political outsiders, President Trump and Tim Sheehy cannot be bought and are the conservative warriors we need to put the people of Montana first, drain the swamp and save our country from the mess Joe Biden and Jon Tester created,” a spokesperson from Mr. Sheehy’s campaign told The Washington Times.
But Mr. Rosendale has been capable of winning elections in Montana, with over a decade-long political career in the Treasure State that has seen him win contests at the state and federal levels.
Republicans are concerned that if Mr. Rosendale succeeds against Mr. Sheehy, they will be defeated again by Mr. Tester, who beat the archconservative by 3.5 points in 2018.
Montana Democrats are salivating at the prospect of Mr. Rosendale and Mr. Sheehy beating each other up ahead of the June 4 primary. “Buckle up for the battle of the out-of-staters, because Mitch McConnell and the [National Republican Senate Committee’s] greatest nightmare in Montana came true,” Hannah Rehm, a spokeswoman for the Montana Democratic Party, told The Times. “Over the coming months, Montanans are going to see how out of touch Maryland Matt and Transplant Tim are with our state.”
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.