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BILLINGS – Today, a group of more than 100 Montana Republicans launched “Republicans for Tester,” a group supporting third-generation dirt farmer Jon Tester for U.S. Senate.

The group is co-chaired by prominent Montana Republicans like former Republican Governor Marc Racicot and former Republican Secretary of State Bob Brown. With more than 100 initial members, including elected officials, business owners, veterans, ranchers, farmers, and community leaders, this group shows the broad coalition backing Jon because he is relentless in standing up for Montanans.

Read more from the Daily Montanan:

Tester campaign launches ‘Republicans for Tester’ in bid for re-election

By Blair Miller

August 6, 2024

• The Tester campaign on Tuesday morning launched “Republicans for Tester,” a group of more than 100 Republicans to start that include former and Republican National Committee chairperson Gov. Mark Racicot, former Secretary of State Bob Brown, former Great Falls Mayor Mike Winters, and others including former state lawmakers, GOP party chairs, county commissioners and city council members.
• “Montana will always come first for me – and I will take on anyone, from any party, to defend our state,” Tester said in a statement. “I’m honored to have the support of Montana Republicans who have stood with me to fight for our veterans, protect our freedoms, and keep the government out of our personal lives.”
• Tester hopes to win over Republicans and independents and take home the largest share of independent voters this year, and the campaign believes showing those voters there are people who will break party lines and vote for Tester will encourage more to do the same.
• In statements, the co-chairs of the “Republicans for Tester” group, which includes former lawmakers, veterans, and local representatives, said they trust the long term Montana politician, who also served in the Legislature and on the local school board.
• Bob Brown, the former secretary of state, said he’d known Tester for nearly 30 years and called him a “Montanan through and through.”
• “He will always stand up to his party to do what’s right for the state,” Brown said. “I served as Montana’s Republican Secretary of State and I know what our state needs. I trust Jon to keep fighting to secure the border, help our veterans, and relentlessly defend our Second Amendment rights.”
• Wade Jones, chairperson of the Milk River Joint Board of Control and a Malta farmer, said he was supporting Tester because he was the only politician to bring dollars to help modernize the recently ruptured St. Mary’s Irrigation System to the area.
• Former Great Falls Mayor Mike Winters said he’s backing the Democrat as well.
• “I may not always see eye to eye with Jon on every issue, but I know he’ll always talk straight with me – and he’s proven that he will always fight for Montana’s best interest,” Winters said.
• Mike Shepard, a veteran and Columbia Falls city council member, said Tester has repeatedly passed laws to help veterans, and he “is the only member of our delegation fighting day in and day out for Montana veterans.”
• Racicot said he too had known Tester for nearly 30 years and praised Tester’s work with people of all parties and walks of life.
• “Not unexpectedly, it has always been people, not parties, who have come first with Jon Tester,” Racicot said. “I’m proud to support our senior senator because I’m absolutely confident he’ll continue to protect and defend our liberty and our Montana way of life.”
• Tester said in a statement he wants to continue to represent Montana in that same fashion, which is how he said he has gone about his work as a senator since he first was elected in 2006.
• “Montanans didn’t send me to Washington to play politics, they sent me to deliver results – and together we’re going to win this election and keep fighting to keep Montana strong.”