Staff Reports
In his tireless efforts to assemble a lineup of candidates who will support his potential bid for the White House, Donald Trump has chosen Tim Sheehy as his pick for the U.S. Senate from Montana. However, Trump’s endorsement of Sheehy has raised concerns among his own MAGA supporters and may cause friction within the Big Sky State.
Trump took to his Truth Social account on February 9th to announce his endorsement of Sheehy for Montana. The endorsement began with Trump expressing his love for Montana and describing Sheehy as an “American Hero” and a “highly successful Businessman.” Trump highlighted Sheehy’s support from Chairman of the NRSC, Steve Daines, as well as other patriotic Senators and Republicans who have endorsed the Trump campaign.
I’m 100% sure Mitch McConnell has a candidate in the Montana GOP Primary.
And 1000% sure it isn’t Matt Rosendale.
Fire Mitch. Support Rosendale. https://t.co/u4fnsuUFSS
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 9, 2024
While Trump expressed his continued respect for Matt Rosendale and his willingness to endorse him again in the future, he emphasized that Sheehy was the best candidate to defeat Jon Tester and help the Republicans regain the majority in the Senate. Trump praised Sheehy as a political outsider who is strong on border security, the military/veterans, and the Second Amendment. He also noted that Sheehy is more likely to defeat Tester.
However, many of Trump’s biggest supporters and individuals in Montana immediately expressed their disappointment with the endorsement. Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz and Senator Mike Lee were among those discouraged by Trump’s pick. Matt Rosendale, who is currently a sitting congressman, shared the numerous endorsements he has received from prominent MAGA figures.
Critics have pointed out several concerning aspects of Sheehy’s candidacy. It was revealed that Sheehy had quietly deleted all support for environmental, social, and corporate governance, as well as climate change, from the website of his company, Bridger Aerospace, when he announced his candidacy for the Senate. Additionally, Sheehy has flip-flopped on his stance regarding sending American troops to Ukraine. He deleted past social media posts and suggested a cease-fire and peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, contradicting his previous support for sending troops to Ukraine.
Sheehy’s endorsement by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the GOP establishment in Washington, D.C. further puts Trump’s endorsement at odds with his own MAGA base. On the other hand, Matt Rosendale has been a vocal opponent of the GOP establishment and is seen as a candidate MAGA voters can trust.
Although recent polling indicates that Rosendale leads Sheehy in a head-to-head race against Democrat Jon Tester, Trump’s endorsement may come as a surprise to some. Nonetheless, it is still early in the race for 2024, and many Montanans are just beginning to pay attention to the candidates. Trump’s choice seems to deviate from the typical MAGA movement.
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