Tulsi Gabbard campaigns for Tim Sheehy in front of huge Gallatin Co. crowd (2024)

GALLATIN COUNTY — Hundreds of people turned out for Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, who was joined by former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard on the campaign trail Thursday evening in Gallatin County.

Gabbard, now an Independent, has since defected from the Democratic Party (when acknowledged at the event, that elicited some of the biggest applause of the evening) and in the last couple years she has campaigned for Republican candidates across the country.

Before the stop outside Bozeman, the duo was also in KalispellonThursday morning where roughly 350 people attended the event in addition to the roughly 400 people who came out in Bozeman, the Sheehy campaign said. It was standing-room only at the Gallatin County rally and attendees moved fans throughout the room that was packed to the brim.

The battle for Montana’s coveted Senate seat will be between Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL and Belgrade business owner, and the Democrat, incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Big Sandy farmer who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2007. Tester is one of two Democrats running for reelection in states that Donald Trump won in 2020. All eyes are on Montana, as it's predicted the winner of the U.S. Senate race here is likely to be one of the determining factors in which party has control of the chamber where Democrats currently hold a slim majority.

Sheehy recently coasted to victory in the Republican primary in early June, beating the second-place candidate by 54.2 points.

Sheehy spoke briefly Thursday, touching on his usual points, criticizing Tester's voting record, naming "apathy" as the "biggest threat" to the nation, blaming President Joe Biden for myriad issues and saying the main thing he wants is to bring "common sense" back to D.C.

Sheehy focused much of his criticism on Biden and shied away from going after Tester's character, acknowledging that the senator has "high likability in the state".

"Maybe he's a great guy," he added twice.

Sheehy also struck a notably positive cord, centering the supporters in the room throughout his speech, adding after the event that they're "running a positive campaign." So far, this characterization is not entirely trueas he's bashed Tester on the border and over his past comments about Trump.

"I can't save it, Tulsi can't save it, Donald Trump can't save it, you have to save this country."

The Republican nominee also acknowledged his campaign's severe fundraising deficit as it compares to Tester, but told the crowd that "we can out-work them."

For both candidates, this race has been centered around Biden, with the Sheehy campaign trying to link Tester to the Democratic president and the Tester campaign trying to put distance between them.

The Republican nominee gave Gabbard a glowing introduction, saying he and his wife remembered fondly when a veteran they were familiar with was elected to the U.S. Congress as a Democratic representative from Hawaii.

"We were so proud when we saw Tulsi get elected," he said, adding twice that she's a "beautiful, articulate army officer."

"I told my wife I might have a new girlfriend," Sheehy said, eliciting a bellowing laugh.

Gabbard— who, when asked, did not have anything new to offer on the prospect of being Donald Trump's vice president pick— said she came to Montana to campaign for Sheehy because Tester has "fallen short" as chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

"I know first-hand that Jon Tester has been in a position of leadership on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee for a very long time, and on so many issues he has fallen short of actually coming through for our veterans," she said. "That needs to change."

Gabbard also criticized Tester's border security stances— which has been one of the main issues dominatingthe race so far— saying that his messaging is different from how he has voted.

Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen was also in attendance Thursday and briefly spoke before wrapping up her remarks with a chant.

"I want you all to appropriately use the pronouns 'she, he,'" she said, referencing Sheehy's name. She then started a chant, with attendees clapping and standing up, yelling "she, he. She, he," in succession.

Sheehy has used the pronoun line repeatedly at his public appearances.

As the event wrapped up, supporters crowded Sheehy and Gabbard, including one attendee who wore a "Trump Gabbard '24" shirt, and many others with Gabbard's book in hand waiting for a signature.

"I look forward to coming back here many times to help however I can," she said.