(AP) — Montana Republicans gathered in a hotel ballroom this weekend aiming to unite ahead of the 2024 election and defeat three-term incumbent Democrat U.S. Sen. Jon Tester. Rosendale's move laid bare deep fissures within the Montana GOP at a time when Republicans can ill afford it. Outside observers and even some Republicans say an intraparty skirmish leading up to Montana's June primary could undermine those hopes. Rosendale’s entry into the Senate contest capped months of speculation that the hard-right lawmaker wanted a rematch six years after losing to Tester in 2018. Those Democrats are egging on the division in the GOP Senate race, hopeful it will drain Republican funds and alienate independent voters before the general election.

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