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Montana Senate Forecast likely gop POTENTIAL FLIP

Last Updated: Monday, July 1 at 4:08 PM EDT

Our model currently predicts that Tim Sheehy has a 81% chance of winning Montana.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Tester is seeking a fourth term in ruby red Montana. This race is one of three Democratic-held U.S. Senate seats up for election in 2024 in states Donald Trump won in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, the others being Ohio and West Virginia. Tester's re-election is considered crucial for the Democrats' chances to retain their Senate majority in 2024. He will likely face Tim Sheehy, a retired Navy Seal turned aerospace CEO, who has received endorsements from Donald Trump and most major local and national Republican officials. Montana has consistently voted for Republican presidential candidates since 1996, with GOP candidates winning by double digits in all but the 2008 election. As of May 2024, Republicans control both of Montana's U.S. House seats, the other U.S. Senate seat, both houses of the state legislature, and the governorship. In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump defeated Joe Biden in Montana by 16.5%. Despite the state's strong Republican lean, Tester remains popular among his constituents, keeping the race competitive. He outran Barack Obama by 17% in 2012 and will likely need to outperform Biden by at least that margin in 2024.

CandidatePartyWin %

Tim Sheehy

81%

Jon Tester

INCUMBENT

19%

Chance of winning Montana Senate over time

Our model is updated every day, blending the latest data on polls and fundraising with "fundamental" factors like incumbency and each district's partisan lean. Below is a chart over time of our best estimate of the most likely number of House seats each party will win, surrounded by a range of other plausible outcomes.

About Montana

Cook PVI

R+11.0

Last Winner

Democrat

7 polls

Jun 12 – 14

500 LV

Public Opinion Strat...
46.0%

Tester

46.0%

Sheehy

TIE

Jun 4 – 6

500 LV

Fabrizio, Lee & Asso...
48.0%

Tester

48.0%

Sheehy

TIE

Mar 27 – 30

503 LV

J.L. Partners
48.0%

Sheehy

45.0%

Tester

+3 Sheehy

Feb 27 – Mar 3

1,000 RV

Emerson College Poll...
44.0%

Tester

42.4%

Sheehy

+2 Tester

Feb 13 – 16

700 Adults

SurveyUSA
50.0%

Tester

40.0%

Sheehy

+10 Tester

Oct 2 – 5

447 Adults

Emerson College Poll...
39.0%

Tester

35.0%

Sheehy

+4 Tester

Aug 13 – 18

741 LV

J.L. Partners
46.0%

Sheehy

43.0%

Tester

+3 Sheehy

Campaign Finance

An overview of each candidate's financial activity during the campaign, showing how much money they raised and spent. Campaign finance data can be a powerful indicator of a candidate's support base and overall campaign health.

Candidate

Jon Tester

Cash on hand

$11,793,381

Raised

$28,235,359

Spent

$23,925,592

Date

May 15, 2024

Candidate

Tim Sheehy

Cash on hand

$2,427,732

Raised

$6,605,902

Spent

$8,347,783

Date

May 15, 2024

Past Elections

This section displays the previous election results in previous elections for Montana. By examining past election results, we can assess the historical performance and voter preferences in the state. This information is crucial for understanding trends and potential shifts in voter support.

2020 Montana Senate Vote %Total Votes

Steve Daines

55.01%

333,174

Steve Bullock

44.99%

272,463

+ More Elections

Featured Races

Explore the latest probabilities in the most competitive presidential, Senate, and House races by selecting any of the races listed below.

Interested to see how the DDHQ/The Hill forecast works? Read our methodology statement.

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