GREAT FALLS 鈥� Democrats are bringing new energy to their party convention in Chicago next week. But that enthusiasm isn鈥檛 trickling down to a race in one rural state that could decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
In Montana, three-term Senator John Tester is in a tight race against Republican Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL.
Tester has refused to endorse Kamala Harris and his campaign says he won鈥檛 be attending the DNC because it鈥檚 harvest time and he鈥檚 busy on his farm near Big Sandy, Montana. He鈥檚 also too busy also for interviews, according to his campaign.
But Tester has a well-established and proven brand in Montana, so maybe it doesn鈥檛 matter. The airwaves here are blanketed with ads reminding Montanans that he鈥檚 a third generation local, the Senate鈥檚 only working farmer, hardly a coastal elite Democrat.
In one video ad, he earnestly addresses the camera, saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 protecting our freedoms, because Montanans don鈥檛 like to be told how to live by anyone, especially the government.鈥�
Backlash against the wealthy
Democrats are also ripping his Republican opponent Tim Sheehy as a wealthy out-of-state transplant with a ranch and resort homes in elite Big Sky and on Flathead Lake.
But in the state capitol, Helena, longtime politicos like columnist George Ochenski question the strategy of going after Sheehy鈥檚 wealth, because the electorate admires a successful businessman.
鈥淭he Democrat strategists have been off base for quite a long time now, and now there鈥檚 only one Demo statewide seat left, and that鈥檚 Jon Tester,鈥� Ochenski says. 鈥淎nd he鈥檚 scared. He鈥檚 really scared.鈥�
Scared because Donald Trump won Montana by double digits in the last two elections. With Tester not talking, Sheehy got all the headlines the other day when the former president arrived for a fundraiser at the ultra-wealthy Yellowstone Club and a rally in Bozeman.
Introducing Trump to an adoring crowd was Tester鈥檚 Republican challenger, 38-year-old Tim Sheehy, who moved to Montana in 2014 and started a firefighting aviation company. He said Tester is a rubber stamp for the Biden-Harris agenda.
鈥淭he truth is every single time America has been on the ballot in the U.S. Senate, Jon Tester鈥檚 voted the other way,鈥� Sheehy told the crowd.
Sheehy鈥檚 campaign did not respond to interview requests. It did seem like most of the people at the rally and lined up outside for hours beforehand were there to see Trump though.
Decked out in MAGA gear, some even drove over from surrounding states. In typically summer tourist clogged Bozeman, pickups with Trump flags blazing peeled out in intersections to cheers - and some jeers.
Local Republican legislator Jane Gillette says Trump鈥檚 visit is key for GOP down ballot turnout. But she says some voters still see Sheehy as an establishment pick.
鈥淚 ultimately will get to the point where I will fill in the bubble next to Tim Sheehy because I want to see what鈥檚 best for the party,鈥� Gillette says. 鈥淏ut I will say that there are some that would rather see Tester stay in place because they think that there鈥檚 another opportunity to beat him with the right candidate later on.鈥�
This could be a factor. Since 2006, Tester has never won by more than four percent.
Montana used to be known for its purple streak. But today when you leave the liberal college towns or prosperous resort valleys, it鈥檚 clear the modern Trump GOP message resonates in rural areas that feel more left behind.
At a roadside farmers market in White Sulphur Springs, Jeffrey Campbell says he always voted for Tester because he lives nearby.
But he won鈥檛 this year, he says Tester's whole campaign is, "just smearing [Sheehy]. He鈥檚 not talking anything about what he鈥檚 gonna do, he鈥檚 just - 鈥榮hady Sheehy鈥�.鈥�
But you still see Tester signs in pastures, even next to Trump banners painted onto barns.
In blue collar Great Falls, once a Democratic stronghold, Tester鈥檚 campaign is again counting on independents like Michael Winters to vote people over party. Winters is a Republican, veteran, and former mayor here.
He says Tester is, "a third generation Montanan. He鈥檚 friendly. He doesn鈥檛 have any qualms about walking up to you and stick his hand out and say, hi, I鈥檓 Jon, let鈥檚 have a beer, you know.鈥�
Winters says Montana would be foolish to send Tester packing, as he sits on the powerful Appropriations and Veterans committees.
A recent poll ahead of Trump鈥檚 rally showed this race in familiar territory for the Democrat, within the margin of error.
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