Tim Sheehy won the Montana GOP primary. November's race may decide Senate control

Republican Tim Sheehy won his party’s nomination to run for Montana’s U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, according to a race call by The Associated Press.

Sheehy, a former Navy Seal and entrepreneur, is a political newcomer taking on incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in November. He addressed his lack of legislative experience head on at a dinner with Montana Republicans earlier this year.

“I’ve been criticized by a lot of people, some in this room [who ask], ‘who the hell is this guy? He’s never been in office before. What does he think he’s doing running for Senate?' ” he said.

He told Republicans at the dinner he’ll need broad support to win this fall.

“To sum it up, I’m here because I love this country, I fought for this country, I’ve lost friends for this country, my wife fought for this country. Our country is in great peril. We are at a crossroads of the nation,” Sheehy said.

Sheehy has GOP establishment support and his party’s nomination. But now, he must convince enough Montanans he’s the right person for the job instead of a three-term incumbent. Tester has held public office for more than two decades and has outraised Sheehy so far three to one, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

The general election stakes include the political balance of the U.S. Senate and the chance for Republicans to control all statewide offices in Montana.

Appearing on MSNBC on Wednesday, Tester blasted Sheehy as someone fairly new to the state who is trying to “buy Montana” and make it “a playground for the rich” while his family has lived and farmed there for generations.

“And quite frankly, I’ve got a lot of equipment that I’ve owned longer than he’s been in the state of Montana,” Tester