Montana

Montana Senate race shatters spending records at $309 per registered voter

Published

2 years ago

October 24, 2024

Montana Senate race shatters spending records at 9 per registered voter

The 2024 Montana Senate race has shattered spending records with $309 spent per registered voter, a Fox News Digital breakdown of election finance records found.

All eyes are on Montana this cycle, and whether Democratic Sen. Jon Tester can survive his re-election bid against Republican challenger Tim Sheehy in a red state won by former President Trump in 2016 and 2020.

Tester has outspent his Republican opponent this cycle, spending $69.6 million with about $7.4 million cash on hand, according to the latest filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) from September.

Filings show Sheehy, a Navy SEAL and first-time Senate candidate, reported spending about $19.7 million during the same period this cycle.

MONTANA SENATE RACE, WHICH COULD DETERMINE MAJORITY, SEEING ‘INTENSE GROUND GAME OPERATION’: NRSC CHAIRMAN

Montana Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, left, and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., listen as former President Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, speaks at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at Montana State University Aug. 9, 2024, in Bozeman, Mont. (Michael Ciaglo)

Super PACs and outside groups have played a significant role in Montana advertising as Democrats pour money into a state where their majority in the Senate hangs in the balance.

Outside spending on the race totals about $154 million, according to a Fox News Digital review of FEC filings. Breaking down the numbers per candidate, outside groups spent about $61.1 million against Tester, while $15.8 million was dropped in support of his re-election bid.

Sheehy has faced $59.5 million in spending against his campaign, while $17.7 million was spent to help him unseat the three-term Democrat.

Total spending on the campaign, including contributions from outside groups, has reached approximately $243.3 million to date. There are 786,365 registered voters in Montana, according to the Montana Secretary of State, meaning the average spent per vote on the Senate race is about $309 per registered voter.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester prepares to debate GOP challenger Tim Sheehy on campus at the University of Montana in Missoula, Mont., Sept. 30, 2024. (The Missoulian via AP)

The race has seen a massive influx of funding from prominent billionaires such as George Soros and the Koch brothers, who founded and fund Americans for Prosperity Action. Other players in Montana include a $29 million investment from the Last Best Place PAC, $20 million from the Senate Leadership Fund and a $20 million investment from American Crossroads.

Other prominent Senate races have seen more spending this cycle, but their higher populations disperse the funds more widely on a per-voter basis.

For example, more than $363 million has been spent on the Ohio Senate race this cycle, but with 8,159,880 registered voters, per the secretary of state’s office, the spending amounts to about $44 per registered voter.

If the equivalent amount of money spent per registered voter in Montana was applied to the Senate race in Ohio, it would total over $2.5 billion.

Senators Jon Tester, D-Mont., left, and Steve Daines, R-Mont., film a message outside Dirksen Building on the importance of getting a COVID-19 vaccine April 27, 2021. (Tom Williams)

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., the National Republican Senatorial Committee chair, told Fox News Digital the spending is a reflection of the national implications of the race.

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“On a per capita basis, Montana is in its league because we only have a little over a million people. And so we have a lesser populated state with spending numbers that are equivalent to other large races in states like Michigan, like Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada,” Daines told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.

“I think it highlights the importance of Montana because Tim Sheehy’s victory is the 51st seat for the United States Senate. This is what secures the majority for the Republicans and takes the gavel out of Chuck Schumer’s hands. And that’s why there’s so much focused attention on this race.”

Despite being outspent, the latest polling from The New York Times shows Sheehy leading Tester by eight points.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

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Montana

June 29 recap: Missoula and Western Montana news you may have missed today

Published

9 hours ago

June 29, 2026

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June 29 recap: Missoula and Western Montana news you may have missed today

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Montana

French Montana Shares Rare Insight into Khloe Kardashian Relationship

Published

20 hours ago

June 29, 2026

Press Room

French Montana Shares Rare Insight into Khloe Kardashian Relationship

Where Khloe Kardashian Stands With Ex French Montana More Than 10 Years After Breakup

French Montana is done keeping up with reality TV.

In fact, he only agreed to appear on Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Kourtney & Khloé Take the Hamptons over a decade ago as a favor to then-girlfriend Khloe Kardashian.

“She said to get on the show,” he exclusively told E! News at the BET Awards on June 28. “And I got on the show. Shout out to Khloe.”

The “Ever Since U Left Me” rapper, who split with Kardashian in December 2014 after eight months of dating, said the experience was “fun” because her family kept it real.

“They filmed their real life,” he continued. “And we were part of something together that one time. So it felt great. It didn’t feel like work because they film what they do everyday.”

As for his future in reality TV, the 41-year-old said those days are over, shutting down any prospective offers with a simple, “Negative.”

Although the “Unforgettable” artist—whose real name is Karim Kharbouch—may not be returning to television anytime soon, he has no problem hanging out with his ex-girlfriend these days.

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