News

KTVH: Tester campaign unveils list of “Republicans for Tester” in Senate race

By Jonathon Ambarian

August 6, 2024

• The group includes 16 named co-chairs – including a number of current and former state, local and tribal officeholders – as well as dozens more listed only by first name, last initial and hometown.
• [The] list also has more recently elected officials, like sitting state Sen. Terry Vermeire of Anaconda and former state Rep. Mallerie Stromswold, who represented Billings in the House before resigning during the 2023 legislative session.
• Other co-chairs include former Secretary of State and gubernatorial nominee Bob Brown, former state GOP chair and Lewis and Clark County commissioner Susan Good Geise, former Great Falls mayor Mike Winters, former Gallatin County commissioner Don Seifert and Columbia Falls city councilmember Mike Shepard.
• Wade Jones, a Malta farmer and chairman of the Milk River Joint Board of Control, said in a statement that he planned to vote for Trump and for Tester.
• “I’ve been working on fixing the St. Mary’s Irrigation System for 21 years, and Jon Tester is the only one to bring actual dollars to modernize this piece of critical infrastructure,” he said. “Jon’s the real deal.”

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

By Blair Miller

August 6, 2024

• In statements, the co-chairs of the “Republicans for Tester” group, which includes former lawmakers, veterans, and local representatives, said they trust the longterm 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.”

NBC Montana: Group of Montana Republicans shows support for Tester

August 6, 2024

•  A number of Montana Republicans are supporting U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s reelection bid with the newly formed group Republicans for Tester, according to Tester’s campaign.
• The campaign reports the group’s co-chairs include former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot and Secretary of State Bob Brown, listing a total of 16 co-chairs and more than 100 founding members.
• “This group shows the broad coalition backing Jon because he is relentless in standing up for Montanans,” campaign staff said in a press release.

The Hill: Tester campaign launches ‘Republicans for Tester’ group in Montana Senate race

By Caroline Vakil

August 6, 2024

• Sen. Jon Tester’s (D-Mont.) campaign announced Tuesday that it’s launching a “Republicans for Tester” group as the Montana Democrat braces for a competitive reelection bid this fall.
• The campaign noted that the group has more than 100 GOP members, which include former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot and former Secretary of State Bob Brown — who are among the co-chairs for the group — and former Montana GOP Chair Susan Good-Geise.
• “For going on three decades I’ve known and worked with Jon Tester as he has tirelessly set about to serve all Montanans, Democrats and Republicans alike. Jon has, without exception, executed his duties with an elevated focus upon the public good,” Racicot said in a statement shared through the campaign.
• “Not unexpectedly, it has always been people, not parties, who have come first with Jon Tester. 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, meanwhile, said he was “honored” to have the backing of GOP members from his state, saying in his own statement that “Montana will always come first for me — and I will take on anyone, from any party, to defend our state.”

Montana Public Radio: Tester withholds vote for Harris, highlights Republican support

By Shaylee Ragar

August 6, 2024

• The incumbent launched a new component of his campaign this week called ‘Republicans for Tester’ with more than 100 members signed on. Notable supporters include former GOP Gov. Marc Racicot, former Secretary of State Bob Brown and sitting state Sen. Terry Vermeire of Anaconda. They say Tester puts people above party.