One of 2024’s most vulnerable Senate Democrats now has a Republican challenger.
Republican Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL and business owner, announced Tuesday that he’s running in Montana’s U.S. Senate race next year in hopes of unseating incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.
In his campaign announcement video, Sheehy introduces himself and his family and says he’s running because America needs conservative leaders who love their country. Sheehy is the CEO of Bridger Aerospace, an aerial firefighting company, and owner of Little Belt Cattle Company, a beef production company.
“Whether it was in war or business, I see problems and solve them,” Sheehy says in the video. “I want to create a better future for my kids and your children and grandchildren.”
Tester, a former Montana state senator, farmer and school teacher, was elected in 2006 and has served three terms in the U.S. Senate. A moderate Democrat in a deeply conservative state, he was rated at about the middle of a Senate ideology score — No. 56 — from GovTrack, a site that tracks Congress.
The race is rated “leans Democratic” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, which means Democrats are favored but the race is expected to be highly competitive. Former President Donald Trump won Montana in 2020 with nearly 60% of the vote.
Before Sheehy can face off against Tester, though, he’ll have to win Montana’s Republican primary. Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., is reportedly expected to also run, according to CBS News. Rosendale, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, ran against Tester in 2018 and lost.
Rosendale tweeted on Tuesday that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Republican “party bosses” had gotten “their chosen candidate” in Sheehy.
“Now Washington has two candidates — Tim Sheehy and Jon Tester — who will protect the DC cartel,” Rosendale wrote. “Unfortunately for them, Montanans don’t take orders from Washington. I believe that Montanans are tired of business as usual and will reject the McConnell-Biden Establishment.”
Another potential candidate is Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., who served as Trump’s Interior Secretary from 2017 to 2019 and resigned in the face of multiple ethics investigations. Zinke told The Associated Press last year that he would make a decision about running for U.S. Senate in 2023.
Next year is looking to be a challenging one for Senate Democrats, who are defending six incumbents running in races rated as “toss up” or “leans Democratic” by the Cook Political Report. Those races are in Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
In addition, Democrats are defending a seat in Michigan being vacated by Sen. Debbie Stabenow and face the prospect of a three-way race in Arizona should independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a former Democrat, seek reelection and run against a candidate from her old party.
Tester announced he was running for reelection in February.
“Montanans need a fighter that will hold our government accountable and demand Washington stand up for veterans and lower costs for families,” he wrote in an announcement tweet. “I will always fight to defend our Montana values. Let’s get to work.”