BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – Tim Sheehy, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Montana, acknowledged Monday that derogatory comments he made last year about Native Americans were “insensitive.” But Mr Sheehy rejected his opponent’s demands for an apology during a contentious debate in a key race for control of the Senate.
Three-term incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said last year that the Republican laughingly told his supporters about “bonding with all the Indians while he was drunk” while tending cattle on the Crow Indian ranch. He had raised objections to Mr. Sheehy over the matter. reservation
“Yeah, that’s insensitive,” replied Sheehy, a former U.S. Navy SEAL. “Like many tribal members, I come from a military background. You know, we sometimes make insensitive jokes and maybe even jokes that are off-color.”
Sheehy then tried to move the conversation to the immigration crisis, but Tester persisted.
“Tim, your comments demean Native Americans across this country,” Tester said. “You are a great person, so please apologize.”
“You apologized for opening the border,” Sheehy retorted.
The testy exchange near the end of the debate highlighted the growing tensions between the two sides as the contest enters its final stages.
They are each vying for support from a small number of moderate Republicans and independent voters in the state who are considered critical to victory in November.
During the debate, Mr. Sheehy grilled Mr. Tester over his ties to lobbyists, who have donated more money to Democrats than any other member of Congress during this election cycle, according to the nonpartisan group OpenSecrets.
“When I was fighting in Afghanistan, he was eating a lobbyist’s steak in Washington, D.C.,” Sheehy said.
Tester said Sheehy, in turn, wants to decriminalize abortion, even though the Democrat has tied his campaign to a voter-led movement to make abortion a state constitutional right. denounced.
“I’d like to see Roe come back,” Tester said of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which allowed some states to significantly restrict abortion access. “My opponent, on the other hand, feels the exact opposite way. He feels he has more right to make that decision than the women.”
Tester is the last Democrat to hold high office in Montana, and his race is expected to be the most expensive in state history. Republican leaders, including former President Donald Trump, hand-picked Sheehy in hopes of defeating Tester, a 68-year-old farmer.
Republicans need to win just two seats in November to win a Senate majority when the new Congress convenes next year. They are widely considered to be the favorites for West Virginia, meaning Montana State could be the difference-maker.
Trump won Montana by about 17 points in 2020. Building on the former president’s popularity in the state, Mr. Sheehy has frequently sought to lump Mr. Tester in with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans aim to highlight public frustration with the administration’s struggles to stop illegal immigration at the southern border.
“Democrats on the Hill have refused to hold this administration accountable for the largest mass migration in the history of this country,” Sheehy said in response to a debate question.
Mr. Tester, seeking to blunt his attacks, skipped the Democratic National Convention last month, refused to endorse Ms. Harris and avoided mentioning her in his campaign. He has opposed the government over stricter pollution regulations for coal-fired power plants and has called for the government to tighten its immigration policy.
“Look, I’ll be the first to tell you that President Biden is not doing a good job at the southern border,” Tester said Monday.
