Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy claims two-term Sen. Jon Tester is "two-faced" on issues during election cycles after voting in tandem with President Biden while appearing to brand himself a moderate among voters.
Tester sided with Biden on 91% of issues in 2021 and 2022, according to FiveThirtyEight, but recently pushed back on the administration's orders on the border and Iran.
Sheehy claimed Tester, the sole Democrat to hold a statewide seat in Montana, switches gears on issues ahead of election season.
"Tester two-face doing the Tester two-step," Sheehy told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. "You know this is what he does. Five years out of every six he's a dyed-in-the-wool liberal, firm progressive. Votes lockstep with Schumer, Biden and every other progressive in the country. And then, for his election year, he tries to shift back to the center and act like he's a moderate."
As a Second Amendment supporter, the red state Democrat appears to take a more moderate stance on some issues. He recently accepted campaign contributions from major left-wing donors George Soros and son Alexander, who both made several donations to Tester as he faces a tough re-election, according to financial disclosure receipts.
When former President Donald Trump was seeking approval of $5.7 billion to fund a wall on the southern border in 2019, Tester told "Here & Now’s" Jeremy Hobson that while a wall makes sense in some areas, border construction "from sea to shining sea is not the right direction to go."
Tester also voted against an amendment "to prohibit the cancellation of contracts for physical barriers and other border security measures for which funds already have been obligated and for which penalties will be incurred in the case of such cancellation and prohibiting the use of funds for payment of such penalties."
Despite voting against border security measures in 2021, Tester recently opposed Biden's halt to Title 42 and is now calling for stronger border security.
"He's not a moderate, never has been a moderate. And we're going to make sure Montanans are aware that we're going to show them that conservative priorities are going to be at the top of our list and that we're turning a conservative majority to the U.S. Senate. We're gonna be able to stop this crazy leftist moving in the United States."
The senator openly supported former President Barack Obama's Iran Nuclear Deal in 2015 that allowed billions of dollars in sanctions on Iran in exchange for the restriction of its nuclear program. But, in October, he called for Biden to refreeze $6 billion the president released to Iran in a prisoner swap.
"It doesn't matter if you're Republican or Democrat. If you want commonsense policies, you want a balanced budget, you want a stronger economy, you want unleashed American energy, a secure border and commonsense foreign policy, then you better care about this race," Sheehy told Fox.
An August Fox News poll found the economy and the southern border crisis were the most important issues in the country.
"You don't have to be an economist to realize that the Biden administration's economic policies have directly led to the squeezing of real incomes for Montanans, and they're tired of it," Sheehy said.
Sheehy said the economy, the border crisis, fentanyl deaths and the cost of living are "getting out of control."
"Montanans identified that the Biden administration has been a disaster for their livelihoods and for their lifestyles. And they, rightfully so, understand that Jon Tester has been a loyal foot soldier for the Biden administration, everything they've tried to do," the Navy SEAL said.
Democrats will be defending 23 of the 34 Senate seats up for grabs next cycle. Of the 23 seats up for election, seven, including Montana's, are in states former President Donald Trump won in either 2016 or 2020.
"We're a very important race nationally. A lot of people on the coast might say, 'Why do I care about a race in Montana?" But this race will help determine control of the Senate," said Sheehy.
"Americans from coast to coast are worried about another four years of crazy inflation, another four years of crazy leftist policies, more foreign wars starting every day. They better get serious about our national elections and look at the electoral map and realize that Montana's really going to matter in 2024."
Sheehy is dominating the Republican primary field with endorsements from prominent members of Congress, including Montana Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Ryan Zinke. But he still faces a potential challenge from Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., who is considering jumping into the race.
Tester did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
