Update: Hours after Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) filed to run for the U.S. Senate race in Montana, former and potentially future President Donald Trump weighed in to endorse Tim Sheehy, who had entered the race last June and who also has the endorsement of National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) Chairman Steve Daines.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem had also endorsed Sheehy on Friday, Fox News reported.
BREAKING: @realDonaldTrump endorsed @SheehyforMT pic.twitter.com/iW9gZRCWc3
— Mike Berg (@MikeKBerg) February 9, 2024
Original: After considerable speculation, Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) has decided that he will indeed challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, hoping for a rematch of 2018 when Tester beat Rosendale by 3.5 points. Montana is considered one of the top pick-up seats for Republicans in 2024, if not the top pick-up, along with the Ohio Senate race. Not only are the stakes high for this must-win race, but Rosendale's candidacy also creates a messy situation for Senate Republicans, including and especially National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) Chairman Steve Daines, who is also from Montana.
Daines has already endorsed Tim Sheehy for the race. Sheehy, who is the CEO of Bridger Aerospace and a former Navy SEAL, announced his candidacy last June.
"It’s unfortunate that rather than building seniority for our great state in the House, Matt is choosing to abandon his seat and create a divisive primary. Tim Sheehy has my full support because he is the best candidate to take on Jon Tester. Whichever party wins the Montana Senate seat will control the United States Senate in 2024, and Republicans cannot risk nominating a candidate who gave Jon Tester the biggest victory of his career," Daines said in a statement.
Daines had also previously told CNN last December: "I like Matt Rosendale. I hope he stays in the House and builds seniority."
Rosendale has represented the 2nd Congressional District since last year, with Montana gaining a new seat. He had represented the state's at-large district from 2021-2023.
There also appears to be some drama about an endorsement from Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) for Rosendale. As Punchbowl reported Friday morning:
Speaker Mike Johnson’s rapid about-face in the Montana Senate race — abandoning plans to endorse Rep. Matt Rosendale’s (R-Mont.) expected bid — was the latest embarrassing moment of indecision for the speaker.
But even after Johnson flip-flopped on his planned endorsement, Rosendale is insisting the speaker still has his back.
“I’ve got an outstanding relationship with Mike Johnson,” Rosendale told us in an interview late Thursday. “He said ‘I’m supportive of Matt Rosendale, and I’m going to send him a check to prove it.’”
Of course, this comes after we reported Johnson’s plans that he’d formally endorse Rosendale for Senate. Shortly after our story broke, Johnson abruptly changed course due to strong pushback from senior Senate Republicans. The episode caused panic in Johnson’s orbit.
Johnson said he would give money to Rosendale but not endorse anyone in the race.
As we know, Johnson’s endorsement would’ve irked Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm. Senate Republicans are backing Tim Sheehy in the contest to take on incumbent Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.). Several Republicans have privately and publicly lamented that Rosendale’s candidacy would hurt the GOP’s chances of winning the seat.
Rosendale — who Tester defeated handily in 2018 — said he never spoke with Johnson in person about an endorsement. Rosendale claimed he texted Johnson for the first time mentioning an endorsement at noon on Wednesday. By that evening, Johnson told Rosendale he would back him.
“We went from an endorsement to non-endorsement to Mike calling me up last night and saying that he was supporting me and [then that] he was not going to be able to give an endorsement. Fine. Great,” Rosendale said.
Rosendale also dismissed reports that his vote for the Israel aid bill was in exchange for Johnson’s endorsement. The Montana Republican, typically a fiscal hawk, said he voted for the bill to simply support Israel.
An irate Rosendale then berated the national media for not asking who is spreading the rumors of a quid pro quo with Johnson.
Here’s a tidbit:
“We know why they’re telling the lies because the Senate committee with Mitch McConnell and Steve Daines is apoplectic about the potential of Matt Rosendale serving in the United States Senate and causing the same changes to the Senate that I’ve been able to do in the House.”
OK then.
Rosendale's run, even when there was just speculation, has already been cause for drama and concern.
Townhall has previously spoken to Republican strategists about the run, including one who shared last month that "Republicans are right to be skeptical of Matt Rosendale for a number of reasons," pointing to an interest from allies of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) being interested in Rosendale running, to his lack of fundraising abilities, and how "all Rosendale does is alienate Republicans." The strategist also warned that "Rosendale has done nothing to correct the issues that lost him the race in 2018."
Pro-Trump speaker Alex Bruesewitz was also supposed to speak at the Montana GOP convention this weekend, but he shared with Townhall that pressure from Rosendale and his allies caused him to be disinvited.
In response to Rosendale making his Senate run official, Bruesewitz told Townhall that "Matt Rosendale pledged his loyalty to Mitch McConnell when he ran for senate last go around, now he’s acting like he’s some sort of outsider. He’s a swampy career politician who has shown he is disloyal to President Trump and the MAGA movement. I’m confident the MAGA movement will stand firmly against this poser."
Not long after Rosendale shared over X on Friday that he had filed to run, he touted an endorsement from Gun Owners of America. A pinned post of his also highlights the contrast between him and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Gun Owners of America is proud to endorse Matt Rosendale for U.S. Senate.🇺🇸@MattForMontana is a battle-tested patriot who will fight against anti-gun RINOs and Democrats trying to compromise your rights away in Washington. https://t.co/OogAVe5yhq pic.twitter.com/MU7sKoZBim
— Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) February 9, 2024
Mitch McConnell and the Uniparty have controlled the Senate for far too long and are the architects of a $34 trillion debt.
— Matt Rosendale (@MattForMontana) February 9, 2024
It’s time they understand that Montanans don’t take orders from Washington, we send orders to Washington! pic.twitter.com/cUoK9P4aV5
The race is still considered by forecasters to be a "Toss-Up" race.
Tester is already posting about and fundraising off of Rosendale's announcement.
It’s official—Matt Rosendale just launched his campaign to run against me. Again.
— Jon Tester (@jontester) February 9, 2024
This will be the most expensive and competitive race in Montana’s history. I’m no stranger to tough fights, but I’ll need your help. Can I count on you to join me?
Bring it on. pic.twitter.com/qc8thMr1U4
— Jon Tester (@jontester) February 9, 2024
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