Rep. Matt Rosendale’s Meteoric Fall From MAGA Grace | EUROtoday

Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) had excessive political aspirations. Then, all of the sudden, he had none.

In the span of a month, the hard-right MAGA conservative launched a repeat Senate marketing campaign, promptly ended it, filed for reelection within the House, after which on Friday dropped that bid, citing loss of life threats to his household and “defamatory rumors” about an alleged affair with a member of his workers.

In a assertion Friday, Rosendale stated he’s “been forced to have law enforcement visit my children because of a death threat against me and false and defamatory rumors against me and my family.”

“This has taken a serious toll on me, and my family,” he went on. “Additionally, it has caused a serious disruption to the election of the next Representative for MT-02.”

Rosendale’s political nosedive was as fast because it was messy.

On Feb. 9, after months of hypothesis, Rosendale launched a second bid to attempt to oust Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in November, vowing to tackle the “Washington establishment” and emphasizing his loyalty to former President Donald Trump. Hours later, nonetheless, Trump endorsed Rosendale’s main opponent Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL and rich businessmanwithin the race.

That blow got here on the heels of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) backpedaling on his deliberate endorsement of Rosendale, reportedly after he acquired blowback from high-profile Republicans who’ve rallied round Sheehy.

Six days after mounting his Senate marketing campaign, Rosendale shut it down and blamed Trump.

“By my calculations, with Trump endorsing my opponent and the lack of resources, the hill was just too steep,” he stated in an announcement on the time, including that he could be taking time together with his household to think about subsequent steps.

Trump endorsed Rosendale in 2018 when he ran for Senate, and once more in 2022 when he was reelected to the House. But in a put up to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump stated Sheehy was finest positioned to defeat Tester in November.

“I also respect Matt Rosendale, and was happy to Endorse him in the past ― and will endorse him again in the future should he decide to change course and run for his Congressional Seat,” Trump wrote.

That was Rosendale’s plan — till Friday.

Late final month, Rosendale’s workplace threatened to sue former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) for defamation after she claimed that Rosendale ended his Senate bid as a result of he’d gotten a member of his workers pregnant.

“Just to gossip a little bit, there’s a reason why Rosendale backed out of that Senate race,” Heitkamp stated throughout an interview on the podcast “Talking Feds with Harry Litman” launched Feb. 26. “The rumor is that he impregnated a 20-year-old staff person.”

Rosendale’s workplace referred to as the allegation “100% false and defamatory” and threatened authorized motion.

“The current attacks have made it impossible for me to focus on my work to serve you,” Rosendale stated Friday. “So, in the best interest of my family and the community, I am withdrawing from the House race and will not be seeking office.”

Rosendale’s exit follows a prolonged political profession in Montana and Washington. Prior to his two phrases within the U.S. House, he served in each Montana’s state House and state Senate, and held the workplace of Montana state auditor. He ran unsuccessfully for Tester’s Senate seat in 2018. Trump traveled to Montana to marketing campaign for Rosendale a number of occasions throughout that race.

In Congress, Rosendale made his mark as an ultraconservative firebrand. He is a member of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, voted to overturn the outcomes of the 2020 election, and final 12 months joined seven different House Republicans in voting to oust then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). He additionally made headlines final 12 months when he posed for {a photograph} outdoors the U.S. Capitol alongside two well-known white supremacists.

The race for Montana’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers the state’s central and jap areas, has drawn a crowded discipline of candidates. At least seven Republicans and two Democrats have introduced bids. Most just lately, former congressman and Montana lieutenant governor Dennis Rehberg launched a marketing campaign for Rosendale’s seat.