Montana Senate race shatters spending records at $309 per registered voter

The 2024 Montana Senate title has shattered spending records pinch $309 spent per registered voter, a Fox News Digital breakdown of predetermination finance records found.

All eyes are connected Montana this cycle, and whether Democratic Sen. Jon Tester tin past his re-election bid against Republican challenger Tim Sheehy successful a reddish authorities won by former President Trump successful 2016 and 2020.

Tester has outspent his Republican force this cycle, spending $69.6 cardinal pinch astir $7.4 cardinal rate connected hand, according to nan latest filings pinch nan Federal Election Commission (FEC) from September.  

Filings show Sheehy, a Navy SEAL and first-time Senate candidate, reported spending astir $19.7 cardinal during nan aforesaid play this cycle.

MONTANA SENATE RACE, WHICH COULD DETERMINE MAJORITY, SEEING ‘INTENSE GROUND GAME OPERATION’: NRSC CHAIRMAN

Montana Republican U.S. Senate campaigner Tim Sheehy, left, and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., perceive arsenic erstwhile President Trump, nan Republican statesmanlike nominee, speaks astatine nan Brick Breeden Fieldhouse astatine Montana State University Aug. 9, 2024, successful Bozeman, Mont. (Michael Ciaglo)

Super PACs and extracurricular groups person played a important domiciled successful Montana advertizing arsenic Democrats move money into a authorities wherever their mostly successful nan Senate hangs successful nan balance.

Outside spending connected nan title totals astir $154 million, according to a Fox News Digital reappraisal of FEC filings. Breaking down nan numbers per candidate, extracurricular groups spent astir $61.1 cardinal against Tester, while $15.8 cardinal was dropped successful support of his re-election bid. 

Sheehy has faced $59.5 cardinal successful spending against his campaign, while $17.7 cardinal was spent to thief him unseat nan three-term Democrat.

Total spending connected nan campaign, including contributions from extracurricular groups, has reached astir $243.3 cardinal to date. There are 786,365 registered voters successful Montana, according to nan Montana Secretary of State, meaning nan mean spent per ballot connected nan Senate title is astir $309 per registered voter.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester prepares to statement GOP challenger Tim Sheehy connected field astatine nan University of Montana successful Missoula, Mont., Sept. 30, 2024. (The Missoulian via AP)

The title has seen a monolithic influx of backing from salient billionaires specified arsenic George Soros and nan Koch brothers, who founded and money Americans for Prosperity Action. Other players successful Montana see a $29 cardinal finance from nan Last Best Place PAC, $20 cardinal from nan Senate Leadership Fund and a $20 cardinal finance from American Crossroads.

Other salient Senate races person seen much spending this cycle, but their higher populations disperse nan costs much wide connected a per-voter basis. 

For example, much than $363 cardinal has been spent connected nan Ohio Senate title this cycle, but pinch 8,159,880 registered voters, per nan caput of state's office, nan spending amounts to astir $44 per registered voter.

If nan balanced magnitude of money spent per registered elector successful Montana was applied to nan Senate title successful Ohio, it would full complete $2.5 billion.

Senators Jon Tester, D-Mont., left, and Steve Daines, R-Mont., movie a connection extracurricular Dirksen Building connected nan value of getting a COVID-19 vaccine April 27, 2021. (Tom Williams)

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., nan National Republican Senatorial Committee chair, told Fox News Digital nan spending is simply a reflection of nan nationalist implications of nan race.

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"On a per capita basis, Montana is successful its convention because we only person a small complete a cardinal people. And truthful we person a lesser populated authorities pinch spending numbers that are balanced to different ample races successful states for illustration Michigan, for illustration Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada," Daines told Fox News Digital successful an exclusive interview. 

"I deliberation it highlights nan value of Montana because Tim Sheehy's triumph is nan 51st spot for nan United States Senate. This is what secures nan mostly for nan Republicans and takes nan gavel retired of Chuck Schumer's hands. And that's why there's truthful overmuch focused attraction connected this race."

Despite being outspent, nan latest polling from The New York Times shows Sheehy starring Tester by 8 points.