Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Republican challenger Tim Sheehy are in a close race for the Montana Senate, according to the latest polls.
of Emerson College Poll/The Hill Poll When Montana voters were asked about a hypothetical Senate showdown between Tester and Sheehy, 44% supported Tester and 42% supported Sheehy, according to Wednesday’s announcement. 14% of respondents said they had not decided yet.
The poll is within the survey’s 3 percentage point margin of error, so Tester and Sheehy are statistically tied.
The new poll highlights a slight contrast from October, when a similar poll showed Mr. Tester’s approval rating at 39%, Mr. Sheehy’s approval rating at 35%, and 21% of respondents undecided. However, while the poll still showed a close race between the two candidates, it also suggested that Sheehy is likely less well-known among voters.
The pollster also found that 27% of respondents in the new survey said the economy was the most important issue to them, 26% cited housing affordability and 11% cited threats to democracy. also noticed. Health care and immigration ranked lower at 9% each, while access to abortion was the top issue chosen by 4% of respondents.
“Montana independent voters carried Sen. Tester by 10 points, 44% to 34%,” Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said in a statement. “14 percent of 2024 Trump voters plan to split the ticket and vote for Tester, while 71 percent support Trump-supporting Sheehy.”
Tester is one of two Senate Democrats running for re-election in a state won by former President Trump in 2020, and has won close races in the state in the past. He has proven to be a resilient candidate. Still, Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election handicapper, rates his seat a “toss up.”
The Emerson College Poll/The Hill poll was conducted from February 26 to March 2 among 1,000 registered voters in Montana.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
