Despite four trips to the state by President Donald Trump to try to defeat him, incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester traded off leads with his challenger, Republican state Auditor Matt Rosendale, early into Wednesday morning.
The race was too close to call with several counties not yet reporting at midnight, including ones critical to deciding the outcome of the most expensive U.S. Senate contest in state history. Final results were expected sometime Wednesday.
As polls closed Tuesday, it marked the end of a Senate election unlike any other in the state, where more than $60 million in candidate and outside money was spent to sway voters. Trump played an out-sized role in the contest, making an unprecedented four trips to Montana to hold campaign rallies in support of Rosendale. His surrogates, including Vice President Mike Pence and son Donald Trump Jr., also barnstormed the state multiple times. – READ MORE