Campaign 2012

Montana U.S. Senate race headed down to the wire

Posted: Oct 30, 2012 11:00 AM by MTN News

BOZEMAN - The race for U.S. Senate in Montana is so close that it really matters how the two men vying for the seat spend the next week of their time.

Jon Tester and Denny Rehberg spent time in Bozeman and Butte on Monday.

"So we're out there trying to talk to as many Montanans as we people as we can. We continue our Liberate Main Street bus tour. I've got volunteers out, going door-to-door handing out materials,' Rehberg told us.

While in the middle of campaigning, Rehberg made a stop Bozeman to receive the Friend of the Farm Bureau award, which is given to a member of Congress based upon the number of bills that a member has sponsored and co-sponsored.

Meanwhile, just an hour away, Tester was in Butte, rallying Mining City folks to vote.

"There's great energy all over the state [and] Butte is no exception, and we just have to keep people fired up, make sure they get to the polls, make sure they vote, and we'll be just fine in this election," he said.

A very recent boost for the Rehberg campaign came this week as Mitt Romney openly backed Rehberg in a political ad.

"We're a team, a partnership. It would not make a whole lot of sense to send Mitt Romney back as a new president and not send me back to help him," Rehberg said.

Tester says Romney's support of Rehberg was expected.

"It was probably pretty well expected. The issue really becomes what's his [Rehberg's] record, and what's my record. What have I got done for Montana, what's he got done for Montana," Tester commented.

Election Day is rapidly approaching, and we asked both candidates if they were targeting specific areas in Montana for one last push.

"I just think that Montanans are just one big town. There are 56 counties and they each have their own personality and history and culture, and their own vision for the future. We're all Montanans, and so I really can't look at it that way. We've got support all the way from Libby to Busby," Rehberg said.

"Everybody's vote is important, and I think that's really the bottom line. It might be a vote in Butte, it might be a vote in Big Sandy, who knows? But if everybody gets out and votes, it make our democracy work so much better. That's what I would encourage folks to do. It's going to be a close election and your vote is going to count," Tester predicted.

The race remains too close to call with the latest polls show Rehberg with a 3% lead over Tester.