A political storm is brewing in Montana as a group called ‘Montana Together’ is offering college athletes cash in exchange for endorsing Democratic Sen. Jon Tester’s re-election campaign. According to emails obtained by Fox News Digital, the group, working through a platform called Opendorse.com, has approached athletes at the University of Montana (UMT), promising payments ranging from $400 to $2,400 for videos promoting Tester. The offers come as Tester faces a challenging re-election bid in 2024, considered one of the Democrats’ most vulnerable seats.
The emails reveal that ‘Montana Together’ is seeking athletes who attend college in Montana and are willing to “spread the word” about Sen. Tester and his causes. The group offers $400 for two scripted videos, $800 for two unscripted videos, and $2,400 for four unscripted videos.
However, Tester’s campaign has denied any knowledge of this operation and insists that they are not communicating with the group. The move has sparked criticism from both athletes and Republicans, who accuse Tester of resorting to unethical tactics to secure his re-election.
Lily Meskers, a UMT track athlete and journalism major, expressed her frustration upon receiving the offer, stating that she felt “immediately” pressured to endorse a candidate whose values contradict her own. Meskers pointed specifically to Tester’s vote against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which aimed to prevent transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), chaired by Montana’s Republican Sen. Steve Daines, has seized on this incident, highlighting Tester’s support for transgender athletes as evidence of his “far-left” stance. NRSC spokeswoman Maggie Abboud described the offer as an attempt to cover up Tester’s “underhanded tactics” and “far-left voting record.”
Republican candidate Tim Sheehy, who is running against Tester for the Montana Senate seat, has also joined the chorus of criticism, framing the incident as evidence of Tester’s desperation to secure his re-election.
Fox News Digital attempted to reach ‘Montana Together’ for comment but was unsuccessful. The controversy surrounding this incident is likely to escalate in the coming months, with both sides vying for public support in the critical 2024 election.
