Update: Dems Hold MT Senate Seat as Tester Defeats Rosendale
Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana held off a challenge from Republican Matt Rosendale to win a third term in Washington.
The Montana contest drew multiple visits from President Donald Trump on Rosendale’s behalf. Before the election, Tester downplayed the impact of those trips.
“We’re talking to Montanans one-on-one. This is a race about myself and my opponent, Matt Rosendale. I think more than anything he brings folks in to try and deflect,” Tester said, according to the Helena Independent Record. “This is a retail state. I can bring in all sorts of folks but this race is about us two. Montanans need to hear from me.”
Tester is a strong supporter of abortion who appeared at a late campaign rally with former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards.
“I don’t care if you’re a Republican, independent, Democrat, Libertarian, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “Look, Planned Parenthood offers health care to people. In a rural state like Montana, that access is critical.”
During a Saturday rally at which Trump was present, Rosendale fired back.
“I am proud to defend life and proud to have our president standing here with me,” Rosendale said.
Here is the rest of Rosendale’s statement conceding Montana U.S. Senate race to Democrat Jon Tester. pic.twitter.com/qyQampcmW4
— Corin Cates-Carney (@clccarney) November 7, 2018
As it was in other Senate races, the confirmation of now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was a large part of the contest between the two men. During a debate, Rosendale criticized Tester for Tester’s vote against confirming Kavanaugh.
“I’m absolutely disgusted with the way this entire process was handled,” Rosendale said, according to Montana Public Radio.
“Here we have a woman, Dr. (Christine Blasey) Ford, who clearly experienced some tragedy in her life many years ago, and then we’ve got a judge, a commendable man, an honorable man who has served extremely well over the past several years, and he was smeared as well,” Rosendale said. “And what disturbs as much is that this all could have been avoided.”
The debate also focused on one of the major issues — which candidate was truly a part of the state he wishes to represent. Originally from Maryland, Rosendale has lived in Montana since 2002, according to a profile in the Great Falls Tribune. He started in politics as a member of the Montana state legislature in 2011.
But for Tester, who was born in Montana, that wasn’t long enough.
He ridiculed Rosendale as “Maryland Matt” at one point during the debate, and said, “You’re really good at speaking the East Coast talking points.”
Rosendale, meanwhile, hammered away at the idea that during Tester’s two terms in the Senate, the Democrat has lost touch with the state.
“Jon Tester bought a million dollar home in Washington, D.C., and he left Montana in the rearview mirror,” Rosendale said.
On Saturday, during a pre-election rally in Belgrade, Montana, Trump made a similar point.
“John Tester says one thing in Montana, but he goes outside and he says the exact opposite in Washington. I mean, let’s face it: he’s been saying great things about me now. The border, the military — everything’s great. But you know what?
“On Wednesday, the day after the election, he’ll be saying the opposite. He won’t even be saying it; he’ll just raise his hand: ‘No, no, no.’ And there’s nothing we can do about it. There’s nothing we can do about it,” Trump said.
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