Outside political groups shell out big bucks for Montana senate, gubernatorial race candidates

“Town Crier” newsletter – Briefs from the Region (2) – 5/19/20

Two Montanan politicians, Montana Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican incumbent, and gubernatorial candidate Whitney Williams, a Democrat, will both see outside aid for their upcoming ad campaigns. Daines is pitted against Gov. Steve Bullock, a democrat who only joined the race—filing his candidacy on the last possible day to do so in early March—after urging from President Obama and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, underscoring the battleground nature of Montana for the ultimate control of the U.S. Senate. According to The Hill, The Senate Leadership Fund, the largest super PAC backing Senate Republicans, “has reserved more than $10 million in airtime in Montana,” yet another signal the race is considered to be highly contested and critical to that supremacy. Likewise, gubernatorial candidate Whitney Williams, a businesswoman from Missoula, has received some $700,000 in ad campaign aid from Emily’s List, “which promotes Democratic women candidates nationwide,” reports KTVH. Ads started on May 19, broadcasted to televisions in Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Missoula, Great Falls and Helena, as well as digital ads.