US Senate high stakes spur astronomical spending in Montana

By MATTHEW BROWN and AMY BETH HANSON Associated Press
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Political groups fighting for control of the U.S. Senate have poured more than $118 million into the contest between Montana’s Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock and Republican incumbent Steve Daines. It’s a record shattering figure for the sparsely-populated state and dwarfs spending on a per-voter basis in all other Senate battleground states. The cash deluge comes amid growing Republican worries they could lose control of the chamber. Democrats are trying to reverse a years-long GOP surge in Montana that included President Donald Trump winning the state by more than 20 percentage points in 2016.