Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana spent thousands of campaign dollars on steakhouses, fancy restaurants and alcohol during the fourth fundraising quarter of 2023, according to the latest Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.
Tester reported raising $5.5 million and disbursing near $7.3 million between October and December, and the campaign entered 2024 with $11.2 million cash on hand. The senator’s campaign spent over $19,000 on high-end steakhouses and restaurants in Washington, D.C., as well as thousands of dollars more in Washington state, Illinois and Montana, according to FEC filings.
The senator’s campaign reported dropping nearly $10,000 at Bistro Cacao, a French restaurant in Washington, D.C. Between early October and mid-December, Tester’s campaign listed 14 disbursements at the establishment. (RELATED: Vulnerable Dem Senator’s Campaign Drops Thousands On Steak Houses, Fancy Catering, Booze)
Also in the nation’s capital, the campaign dropped $4,227.30 at German restaurant Cafe Berlin, $1,172 at southern eatery Succotash and $625 at RPM Italian during the fourth fundraising quarter, according to FEC data. Tester’s campaign also spent a combined $3,363.46 at Washington, D.C., steakhouses Harvest Tide and Morton’s.
On Oct. 3, Tester’s campaign reported spending $3,486.44 at El Gaucho, a fine-dining steakhouse in Bellevue, Washington. In Chicago, Illinois, the campaign dropped a combined $6,770.43 on food at exclusive country club Saddle & Cycle Club between October and November.
Additionally, $7,500 was listed on Oct. 19 as a disbursement for Enbar Craft Cocktail Lounge in Great Falls, Montana, which also offers a small food menu, according to FEC data. The campaign also reported spending roughly $160 at Cellar.com, the website associated with Schneider’s of Capitol Hill, a liquor store in Washington, D.C.
You got a fast car
I got a tractor to get us out of here pic.twitter.com/jolewxiOEP— Jon Tester (@jontester) February 8, 2024
The senator could face either former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s recruit, or GOP Rep. Matt Rosendale, who is expected to jump in the race soon.
Sheehy brought in nearly $2.5 million during the fourth fundraising quarter compared to Rosendale‘s $98,000, according to FEC data. The congressman entered 2024 with slightly more cash on hand than Sheehy, with Rosendale reporting $1.7 million in the bank.
Polling for the race largely suggests that Tester is vulnerable against both Republicans, according to FiveThirtyEight’s survey compilation. The most recent poll, conducted by Emerson College in early October, found Tester leading Sheehy by four points.
While early surveys found Rosendale leading Sheehy by large margins, recent polling suggests otherwise. A pro-Sheehy super PAC commissioned poll indicated the former Navy SEAL was leading by three points in early November, and a subsequent survey conducted by Co/Efficient suggested the congressman would lose by 16 points.
The Cook Political Report characterizes Tester’s seat, which he’s held since 2007, as in the “Toss Up” category, along with other contentious races in Ohio and Arizona. Former President Donald Trump won Montana by double digits in 2016 and 2020, and is likely to be at the top of the ticket in November with President Joe Biden.
Tester’s campaign did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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