Rosendale enters Montana Senate race

Montana Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale officially jumped into the state’s GOP Senate primary Friday, kick-starting what’s likely to be a tough primary battle with businessman Tim Sheehy, who already has the backing of several top Republicans.

“This morning, I officially filed for the U.S. Senate. 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. Montanans want a Senator that fights for WE, THE PEOPLE, not the D.C. Cartel!” Rosendale wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 

Rosendale’s entry sets up the GOP for a primary battle many had hoped to avoid as the party looks to unseat incumbent Sen. Jon Tester (D) in what the GOP’s Senate campaign arm sees as a crucial pickup opportunity in November.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was reportedly planning to endorse Rosendale, but then reversed on those plans after some backlash from within the party. Rosendale notably lost to Tester back in 2018.

Montana Sen. Steve Daines (R), who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has backed Sheehy as the party’s best hope of beating out the three-term Democrat incumbent.

A spokesperson for Sheehy responded to the news of Rosendale’s announcement by lauding Sheehy and linking him to former President Trump. 

“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,” the spokesperson said. 

The Democrats’ Senate campaign arm knocked Rosendale as “another wealthy out-of-state Republican” and said the Montana primary is “shaping up to be a ‘bloodbath.’”