Chuck Schumer and Democrats pull out 2022 playbook with ads influencing key GOP contest in Montana

A Democratic super PAC with affiliations to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) provided funds for a group attempting to stoke an intra-party fight among Republicans in Montana.

Democrats have turned their attention to Sen. Jon Tester‘s (D-MT) race in Montana, where he is the sole Democrat in the state. He faces a challenger in Tim Sheehy, a self-described “America First” candidate trying to flip the seat and help establish Republican control of the Senate in 2024. However, a Facebook page titled “Treasure State Truths” has purchased several ads in the Montana Senate primary race. These ads attacked Sheehy and promoted his potential opponent, Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT).

The page was managed by Gambit Strategies LLC, a DC-based digital group that aims to “efficiently persuade” voters in favor of Democratic causes, according to Fox News.

The Last Best Place PAC has also spent millions of dollars on ads attacking Sheehy. The Senate Majority PAC, which is operated by Schumer, confirmed to Fox News that they are behind the Last Best Place PAC.

“This confirmed what we knew all along that Chuck Schumer is spending millions of dollars interfering in Montana’s election to tear down combat veteran Tim Sheehy because they know he’s a strong conservative who will win in November, and they want the weakest candidate in this race who will give Two-Faced Tester another victory in November,” a spokesperson for Sheehy told Fox News. “The career politicians back in DC are terrified of conservative outsider Tim Sheehy because he’s going to stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump to drain the swamp, save our country, and put America and Montana First!”

Democrats investing in promoting candidates in GOP contests isn’t a new strategy. The widespread effort in 2022 by Democrats to boost more extreme candidates running against centrist opponents whom Democrats would have a harder time beating in a general election was widely criticized.

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Sheehy and Rosen both have “MAGA” credentials; however, Sheehy is the establishment pick who has been backed by GOP leaders in Montana, including National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines (R-MT).

Rosendale has been flirting with a bid for months but has yet to file paperwork to get into the race himself. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as “Toss-Up,” a downgrade for Democrats.