Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) on Thursday put his candidacy for Montana Senate on hold, telling Fox News that President Trump was a factor in his decision.
Mr. Rosendale, a prominent conservative firebrand, announced last Friday that he would run for the Senate to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Tester.
Just six days later, Rosendale withdrew from the race after his candidacy sparked controversy in the state’s Republican primary, where he was scheduled to challenge former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy for the nomination.
Sheehy, a first-time candidate, received support from Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), Gov. Greg Gianforte and former President Donald Trump.
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Emigrant, Montana – July 24: During a ceremony in Emigrant, Montana, in memory of the four aviators killed in a 1962 B-47 crash at 8,500 feet on Emigrant Peak on July 24, 2021. , spoken by Montana Republican Rep. Matt Rosendale. Recent bipartisan legislation in Congress would honor the aviators with a monument at the crash site. (Photo by William Campbell/Getty Images) (William Campbell)
“…With President Trump supporting my opponent and the lack of resources, the hill was too steep,” Rosendale said. “I spoke with Sen. Daines earlier this week, and we both agreed that this is the best path for Republicans to regain a majority in the Senate.”
Rosendale said he intended to run for the Senate and win both the primary and general election, but on the same day that he announced his candidacy, President Trump announced his support for Sheehy.
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Former President Donald Trump endorsed Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy. (Senator Sheehy)
Despite his lack of support, Rosendale said he remains a supporter of Trump.
If they didn’t get support, they had to calculate their chances of winning without Trump’s support.
“This race is already going to be tough because I was running against Mitch McConnell and the Republican establishment in Washington,” he said. “But I felt I could beat them because the voters didn’t agree with their choice of the next senator from Montana.”
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Rosendale added that he plans to return to his home in Montana with his family over the next few days to consider what to pursue next.
Sheehy turned to social media after learning the news of his opponent’s withdrawal from the race.
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“Matt, Montana thanks you for your service and for showing Washington, D.C., what it means to rein in reckless spending,” Sheehy said in a post to X. tester. “
