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 a Republican supporter had laughed at Sheehy about his “bonds with all the Indians” while his party was “drunk at 8 a.m.” herding cattle. He had raised objections to him over his comments. A ranch on the Crow Indian 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 shift the discussion 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.”
“Can you please apologize for opening our borders?” Sheehy shot back.
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 scrambling for support from a small number of moderate Republicans and independent voters in the state considered critical to victory in November.
Mr. Sheehy harshly criticized Mr. Tester over his ties to lobbyists, who donated more money to Democrats than any other member of Congress during this election cycle, according to the nonpartisan group OpenSecret.
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) speaks about reproductive freedom during a campaign rally with supporters Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Bozeman, Mont. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
“While I was fighting in Afghanistan, he was eating lobbyist steaks 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.
According to U.S. Census data, Montana is home to seven Indian reservations and approximately 70,000 Native Americans, representing about 7% of the total population. This is a voting field that has long been considered Democratic. Montana’s Republican Party has courted tribal leaders in recent years in hopes of gaining electoral support.
Tribal leaders were highly critical of Sheehy’s derogatory comments about Native Americans, which appeared in audio recordings published by Char Cousta News, the official publication of the Flathead Indian Reservation.
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In early September, the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leadership Council asked Sheehy for an apology, but Sheehy did not respond. The council represents 11 tribes and indigenous groups in the United States and Canada.
Sheehy later downplayed comments in a Fox News interview that suggested the audio was from “many years ago” and had been edited to sound “like someone I’m not.” However, he did not deny the authenticity of Monday’s recording.
In 2020, Trump won Montana by about 17 points. Seeking to capitalize on the former president’s popularity in the state, Mr. Sheehy frequently tried 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 about the border.
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.
