The 2024 Montana Senate race shattered spending records by spending $309 per registered voter, a Fox News Digital breakdown of campaign finance records shows.
All eyes will be on whether Democratic Sen. Jon Tester can survive re-election against Republican challenger Tim Sheehy in Montana this term, and in the red state won by former President Trump in 2016 and 2020. are gathering.
Tester has outspent his Republican opponent this term, spending $69.6 million and has about $7.4 million in cash on hand, according to his most recent filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) from September. .
Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL and first-time Senate candidate, reported spending about $19.7 million during the same period this term, according to filings.
Montana Senate race likely to decide majority; “intense ground operations'' seen: NRSC chairman
Montana Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy, left, and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., listen to Republican presidential candidate former President Trump speak at Montana State University's Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman on August 9, 2024. Montana), Mont. (Michael Ciaglo)
Super PACs and outside groups have played a key role in advertising in Montana as Democrats pour money into the state, where their Senate majority is in jeopardy.
Outside spending on the race totals about $154 million, according to a review of FEC filings by Fox News Digital. Breaking down the numbers by candidate, outside groups spent about $61.1 million against Tester, while $15.8 million was spent supporting Tester's reelection bid.
Mr. Sheehy faces spending of $59.5 million on his campaign, while $17.7 million was spent trying to unseat the three-term Democrat.
To date, total spending on the campaign, including donations from outside organizations, has reached approximately $243.3 million. According to the Montana Secretary of State, there are 786,365 registered voters in Montana, and the average amount spent per vote in a Senate election is about $309 per registered voter.
Sen. Jon Tester prepares for a debate with Republican challenger Tim Sheehy on the University of Montana campus on September 30, 2024 in Missoula, Montana. (Missourian, Associated Press)
The race has received a huge influx of money from prominent billionaires such as George Soros and the Koch brothers, who founded and funded Americans for Prosperity Action. Other participants in Montana include $29 million from Last Best Place PAC, $20 million from Senate Leadership Fund and $20 million from American Crossroads.
Other high-profile Senate races have seen more spending this cycle, but their larger populations spread the money more widely among voters.
For example, more than $363 million has been spent on the Ohio Senate race this term, but with 8,159,880 registered voters, that works out to about $44 per registered voter, according to the Secretary of State's Office. equivalent.
If the same amount spent per registered voter in Montana were applied to the Senate race in Ohio, the total would be more than $2.5 billion.
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) photograph a message about the importance of getting the coronavirus vaccine outside the Dirksen Building on April 27, 2021. . (Tom Williams)
Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told Fox News Digital that the spending reflects the national impact of the race.
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“Population-based, Montana is in that league because it only has a little over 1 million people. So even though it's a state with a small population, it's still in that league compared to other large states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, etc.” “We have a spending amount comparable to that of “Nevada,'' Daines told FOX News Digital in an exclusive interview.
“I think Tim Sheehy’s victory highlights the importance of Montana, as it will give him the 51st seat in the U.S. Senate. This will secure a Republican majority and take the gavel out of Chuck Schumer’s hands. That's why there's so much attention on this race. ”
Despite the loss, the latest New York Times poll shows Sheehy leading Tester by eight points.
