Three-term Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) just tipped his hand, revealing to all Montanans his anti-gun agenda. The revelation could end his 18-year run as Montana’s only elected Democrat in the state.
In 2016, Tester voted against a Democrat-sponsored proposal that would have required background checks for gun purchases at gun snows and online.
He revealed his true colors on Friday when his campaign for reelection to a fourth term sent out a folksy fundraiser:
Sent: 6/7/2024 11:04:04 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Subject: The next 48 hours are key
Hi folks, it’s Jon Tester. I’ve got some big news, some bad news, and some good news.
Here’s the big news: I officially have a GOP opponent in the race for Montana’s U.S. Senate seat — Mitch McConnell’s handpicked candidate, Tim Sheehy.
But the bad news is: McConnell and all of his super PAC buddies are spending a whopping $65 million to prop up their handpicked candidate and attack me. In a race as close as this, every dollar could make the difference.
And the good news: A group of generous donors saw the polls tightening and agreed to match every donation for the next 48 hours.
Opportunities like this don’t come around often, and we need to take advantage of them while they’re here. This is the best time to make a difference in our campaign, and your gift will go twice as far.
Will you become a General Election Founding donor by splitting a MATCHED donation between my campaign and Brady PAC now?
I’m proud to say that I rely on grassroots support from folks like you.
Let’s go win this thing.
The donation button pushed the anti-gun agenda of Brady that he opposed back in 2016:
We can’t wait any longer for action on gun safety. Brady PAC is fighting for lifesaving legislation like universal background checks and an assault weapons ban, but we need your support. Chip in now to help us end gun violence in America.
As the only elected Democrat in the state, Tester has consistently supported the hard left. FiveThirtyEight, the polling company that is now part of ABC News, reported in January 2023 that Tester voted in line with Joe Biden’s position 91 percent of the time. And the Freedom Index published by The New American shows him supporting the U.S. Constitution with his votes just 21 percent of the time.
He supports abortion.
He says he supports the Second Amendment, but has a “D” rating from the NRA.
He voted for ObamaCare.
He supports same-sex marriage.
He opposed the nominations of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, but supported the nominations of far-left Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
He voted, twice, for the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
His perfidy even extends to his website, where he assures voters “can count on him to defend Montana values.”
Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, was inspired to challenge Tester following Joe Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal that left Americans behind and dreadfully tarnished America’s image worldwide.
On paper, the challenger looks like David versus Goliath. Tester has three terms as a Democrat under his belt, votes like a Democrat every chance he gets, but Montanans have looked past his voting record and instead focused on his personal charm. His election and reelections were close, however, within low single digits each time. He has an overwhelming advantage in fundraising, and challenges the newcomer Sheehy as being an outsider, claiming he is trying to kidnap the state for the Republican party.
In 2020, Biden lost to Trump by 16 points in Montana, and current polls show the race between David and Goliath narrowing. In early February, Tester was leading Sheehy by 10 points. Two weeks later, his lead had narrowed to just two points. And the latest poll shows Sheehy leading Tester by three points.
The race is important. A win by Sheehy puts the Senate back into Republican Party hands. Sheehy won the Republican primary going away, trouncing his rivals. Tester will be 68 years old in August. Sheehy is 37.
Sheehy is also wealthy, having built and sold a business. He founded Bridger Aerospace and Ascent Vision Technologies, both of which do substantial business with the federal government. He sold Ascent in 2020 for $350 million and used some of those proceeds to buy some land in Montana and start the Little Belt Cattle Company.
He’s lived in Montana for 10 years, so the claim by Tester that Sheehy is an “outsider” and a “newcomer” rings hollow, especially in light of other Montanans of wealth and note who have moved there in recent years, including Montana’s present Republican Governor Greg Gianforte.
Sheehy enjoys the support of Republican leaders and the endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Especially important is the support of Montana’s other senator, Republican Steve Daines, who also happens to be chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. As such, Daines no doubt would like to keep Montana pure Republican and is likely to be generous in disbursing funds to Sheehy’s campaign to replace the old, tired, liberal, and now fully disclosed hard-core anti-gun Democrat in November.
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