Sheehy rally at UM draws support and protests

MISSOULA, Mont. — We're less than 40 days away from the November general election and all eyes are on the U.S. Senate race in Montana, where Republican candidate Tim Sheehy is facing off against incumbent Sen. Jon Tester.

Before her second debate Monday night, Sheehy spoke at the Save Big Sky Rally. It was a full house at the Dennison Theater on the University of Montana campus.

The event, moderated by political activist Charlie Kirk, touched on some of Sheehy's top talking points, including closing the border and the importance of winning Republican control of the Senate.

Kirk, a conservative political activist, is president and founder of Turning Point USA and tours college campuses across the country. The nonprofit is currently on its “You’re Being Brainwashed” tour.

At some point during the rally, two people were escorted out after claiming that Sheehy was racist. Their chants were drowned out by the audience chanting “USA!”

“Missoula goes to Missoula,” Kirk said. “Over a thousand people gathered, two madmen shouting something, the front page of the newspaper says 'mass protest'. That’s how dishonest these people are.”

Shortly thereafter, another spectator was kicked out – a well-known Wall Street short seller, Marc Cohodes, who said Bridger Aerospace was facing bankruptcy.

“This guy is shorting our stock,” Sheehy said as Cohodes was led out.

“He accuses me of shorting Bridger stock, but I'm not doing that,” Cohodes told NBC Montana. “Bridger will fail. Unfortunately it will fail because of him.”

There was a small protest outside the event where people demanded an apology from Sheehy after controversial comments about Native Americans were leaked to the media.

Cohodes said he tried to speak to Sheehy one-on-one but was ignored.

“I try to visit him,” Cohodes said. “I try to come and talk to him, but when I got up he let his goons catch me.”

NBC Montana attempted to speak with Sheehy after the event, but we were denied an interview.