Montana’s shift to the right proved too much for incumbent Sen. Jon Tester (D), with Republican challenger Tim Sheehy winning the election Tuesday night. The Associated Press called the race for Tester at 4:26 a.m. MST.
Montana’s highly crucial Senate race was eyed by many as the lynchpin for which party has control of the upper chamber. Tester faced an immense challenge from Sheehy, a wildfire firefighting businessman. Polls have long had Tester trailing, indicating that Montana’s staunch shift to the right has been far more pronounced this cycle, putting even a moderate Democrat like Tester at high risk of being unseated.
Tester, who has been in office since 2007, is widely seen as one of, if not the most moderate Democrat in the Senate. While Tester has consistently voted for major Democratic pieces of legislation, he’s often voted against or abstained from key votes on progressive bills, like on limiting fossil fuels. Tester has also been extremely instrumental in delivering billions in federal funds to Montana, something that has helped keep him in office for nearly 15 years, despite facing numerous challenges.
Sheehy, a Trump-endorsed businessman who only recently relocated to Montana, was widely seen as Tester’s most competitive and legitimate challenge yet. Sheehy has been self-funding his campaign and has closely aligned himself with Trump’s most extreme policies as he looks to capitalize on Montana’s shift to the right. Sheehy has had multiple gaffes throughout the campaign, including using antisemtic imagery in ads and telling voters that he finds abortion “sinful.”
Overall, the race has been seen as one of the most challenging races for Democrats. Tester has consistently trailed Sheehy by 1-7%, sometimes outside of the margin of error. Tester made clear in his closing arguments to Montanans that Sheehy represents all that has recently challenged the state, with migration being one of the most disruptive issues.