A 'MAGA civil war' is brewing in Montana where two far-right Republicans are battling for the right to fight for Democrat Jon Tester's Senate seat, reported The Independent on Friday.
Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) finally broke months of speculation this week by announcing a run for Senate run as former President Donald Trump threw his support behind former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, according to a new Truth Social post and the report.
“This Republican primary race is the people of Montana versus Mitch McConnell, Joe Biden and the Washington insiders,” said Rosendale in his video announcing his candidacy. “Mitch McConnell knows that I won’t support him for Republican leader, so he’s trying to keep me out of the Senate.”
Rosendale already has the backing of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who previously led the charge to successfully remove Kevin McCarthy from the House speakership.
Elsewhere, however, there are signs that Trump allies are working to consolidate the party behind Sheehy. McCarthy's successor as House speaker, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), reportedly planned to endorse Rosendale this week but backpedaled amid private criticism by Trump associates.
And Trump, who has personally despised Tester ever since he played a key role investigating a scandal that sunk Trump's nomination of Ronny Jackson to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, took to his Truth Social account to endorse Sheehy himself on Friday afternoon.
"I LOVE MONTANA!" wrote Trump. "Tim Sheehy is an American Hero and highly successful Businessman from the Great State of Montana. He is strongly supported by our incredible Chairman of the NRSC, Steve Daines, and many other patriotic Senators and Republicans who have endorsed our Campaign to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! I also respect Matt Rosendale, and was very happy to Endorse him in the past - and will Endorse him again in the future should he decide to change course and run for his Congressional Seat. But in this instance, Tim is the candidate who is currently best-positioned to DEFEAT Lazy Jon Tester, and Regain the Republican Majority in the United States Senate."
"Tim is a Political Outsider, Strong on the Border, the Military/Vets, and our constantly under siege Second Amendment. He will stand tall in the fight against the Radical Left Democrats, who are Destroying our Country," Trump continued. "Also, he is far more likely to Defeat Lazy Jon. America First Patriot Tim Sheehy has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"
