Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., has announced that he will not seek re-election in Montana's 2nd Congressional District, citing ongoing attacks against him as the primary reason for his decision to exit the race. Rosendale initially entered the Montana Senate race in February after much speculation, only to withdraw less than a week later. Subsequently, he filed to run for re-election in his Montana district but has now confirmed that he will not be pursuing another term.
In a statement regarding his campaign suspension, Rosendale expressed the toll that the situation has taken on him and his family, revealing that law enforcement had to visit his children due to a death threat against him. He also mentioned facing false and defamatory rumors, which further contributed to his decision to step back from the race. Rosendale emphasized that these circumstances have caused significant disruption to the election process for the next representative of MT-02.
With Rosendale's departure from the race, the Montana seat will be open in 2025, adding to the challenge for Republicans as they aim to maintain their slim majority in the House. Several candidates are now vying for Rosendale's vacant Montana seat, including State Auditor Troy Downing, Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen, former Montana State Senator Ric Holden, and former DEA agent Stacy Zinn.
