Tim Sheehy, accused of lying about time in Afghanistan, secures victory in Montana Senate race

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Tim Sheehy, the wealthy businessman whose campaign was plagued by controversy, is expected to defeat incumbent Jon Tester and represent Montana in the U.S. Senate.

A shift toward conservative ideology in the state benefited Sheehy, 38, despite allegations that he lied about suffering a gunshot wound in Afghanistan and injured himself during a trip to Glacier National Park.

The battle for Montana's Senate seat became one of the most watched in the country.

Tester, a conservative Democrat, trailed his Republican opponent for months. And the D.C. Democrats didn't fly in to help either: Tester, 68, and his campaign made it clear throughout that they were largely running against their party's brand, not alongside it.

Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, hoped that by winning the seat in deep-red Montana he would derail any Democratic idea of ​​remaining in the Senate.

Ultimately, he made the right bet.

Abortion rights was Tester's lifeline as he tried to persevere, championing the issue non-stop for months.

But Tester's bet that even in deeply conservative areas, GOP restrictions on the practice will be too unpalatable for voters hasn't paid off.

Sheehy was recruited by his Republican colleagues to run against Tester based in part on his experience as a combat veteran – which they hoped would appeal to traditional conservatives in Montana. But a convoluted story about his experiences in Afghanistan became an issue for Sheehy's campaign.

Last spring The Washington Post reported that Sheehy was hospitalized in 2015 after his firearm was discharged in Glacier National Park – a felony – and he allegedly accidentally shot himself in the arm.

But Sheehy told conservative podcast host Megyn Kelly that that didn't happen and that he actually injured himself while hiking. He claimed he had sought medical attention in connection with a previous injury sustained while serving as a Navy SEAL in Afghanistan.

Sheehy claims he was shot in the arm in a friendly-fire incident in Afghanistan, but never reported it because he didn't want to open an investigation for a minor injury. A spokesperson for Sheehy reiterated this when asked for comment The post.

The Glacier National Park ranger who responded to the incident reiterated that Sheehy actually injured himself in the 2015 incident.

It's unclear what exactly happened that day, but ultimately the confusing story didn't stop conservative voters from supporting Sheehy.

On Wednesday morning, Sheehy thanked Montana voters for their support

“We the people have made our voices heard, we have accomplished our mission and now we will secure the future of our children and save America together!!” Sheehy wrote on X.