BILLINGS – Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., came out to Montana this weekend to campaign for State Auditor Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., in his U.S. Senate race against incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.
“Who’s ready for a Senator that’s going to stick with our president to reduce these taxes?” Rosendale asked the crowd of about 150. “Who’s ready to have a Senator who’s going to help our president enforce our border laws and secure our nation.”
Rosendale spoke for a short time and then he introduced Sen. Rand Paul.
“An absolute champion for freedom, a champion for liberty, a champion for the Constitution, Senator from Kentucky, my friend Senator Rand Paul,” said Rosendale introducing Paul.
Paul expressed his support for Rosendale.
“Jon Tester has not done one thing to keep government out of your lives or out of your pocket book,” Paul said. “He has been sending more and more and more of your money to Washington.”
Paul also criticized his own party
“If Republicans vote and put up too much spending and too much debt, (Matt Rosendale will) be with me to vote against that as well,” Paul said.
And Paul talked about the importance of President Trump’s Supreme Court choices.
“I said well Mr. President, I think you could possibly, this is after he’s only gotten one, I said ‘you could possibly get three Supreme Court Justices.’ And this is vintage Trump, he said ‘ I think I’m going to get five.’”
After the rally Paul talked about immigration.
“A country has to have borders and so we have to for national security purposes,” Paul said. “But I’m not against immigration. I’m for more immigration. I’m for more legal immigration but I think we should have zero tolerance for illegal immigration.”
He also spoke about the U.S. Constitution during and after the rally.
“Matt Rosendale really respects the Constitution,” Paul said. “I’m not campaigning for that many Republicans. I’m only campaigning for people who I truly believe will respect the Constitution and will vote to balance the budget, vote to not have the federal government coming out to Montana and telling you what to do.”
Lewistown and Havre were also on the schedule for Senator Paul and the Rosendale campaign.
Crow Tribal Chair A.J. Not Afraid, Jr. was in Lewistown, according to those who attended the rally.
Senator Tester’s campaign staff gave MTN a response to the Paul visit.
“Add Senator Paul to the long list of out-of-state special interests like his fellow Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell who are all-in for Insurance Commissioner Matt Rosendale,” said Chris Meagher, communications director for the Tester Campaign. “Senator Paul and Commissioner Rosendale are longtime advocates for the transferring of federal lands, privatizing Social Security, and gutting federal funding for public education. That might work in Kentucky and Maryland, but it is a non-starter in Montana.”
On Monday, Senator Jon Tester will campaign in Rocky Boy, Fort Belknap and Havre.
Reporting by David Jay for MTN News
