With support from former President Donald Trump, former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy secured the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in Montana, currently held by Democrat Jon Tester.
Sheehy garnered 73.6 percent of the vote with 86 percent of results reported, winning in every county reporting results Tuesday night, according to The New York Times. Former Montana Secretary of State Brad Johnson came in second with 19.5 percent, while Native American business owner Charles Walking Child placed third with 6.9 percent.
Roll Call identified Tester’s seat as one of the most vulnerable for an incumbent. Tester faced a primary challenge but won with 97 percent of the vote.
Sheehy criticized Tester for supporting President Joe Biden’s policies, stating that America needs new leadership to address issues such as rising food, housing, and energy prices, and border security concerns.
“As a Navy SEAL, I’ve always put country before self and I’m running for the U.S. Senate to end Joe Biden and Jon Tester’s inflation, seal our border, secure our children’s future, and put America First,” he said.
“I am humbled and honored by all the support and look forward to finally retiring the #1 recipient of lobbyist cash and pro-Biden liberal Jon Tester.”
Sheehy, the CEO and founder of Bridger Aerospace in Bozeman, Montana, accused Tester of pretending to be a moderate while consistently voting with the left. He stated that Tester spends five out of every six years as a staunch liberal, aligning with Schumer, Biden, and other progressives, only to shift back to the center during election years. In February, Trump endorsed Sheehy, who received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his military service, according to NBC News.
“Tim Sheehy is a highly successful businessman and American hero from Montana,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He has strong support from our incredible NRSC Chairman Steve Daines, along with many other patriotic senators and Republicans who endorse our campaign to make America great again!”
“Tim is the best candidate to defeat Jon Tester and help Republicans regain the majority in the Senate. He is a political outsider who is strong on border security, the military and veterans, and the Second Amendment. He will stand firm against the radical left Democrats who are destroying our country,” Trump wrote.
Trump’s endorsement went against several other Republican leaders, including supporters like Utah Sen. Mike Lee and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who backed Rep. Matt Rosendale. Rosendale withdrew from the Senate primary in February, acknowledging that Trump’s endorsement secured Sheehy’s victory, according to a CNN report from the time.
