HELENA — Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester is actively reaching out to ticket-splitting voters, and his campaign recently announced a list of “Republicans for Tester” who are supporting his reelection.
The group includes 16 named co-chairs, consisting of current and former state, local, and tribal officeholders, as well as dozens more listed only by first name, last initial, and hometown.
Tester stated, “Montana will always come first for me, and I will take on anyone, from any party, to defend our state. I’m honored to have the support of Montana Republicans who stand with me to fight for our veterans, protect our freedoms, and keep the government out of our personal lives. Montanans didn’t send me to Washington to play politics; they sent me to deliver results. Together, we’re going to win this election and keep fighting to keep Montana strong.”
Some of the co-chairs have had strained relationships with the Montana Republican Party, with former Gov. Marc Racicot being a prominent example. Despite being a former Republican and chair of the Republican National Committee, Racicot faced criticism from the state GOP executive committee last year for supporting Democratic-backed candidates in recent elections.
The list also includes recently elected officials like 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 on the list are 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.
In their statements provided by the campaign, the co-chairs expressed their trust in Tester to fight for Montana’s interests, regardless of party affiliation.
“For going on three decades, I’ve known and worked with Jon Tester as he has tirelessly served all Montanans, Democrats and Republicans alike. Jon has always put the public good first, prioritizing people over parties. I’m proud to support our senior senator because I’m confident he’ll continue to protect and defend our liberty and our Montana way of life,” said Racicot.
In a state where Republican Donald Trump won by a significant margin in 2016 and 2020, Tester is seeking crossover votes to defend against a challenge from GOP candidate Tim Sheehy.
Wade Jones, a Malta farmer and chairman of the Milk River Joint Board of Control, announced that he plans to vote for both Trump and Tester. He emphasized Tester’s efforts to modernize critical infrastructure, stating, “Jon’s the real deal.”
While Tester’s campaign emphasizes his bipartisan approach, Sheehy and other Republicans aim to tie him to national Democrats, President Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris. This theme is expected to be reiterated as Trump returns to Montana to campaign for Sheehy.
Republicans for Tester Co-Chairs:
- Marc Racicot, Missoula, former governor and RNC chair
- Bob Brown, Whitefish, former secretary of state
- Mallerie Stromswold, Billings, former state representative
- Mike Winters, Great Falls, former mayor, veteran
- Mike Shepard, Columbia Falls, city councilmember, veteran
- Mick Ringsak, Butte, former Small Business Administration regional administrator, veteran
- Terry Baker, Kalispell, veteran
- Terry Vermeire, Anaconda, state senator
- Justin Schaaf, Fort Peck, town councilmember
- Don Seifert, Bozeman, former county commissioner
- Wade Jones, Malta, chairman of Milk River Joint Board of Control
- Dan Hurwitz, Clyde Park, former state representative
- Susan Good Geise, Augusta, former Montana GOP chair and county commissioner
- Patty Quisno, Harlem, Fort Belknap tribal council member
- Warren Morin, Hays, former Fort Belknap Tribal Council member, veteran
- Chuck Butler, Helena, former state Senate Republican chief of staff
