Campaign

Sheehy ad mocks Rosendale’s pronunciation of ‘Montana’

by Tara Suter - 02/09/24 4:00 PM ET

Tim Sheehy, founder of Bridger Aerospace and Ascent Vision, pauses during a tour of the company’s facility on Friday, Aug. 30, 2022 in Belgrade, Mont. Sheehy announced Tuesday, June 27, 2023, that he’ll seek the 2024 GOP nomination to challenge Montana Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester. (Rachel Leathe/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP)

Montana Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy poked fun at fellow candidate Rep. Matt Rosendale’s (R-Mont.) pronunciation of the Treasure State’s name Friday.

“Matt, this is your 8th political run in the last 14 years and you still can’t say Montana right. It’s going to be a long 4 months….” Sheehy wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

The post also featured a video compilation of clips of Rosendale saying “Montana.” Rosendale is originally from Maryland, having been born in Baltimore, according to the House History, Art and Archives website. Sheehy is originally from Minnesota and moved to the Bozeman area in 2014, according to the Montana Free Press.

Rosendale entered Montana’s Republican Senate primary Friday, beginning what’s expected to be a tough race against Sheehy, who has support from 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.

In a response to Rosendale’s entry into the race, a spokesperson for Sheehy linked the businessman and former Navy SEAL to former President Trump, who announced his support for the businessman Friday.

“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.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Sheehy an “American Hero” and a “highly successful Businessman from the Great State of Montana.”

“I also respect Matt Rosendale, and was very happy to Endorse him in the past – and will Endorse him again in the future should he decide to change course and run for his Congressional Seat,” Trump wrote.

“But in this instance, Tim is the candidate who is currently best-positioned to DEFEAT Lazy Jon Tester, and Regain the Republican Majority in the United States Senate … America First Patriot Tim Sheehy has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” the former president said.