The latest poll of Montana Republicans showing Rep. Matt Rosendale with a handsome lead over GOP "Establishment" choice Tim Sheehy for the U.S. Senate is now likely to guarantee a candidacy by maverick conservative Rosendale for the seat of Democrat Sen. Jon Tester.
According to the JL Partners poll among likely GOP primary voters completed last week, Rosendale holds a 52% to 21% advantage over former U.S. Navy SEAL and multi-millionaire businessman Sheehy.
The same poll, interestingly, showed first-time office-seeker Sheehy beating three-term Sen. Tester among all voters by 46% to 42% and Rosendale beating Tester 46% to 43%.
But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Montana GOP Gov. Greg Gianforte, and the Big Sky Country's junior Sen. Steve Daines (who is also chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee) have all left little secret they prefer Sheehy for the nomination against Tester and that Rosendale remain in the House.
In 2018, Rosendale narrowly (50.3% to 46.8%) lost the Senate contest to Tester despite four campaign stops on his behalf by President Donald Trump and three by Vice President Mike Pence.
As a U.S. representative since 2020, Rosendale opposed aiding Ukraine in its war with Russia and also opposed increasing by 8,000 the number of special immigrant visas for Afghan allies of the U.S.
Rosendale, 63, has so far not made a decision on seeking reelection or the Senate. The latest poll, however, seems likely to push him in the latter direction.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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