Trump-Backed Montana Candidate Recorded Making Racial Remarks About Natives

Tim Sheehy, the Senate candidate backed by Donald Trump, has found himself at the center of controversy after audio recordings surfaced featuring racially insensitive remarks about Native Americans. The audio, first highlighted by Char-Koosta News, captures the Montana Republican making derogatory comments regarding the Crow Tribe, a group that occupies land in the south-central region of the state.

In one recording from a fundraiser held on November 6, 2023, Sheehy laughed off his observations about tribal members, accusing them of drinking alcohol in the morning. “I rope and brand with them every year… A great way to bond with all the Indians while they’re drunk at 8am…,” he is heard saying. This comment followed his statement about one of his ranching partners being a member of the Crow Tribe.

While The Independent has not confirmed the authenticity of the recordings, they have reached out to Sheehy for a response. Sheehy is vying for the Senate seat against Democratic incumbent Jon Tester in the upcoming November election.

Just four days later, another recording emerged from a different campaign event where Sheehy referred to the Crow Tribe as a “tough crowd.” He recounted an experience of attaching a campaign sign to a horse while traversing the Crow reservation. “They’ll let you know when they like you or not, if Coors Light cans flying by your head… They respect that,” he said, indicating a harsh humor that many might find troubling.

At other campaign events, Sheehy allegedly shared instances of being teased by members of the Crow Tribe, recounting how they called him “white boy” and threw beer cans at him during his attempts at a rodeo event, as reported by Char-Koosta News.

Despite Trump’s endorsement, which fueled his candidacy particularly in a state that he won by a substantial margin in 2020, Sheehy may encounter challenges in the November election. Native American voters, who represent approximately 6 percent of Montana’s population, have increasingly asserted their influence in state politics, as noted by The New York Times.

Jim Messina, a former Obama White House aide and advisor to Tester, emphasized the significance of Native American voters to the Democratic party’s base. In a statement to Politico this past May, he noted the importance of this demographic in elections, particularly highlighting the fact that Tester managed to win against a Republican in 2006 by gaining support from Indigenous voters.

“Tester was able to cut into that bloc and really move them towards him,” Messina remarked, pointing to the historical trend of Native voters playing a critical role in determining election outcomes.

According to recent polling averages reported by The Hill, Sheehy currently holds a slight lead over Tester by approximately 3.5 points. However, with rising tensions and concerns about his comments toward the Crow Tribe, it remains uncertain how these factors will ultimately impact the election outcomes.