The Cook Political Report made a notable ranking adjustment within the Montana Senate race, shifting favor to Republicans within the battleground race for the Democratic seat.
The “independent, non-partisan” analyzer, which measures the competitiveness of races nationwide, shifted the Democrat-held Montana Senate seat Thursday from “Lean Democrat” to “Toss Up,” a serious transfer within the 2024 election as Democrats cling onto their slim chamber majority.
Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, is working for a 3rd time period in Montana subsequent fall however faces robust opposition from Republican Tim Sheehy, who’s working a high-profile race to flip the blue seat to the Republican Party.
Jessica Taylor of the Cook Political Report wrote that Tester faces “the toughest uphill climb of any incumbent Democrat.”
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“Three-term Sen. Jon Tester may well be Democrats’ strongest incumbent this cycle — he still enjoys an approval rating around 60 percent — but the 67-year-old has the toughest uphill climb of any incumbent Democrat, at least purely by the numbers,” Taylor stated in her evaluation.
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Tester’s group stated the senator is “no stranger to tough fights,” pointing to their marketing campaign web site in a press release to Fox News Digital.
“Jon’s no stranger to tough fights, and this election will be no different,” Shelbi Dantic, Montanans for Tester marketing campaign supervisor, informed Fox on the latest ranking.
Sheehy’s group additionally launched a press release, suggesting that the shift towards the GOP “highlights that Montanans want to elect a political outsider who can bring a new generation of conservative leadership.”
“Tim Sheehy’s lead in the potential primary matchup highlights that Montanans want to elect a political outsider who can bring a new generation of conservative leadership and finally defeat Jon Tester next year,” Sheehy’s marketing campaign wrote in a press launch after the Cook ranking dropped. “It’s clear that Tim’s message on the airwaves showcasing his military leadership as a former Navy SEAL and businessman and aerial firefighter is resonating with Republican primary voters in Montana.”
Democrats will likely be defending 23 of the 34 Senate seats subsequent cycle, and Montana is about to play a key function in figuring out management of the Senate alongside West Virginia, Ohio and Arizona.
Along with Tester, the Cook Political Report additionally considers seats held by unbiased Sen. Kirsten Sinema in Arizona and Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio to be “Toss Ups.”
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Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who holds one of many Democrats’ most weak seats, not too long ago introduced he wouldn’t be looking for re-election, throwing much more deal with the Big Sky State’s Senate battle. The Cook Report ranks the blue West Virginia seat as “Solid Republican” going into 2024.