Sen. Jon Tester debated his challenger, Tim Sheehy last night in Missoula…but, according to reports, the “contest” actually began when Sheehy arrived at the PBS studios in Missoula.
Outside, a group of protesters greeted the challenger–including Native Americas incensed at his earlier remakes about them. There was a mobile sign outside calling-out Sheehy’s remarks on healthcare.
The moderators, PBS journalists John Twiggs and Anna Rau kept the debate moving smoothly from topic to topic, with opportunities for interaction between the debaters, which at times, got a little “testy”.
At every opportunity, Sheehy tried to turn the discussion to immigration and the southern border, but Tester didn’t take the bait. Instead, he pounded his challenger for his opposition to the bipartisan Border Bill, saying he opposed it before he even read it.
At one point, Tester asked Sheehy to apologize for his negative remarks against Native Americans, but Sheehy ask Tester to “apologize for opening the border.”
There was a clear demarcation on the subject of Abortion, Sheehy admonishing Tester for allowing “live birth abortions”. Tester stuck to his position that women are better judges of their bodies than men in Washington, DC or Helena.
The debate aired across the state on all PBS and NPR outlets, with a live stream on YouTube. Students from the University of Montana School of Journalism were fact-checking and published their findings this afternoon on the PBS website. They found several falsehoods from both candidates throughout the debate.
Throughout his time in the Senate, Tester has appeared regularly on the KGEZ Good Morning Show…Sheehy has been our in-studio guest once and one more time–early in his campaign, on the phone.
