Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy will be the first member of the GOP to use former President Donald Trump's 34 felony convictions in a campaign ad - as he challenges incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Tester.
"It's lawfare, the state-sponsored political persecution led by Joe Biden and the radical left," the ad begins. "They want to throw Trump in jail - trying to rob Americans of their choice in the election. And Jon Tester is standing right by their side."
Tester, a farmer and Montana native has represented Montana in the Senate for three terms. He is the only Democrat to hold statewide office in the Treasure State. Tester voted to impeach Trump during both of the former president's impeachment trials.
"Jon Tester supported Joe Biden's witch hunt," the ad concludes. "Every step of the way."
Trump was convicted, on Friday, of 34 counts of falsifying business records - after he illegally reimbursed lawyer Michael Cohen for hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
After Trump's conviction, his campaign was quick to capitalize on the former president's legal woes. The Trump campaign sent out a litany of fundraising texts and emails to supporters, urging them to "stand with" the former president, "following this injustice." Down-ballot candidates, however, were advised against making similar political pleas.
"Any Republican elected official, candidate or party committee siphoning money from President Trump's donors are no better than Judge Merchan's daughter," said Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita, according to Politico. "We're keeping a list, we'll be checking it twice and we aren't in the spirit of Christmas."
The National Republican Senatorial Committee received more than $1 million in small, online donations in first 48 hours following Trump's conviction, according to Politico.
It is unclear whether Sheehy received permission from the Trump campaign to use the former president's guilty verdict in an ad. Tester's spokespeople were quick to criticize the ad as a distraction from other issues with Sheehy's candidacy.
"[Sheehy] is trying to cover up the fact that he's an out-of-state multimillionaire who has been caught lying about every part of his life and is running for Senate to benefit himself, not Montana," Tester spokesperson, Monica Robinson, told Politico.
"Jon will continue running on his record of always fighting for what's best for Montana - including getting more than 20 bills signed into law by President Trump."
