Montana
Trump-backed candidate in Montana caught on tape making racially-charged remarks about Native American tribe
Trump-backed Senate candidate Tim Sheehy has been caught on tape making offensive comments about Native Americans, according to reports.
Audio recordings, first reported by Char-Koosta News last week, revealed that the Montana Republican made racially-charged remarks about the Crow Tribe, who have land in the southcentral part of the state. At one point, Sheehy accused tribal members of being drunk in the morning.
“I rope and brand with them every year… A great way to bond with all the Indians while they’re drunk at 8am….” Sheehy is heard saying with a laugh in a clip from a fundraiser on November 6, 2023. The remark came after Sheehy said that one of his ranching partners is a Crow member.
The Independent has not independently verified the tapes but has contacted Sheehy for comment.
Sheehy is Trump’s pick for Montana’s Senate seat and will face Democratic Senator Jon Tester in November.
In another recording, four days later at another campaign event, Sheehy called the tribe a “tough crowd”. He recalled when he strapped a Sheehy sign to a horse and traversed the Crow reservation. “They’ll let you know when they like you or not, if Coors Light cans flying by your head… They respect that,” he said.
At other campaign rallies, the Republican candidate reportedly claimed that Crow members made fun of him by calling him “white boy” and threw beer cans at his head when he missed a “double-heel” shot at their rodeo, Char-Koosta News reported.
Trump, who has endorsed Sheehy, won Montana in 2020 by 16 points. Despite the former president’s support in the red state, Sheehy could see some trouble in November, as Native American voters have been a powerful force in recent years. Indigenous residents make up about 6 percent of the state’s population, according to the New York Times.
Native American voters are “hugely important to the Democratic base,” Jim Messina, an Obama White House aide and former adviser to Tester, told Politico in May.
Senator Tester defeated a Republican in 2006, due in part to peeling off some of his rival’s Indigenous support. “Tester was able to cut into that bloc and really move them towards him,” Messina said.
Sheehy is leading Tester by 3.5 points, according to The Hill’s polling averages.
Although newly minted GOP candidates for the U.S. House and U.S. Senate have garnered heavyweight endorsements, the Montana Republican Party said Thursday it won’t throw its support behind any candidates for federal office in the primary.
“The Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) stands behind its deep bench of qualified candidates seeking to represent Montanans and supports a competitive primary process to let voters pick their preferred candidates,” the Montana GOP said in a news release Thursday.
Monday, U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke announced he was retiring due to health concerns once his term ends, and he immediately tapped talk-show host Aaron Flint as his preferred successor in Congress.
Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and Flathead County Republican Central Committee Chairperson Al Olszewski also filed for the U.S. House as Republicans, as did Ray Curtis of Bonner.
Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines withdrew, and in a statement the same night, announced an endorsement of former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who had filed the same day.
In the Senate, Lee Calhoun and Charles Walking Child also filed to run in the Republican primary.
Endorsements for Flint and Alme cascaded. U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed both candidates, and U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy and Gov. Greg Gianforte threw their weight behind Flint and Alme.
Late on Wednesday, the Montana GOP did not immediately have comment on the news Daines, Montana’s senior U.S. senator, had resigned, but Thursday, the party thanked Zinke and Daines for their service.
A news release said the party would not endorse any candidates in the federal primary and would leave the job in the hands of voters.
“The party hopes every candidate will make their case to the public, contrasting their Republican policies and principles with those of Democrats — as well as phony ‘Independents,’” the news release said.
Former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar announced a run for the U.S. Senate as an independent this week.
A tension within the Republican party has emerged in recent years between hardline conservatives and more moderate members, and some legislative primaries illustrate the split.
This week, the state GOP said the number of primaries for state legislative seats shows a high interest from Montanans who want to serve the state and pass Republican policy, and the MTGOP “is glad to see so many Republicans being called to public service.”
In a brief call, MTGOP spokesperson Ethan Holmes said the party had not ruled out endorsements in legislative primaries.
In the news release, however, the MTGOP offered its view of the larger political debate.
“Montana voters know that beyond the primaries, there is a clear choice between Republican and Democratic governance; one path leads to lower taxes, less crime and stronger families, and the other leads to higher taxes, more crime, and social decay,” MTGOP Chairperson Art Wittich said in a statement.
The news release also said the state GOP is working “tirelessly to deliver a Bright Red Future” at both the state and federal level and looks forward to help candidates whom voters select win in November.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing
07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from March 4 drawing
33-38-39-47-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from March 4 drawing
01-07-08-27, Bonus: 12
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 4 drawing
05-10-26-53-59, Powerball: 06
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from March 4 drawing
03-04-06-08-10
Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 4 drawing
12-13-36-39-58, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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