Democratic senator refuses to endorse Kamala Harris: ‘Two reasons’

Democratic Senator Jon Tester of Montana gave two reasons as to why he won’t endorse a presidential candidate, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who is set to accept the party’s nomination tonight at the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

Tester, who faces a contentious battle for Montana’s Senate seat against Donald Trump-backed Republican Tim Sheehy, didn’t attend the four-day DNC in Chicago, Illinois. Instead, he opted to campaign in his home state. Tester is a three-term, moderate senator. His opponent, Sheehy, is a former Navy SEAL and an entrepreneur.

“I’m not going to endorse for the presidential and I will tell you why, because two reasons,” Tester said during a press conference in Hamilton, Montana on Thursday, according to The Independent Record of Helena.

“No. 1, I’m focused on my race. And No. 2, folks want to nationalize this race, and this isn’t about national politics, this is about Montana. It’s about making sure we have a Montanan back in Washington, D.C., representing Montana values. And so that’s why,” the local outlet reported.

He also reportedly said that he didn’t attend the DNC for “two reasons,” noting that he should be harvesting at his farm and because the rock band Pearl Jam “is kind enough to do a little concert…and I’d like to think they did it because I’m up for re-election.”

The Cook Political Report marks Montana’s race as a “toss up,” and aggregate polls, such as The Hill show a close race, with Sheehy leading Tester by a 2-percentage point margin. Other individual polls have shown Tester leading at times.

Tester is the only Democratic member of the state’s congressional delegation. Trump won Montana in 2020 by 16 points.

Newsweek reached out to Tester’s campaign for comment and confirmation via email on Thursday night.

The Senate is currently controlled by Democrats, who hold 47 seats but four independents caucus with the party, giving them a 51-seat majority, while Republicans hold 49. November’s election could change control of the chamber, and Montana’s Senate race is being closely watched as a potential tipping point.

With the GOP widely expected to flip the West Virginia seat held by outgoing independent Senator Joe Manchin, the results of the presidential election between Trump and Harris and the outcome of the Montana Senate race could be deciding factors for how the next Congress operates.

The presidential race is also neck-and-neck with several aggregate polls showing Harris leading in the national vote but in a deadlock with former President Trump in battleground states.

However, the popular vote does not necessarily translate to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to clinch the White House.

State polls, especially swing and battleground states, are often more reflective of how a candidate might secure the necessary votes to win the White House.

Follow Newsweek‘s live DNC blog for updates here.

Update 8/22/24 at 9:25 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to include additional context.