Republican Rosendale to enter Montana U.S. Senate race, upending GOP bid to take seat from Democrat

By MATTHEW BROWN
Associated Press

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale plans to run for U.S. Senate, upending a race in which many national GOP officials already coalesced around a different candidate as they seek to unseat three-term Democrat U.S. Sen. Jon Tester. Rosendale’s intentions were disclosed Wednesday by two people close to the congressman. His entry will set up a bitter June 4 primary race between the firebrand conservative Rosendale and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, who is backed by GOP leaders. Democrats hold a slim majority in the Senate with several vulnerable incumbents this fall, including Tester.