Montana GOP Senate candidate Sheehy says he was in Afghanistan while Jon Tester “ate lobbyist steak.”

Tim Sheehy, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Montana, criticized his opponent, incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, over his ties to lobbyists during a debate on Monday.

Tester is trying to keep his Senate seat to continue representing the red state of Montana in a race that could determine which party controls the upper chamber of Congress. Current polls show Sheehy in the lead just weeks before Election Day.

During Monday's debate, Sheehy criticized his Democratic opponent over his ties to lobbyists in Washington, DC

“Senator Tester knows all about backroom meetings, he's been attending them for 20 years… While I was fighting in Afghanistan, he was eating lobbyist steak in DC,” said Sheehy, a former US Navy SEAL.

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Tim Sheehy prepares for a debate with U.S. Senator Jon Tester on the University of Montana campus in Missoula, Montana, Monday, September 30, 2024. (The Missoulian via AP)

Lobbyists have donated more to Tester than any other member of Congress this election cycle, according to the nonpartisan group OpenSecrets.

Tester is the last remaining Democrat to hold high office in Montana, where Republicans including former President Trump backed Sheehy's campaign in hopes he could defeat the vulnerable Democrat and help the GOP take control of the Senate to win back.

Republicans only need to gain two seats in next month's election to win the majority in the Senate. Republican West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is considered a lock in his state's Senate race against Democrat Glenn Elliott, meaning the Senate majority could decide Montana.

Trump won Montana by about 17 percentage points in 2020, and since the state is overwhelmingly Republican, Sheehy has often tried to link Tester to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as the Republican candidate seeks to address public discontent with the Government struggles to manage influx of illegal immigration at southern border.

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U.S. Senator Jon Tester prepares to debate with GOP challenger Tim Sheehy on the University of Montana campus in Missoula, Montana, Monday, September 30, 2024. (The Missoulian via AP)

“Democrats on the Hill refused to hold the government accountable for the largest mass migration in the history of this country,” Sheehy said.

However, Tester declined to endorse Harris and tried to distance himself from her during the campaign. He also skipped the Democratic convention in August when she was named the party's presidential nominee after Biden's departure.

The Democrat has also criticized some of the administration's policy decisions. This includes his opposition to stricter pollution regulations for coal-fired power plants and his call for more action on immigration.

“Look, I'll be the first to tell you that President Biden hasn't done a good job on the southern border,” Tester said Monday.

Sheehy and Tester also addressed abortion, where the Democrat said he wanted Roe v. Wade would be reinstated after the landmark ruling was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court two years ago, which would return the power to pass abortion laws to the states.

Tim Sheehy (left) prepares for a debate with U.S. Senator Jon Tester (right) on the University of Montana campus in Missoula, Montana, Monday, September 30, 2024. (The Missoulian via AP)

The Republican acknowledged that his comments about Native Americans last year were “insensitive” but declined his opponent's request for an apology. Sheehy had told a group of laughing supporters that he had “aligned with all the Indians… while they were drunk at 8 a.m.” while ranching on a ranch on the Crow Indian Reservation.

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“Yeah, insensitive,” Sheehy said. “I come from the military, like many of our tribal members. You know, we make insensitive jokes and sometimes off-color jokes.”

Tester urged his opponent: “Tim, the statement you made demeans Native Americans in this country. You’re a big guy, just apologize.”

“Are you going to apologize for opening the border?” Sheehy shot back.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.