(PartiallyPolitics.com) – Republicans in Montana are trying to alter the rules for the Senate primary so that they can make it easier for Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to be defeated, which could potentially allow the GOP to win back the Senate.
The bill that’s currently making its way through the statehouse would alter the structure of the election from the party primary system currently used to a jungle primary, where the two top vote-getters would be allowed to move to the general election regardless of the party they belong to. This could potentially also block the Libertarian candidates from widely entering the election race.
Republicans believe that this chance could theoretically help drive those third-party voters towards voting for a GOP candidate instead. This could potentially give them more chances at potentially beating Tester, a three-term Senate Democrat whom they are trying to take down in the next election.
The clearest indication that this is just meant to be used for Tester’s race is that the bill is set to sunset in 2025 and not be applicable to congressional races. On Tuesday, the bill passed through the state Senate and it is now passing the state House, which is controlled by a GOP supermajority.
In the past week, Montana Democrats have appeared to be resigned in regard to the law and the desperate attempt by the GOP to defeat a Democrat that they have been unable to bill in the polls.
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