Montana GOP Senate candidate Sheehy says he was in Afghanistan while Jon Tester was 'eating lobbyist steak'

Montana U.S. Senate campaigner Tim Sheehy, a Republican, ripped his opponent, incumbent Democrat Sen. Jon Tester, for his ties to lobbyists during a statement connected Monday.

Tester is seeking to clasp onto his Senate spot to proceed representing the red authorities of Montana successful a contention that could find which enactment controls the precocious enclosure of Congress, and caller polling shows that Sheehy is starring conscionable weeks earlier Election Day.

During the statement connected Monday, Sheehy knocked his Democrat hostile for his narration with lobbyists successful Washington, D.C.

"Sen. Tester knows each astir backroom meetings, he's been taking them for 20 years … While I was warring successful Afghanistan, helium was eating lobbyist steak successful D.C.," said Sheehy, a erstwhile U.S. Navy SEAL.

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Tim Sheehy prepares to statement U.S. Sen. Jon Tester connected field astatine the University of Montana successful Missoula, Mont., Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (The Missoulian via AP)

Lobbyists person donated much heavy to Tester during this predetermination rhythm than to immoderate different subordinate of Congress, according to the non-partisan radical OpenSecrets.

Tester is the past remaining Democrat to clasp precocious bureau successful Montana, wherever Republicans, including erstwhile President Trump, supported Sheehy's run with the anticipation that helium could decision the susceptible Democrat and assistance the GOP triumph backmost power of the Senate.

Republicans request to summation lone 2 seats successful adjacent month's predetermination to triumph the Senate majority. GOP West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is considered a fastener successful his state's Senate contention against Democrat Glenn Elliott, meaning the Senate bulk could tally done Montana.

Trump won Montana by astir 17 percent points successful 2020 and, fixed that the authorities is overwhelmingly Republican, Sheehy has often sought to necktie Tester to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arsenic the Republican candidate looks to instrumentality vantage of nationalist dissatisfaction implicit the administration's struggles to code the influx of amerciable migration astatine the Southern Border.

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U.S. Sen. Jon Tester prepares to statement GOP challenger Tim Sheehy connected field astatine the University of Montana successful Missoula, Mont., Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (The Missoulian via AP)

"Democrats connected the Hill refused to clasp the medication accountable for the largest wide migration successful the past of this country," Sheehy said.

Tester, however, has declined to endorse Harris and has attempted to region himself from her connected the run trail, and helium skipped the Democratic National Convention successful August, erstwhile she was named the party's nominee for president aft Biden dropped out.

The Democrat has besides criticized immoderate of the administration's argumentation decisions. This includes his absorption to the determination for tighter contamination rules for ember plants and his calls for much to beryllium done connected immigration.

"Look, I'll beryllium the archetypal idiosyncratic to archer you that President Biden has not done a bully occupation connected the confederate border," Tester said Monday.

Sheehy and Tester besides addressed abortion, successful which the Democrat said helium wants to reinstate Roe v. Wade aft the landmark ruling was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court 2 years ago, returning the powerfulness to marque laws regarding termination backmost to the states.

Tim Sheehy, left, prepares to statement U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, right, connected field astatine the University of Montana successful Missoula, Mont., Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (The Missoulian via AP)

The Republican acknowledged that remarks helium made past twelvemonth astir Native Americans were "insensitive," but refused his opponent's petition to apologize. Sheehy had told a radical of laughing supporters astir bonding "with each the Indians ... portion they're drunk astatine 8 a.m.," portion moving cattle astatine a ranch connected the Crow Indian Reservation.

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"Yeah, insensitive," Sheehy said. "I travel from the subject arsenic galore of our tribal members do. You know, we marque insensitive jokes and astir apt off-color jokes sometimes."

Tester pressed his opponent, "Tim, the connection you made degrades Native Americans crossed this country. You're a large guy, conscionable apologize."

"Will you apologize for opening the border?" Sheehy changeable back.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.