Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, who is involved in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country, is yet to endorse the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris despite recruiting her to the Senate and referring to her as a ‘friend.’
Several high profile Democrats have endorsed Harris for president after President Biden stepped down but when contacted by Fox News Digital this week about his endorsement, Tester’s office pointed to a Sunday press release from Tester thanking Biden for his public service and his support of an open nomination process.
Tester’s office did not respond when asked if he would wait until the Democratic National Convention in August to endorse Harris given that talks of an open primary seem to have subsided and Harris has locked up the delegates necessary for the nomination.
Tester’s relationship with Harris goes back many years and the Montana senator was reportedly directly involved in recruiting Harris to the Senate in 2015 when he was chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).
‘It gets me in on leadership meetings and allows me to influence where the party is going, what the party’s going to do … to focus on things that are important,’ Tester said about his role at DSCC in 2014.
In 2020, Tester called Harris a ‘friend’ while touting her nomination as vice president in a social media post.
‘It’s surprising that Jon Tester is trying to distance himself from Kamala Harris after he recruited her to run for Senate, strongly endorsed her for Vice President, and voted with her 100% of the time on her tie-breaking Senate votes,’ NRSC Spokeswoman Maggie Abboud told Fox News Digital in a statement.
‘It seems like Tester is trying to fool voters in an election year.’
Tester is widely viewed as one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the Senate as he runs for reelection in a state that former President Trump won by 16 points in 2020.
Tester, who has been attempting to frame his record as more moderate as he faces a tough reelection, called on Biden to step down last week after speaking with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Fox News Digital reported.
The Cook Political Report ranks Tester’s race as a ‘toss up.’