• Republican lawmakers in Montana have complained to the Daily Caller News Foundation that political newcomer and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy is being seen as a Senate candidate for the Washington, D.C. establishment.
• Conservatives in the state question how a candidate who has never been elected can beat incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Tester in 2024, rather than Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale. told DCNF that he would like to see
• “For grassroots activists, people knocking on doors, putting up signs, and busying themselves for conservative Republican candidates, we have no idea who Tim Sheehy is. ‘Who’s Sheehy?’ That’s it,” said Flathead County Chairman Dr. Al Olshewski. Republicans told the DCNF. “He’s a ghost. He’s not involved in local or statewide politics.”

Grassroots Montana Conservatives attempt to shake up the primary as the nation’s prominent Republicans line up behind political newcomers and decorated veterans to regain coveted Senate seats in 2024 They are frustrated that they see outside influence as unwelcome.

The hiring of Tim Sheehy by the National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) chairman (Montana) Steve Daines and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell soon after the campaign began in late June. garnered the support of Republican Governor Greg Gianforte and several other senators. But Montana Republicans and grassroots activists interviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation see Sheehy as a candidate for the D.C. establishment, rather than currently held by Democratic Senator Jon Tester. He wants Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale to run for that seat.

“With Sheehy and Rosendale, it will ultimately be a conflict between the establishment and the grassroots,” said Darrin Gove, co-founder of Restore Liberty and Montana director of the Freedom Caucus Network. told DCNF.

“We know that [Rosendale’s] Regardless of what’s going on in DC, I’m going to stand up and fight for Montana and the people, and I can respect that and it’s proven,” Gaub said.

Senate leadership, in addition to the endorsement of Gianforte and Montana Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke, Sheehy has Republican Senators Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee, Bill Haggerty, Tennessee, and Tom Cotton, Arkansas. , Eric Schmidt (Missouri), and Cindy Hyde Smith (Mississippi). Mark Wayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Ted Budd of North Carolina.

The NRSC is focused on bringing in more moderate Republicans in swing states in 2024, citing the loss of more conservative candidates in the 2022 midterm elections. NRSC Communications Director Mike Berg pointed out 2018 for Rosendale. loss With a 3.5 point lead over Tester, Sheehy claimed the ability to win the seat next year.

“Unfortunately, Montana voters rejected Matt Rosendale in 2018, giving Jon Tester more than 50% of the vote for the first time in his long political career,” Berg said. rice field. “Conservatives in Montana and across the country are rallying to run for Tim because of their support for his America First policies and their desire to win back the Senate in 2024.”

the tester is hold Although he has held the Senate seat for more than a decade, Mr. Montana has become red-haired since the last election, giving Republicans a chance to remove him.Cook Political Report Characterize Seats for testers in the “toss-up” category, as in the other two Senate races.

Sheehy is a former Navy SEAL who fought in Afghanistan and then started an aerial firefighting business and ranch business in Montana. Rosendale has yet to formally run for the 2024 Senate race, but his office has already fought back against Republican establishments who supported Sheehy.

“This is an attempt by McConnell and the DC Cartel to fire voters in Montana,” Rosendale Chief of Staff Aashka Varma told DCNF.

Conservatives in Montana who oppose Sheehy say he lacks public profile and political experience, among other things in the state.

“For grassroots activists, people knocking on doors, putting up signs, and busying themselves for conservative Republican candidates, we have no idea who Tim Sheehy is. ‘Who’s Sheehy?’ That’s it,” said Flathead County Chairman Dr. Al Olshewski. Republicans told the DCNF. “He’s a ghost. He’s not involved in local or statewide politics.”

Several Montana conservatives argued that Mr. Rosendale’s current profile in the state and his track record in Congress meant he had a better chance of beating Tester next year than he did in 2018.

Rosendale would win a potential first-round matchup by more than 50 points over Sheehy. according to Based on the results of a late June survey by the liberal corporate Public Policy Polling (PPP). The latest poll by Rosendale and Tester for the 2024 general election shows Republicans up five points.

“Mr. Rosendale is widely popular among Republican voters in the state, with 67% viewing him favorably and only 17% viewing him unfavorably,” the PPP survey shows. “10% favorable, 14% unfavorable”[,] Sheehy only has a nominally better profile than the names in the phone book. “

“What we currently know is that 1) some non-Montana people like McConnell are 1) looking to buy seats and 2) they have strong support from the DC establishment. , an unknown individual believed to be one of the following,” Gaub told the DCNF.

Several Montana conservatives, such as Senator Dan Bartell, accused Danes of taking a big chance against Tester when he already had a strong candidate with Rosendale. criticized. (Related: Red Governor Picks Candidate to Steal Democratic Senate Seat)

Sherrill Tusken, a grassroots activist in Montana, said: “I am personally disappointed that Danes has left him out by fully supporting Sheehy without going into detail about Matt Rosendale. We are,” he told the DCNF.

“Matt Rosendale really stands behind the Montana people and I think he really understands what we want and what we need, so I’m I would rather see him run for the Senate and hold the position,” Tusken said.

Rosendale is member He secured a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020 by nearly 13 points, and was elected to a second term in 2022 by an overwhelming majority of more than 30 points.

The member of the House Liberal Party was one of 20 Republicans who voted against Kevin McCarthy’s inauguration in January, drawing praise from many Montana conservatives. Activists say this shows Rosendale’s willingness to stand up to the party establishment.

Nearly all of the Montana activists and operatives who spoke to the DCNF also characterized Sheehy as a “war hawk,” citing his stance on the Ukraine war.Sheehy Social Media post The place he sought last year resurfaced intervention And Ukrainian “soldiers, planes, bombs and bullets”.

Since 2014, Bridger Aerospace, a former Navy SEAL aerial firefighting company, has gotten most of its funding from government contracts worth $87.6 million. according to to the Bloomberg government.

Sheehy recently called for an end to U.S. intervention in the Ukraine war, arguing instead to focus on the economy and the immigration crisis. Said Montana Talks Radio.

Mr. Tusken argued that Sheehy’s shift in opinion on the war showed that “he is not necessarily a principledist” and that “he is open to whatever message he is told to send.”

Sheehy, McConnell and Gianforte did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

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