HELENA – Reinvigorated Republicans have their first announced candidate in what could be a 2012 election battleground to win Montana Democrat Jon Tester’s seat and control of the U.S. Senate.
Tester was among the class of 2006 that gave Democrats control of the Senate, when the grain farmer won in a nail-biter against former U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns. Republicans riding a tide of renewed optimism are now targeting his seat.
Bozeman businessman Steve Daines launched his campaign over the weekend. On Tuesday, he painted Tester as an ally of President Barack Obama who helped pass a health care overhaul unpopular in Montana.
“This is not going to be about Jon Tester the person. Jon Tester is a good man, he is a decent person and a good guy,” Daines said. “This is really going to be about the values and the votes that Jon Tester has stood for.”
Daines, a vice president of RightNow Technologies, most recently ran in 2008 as an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor on the ticket that fell far short of beating popular incumbent Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
Daines is making fiscal issues, including a balanced budget, his top priority, advocating across-the-board spending cuts and a stop to congressional earmarks. Daines is firmly anti-abortion but that issue is not yet central to his campaign.
Many Republicans in Montana are enthusiastic about Daines — while hoping that incumbent U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg still decides to get in the race. Daines has no assurance from Rehberg that the popular congressman won’t later decide to run.
“I don’t know what Denny is going to do. I don’t think he does, either,” Daines said.
Rehberg has not tipped his hand, but he’d likely be a formidable challenger if he decides to run.
Tester spokesman Aaron Murphy said the freshman senator has developed a track record helping small businesses, veterans, family agriculture and other issues.
“Jon’s never stopped working hard and returning to Montana every weekend to meet with folks and travel the state since Montanans elected him,” Murphy said. “That’s what you get when you elect a farmer.”