Montana Senator Jon Tester says he’s taking a wait-and-see approach to President Joe Biden’s ability to serve another term.
Tester released his statement after some Democrats have openly questioned President Biden’s ability to carry the party’s presidential banner following a poor debate performance last month. In a statement, Tester said, “President Biden has got to prove to the American people — including me — that he’s up to the job for another four years.”
Republican challenger Tim Sheehy responded on social media, using a series of video clips featuring Tester praising Biden in the past. One excerpt featured this statement Tester gave to NBC News last summer.
“Joe Biden, when I’ve been around him — and it’s not every day — but when I’ve been around him, seen him on the news, he’s absolutely 100 percent with it,” said Tester.
Tester said this week he will continue to “stand up to President Biden when he’s wrong and protect our Montana way of life.”
Sheehy says despite Tester’s defiant election year talk, the senator votes with the president the vast majority of the time. According to an analysis from 538, Tester agreed with Biden on about 95 percent of votes, one of the lowest rates of Senate Democrats in 2023.
