In Montana Senate Race, Democrat Jon Tester Misleads on Republican Tim Sheehy’s Abortion Stance

In a race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate, Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) is attacking his challenger, Republican Tim Sheehy, for his stance on abortion. 

Montana’s Senate race is one of a half-dozen tight contests around the country in which Democrats are defending seats needed to keep their one-seat majority. If Republicans flip Tester’s seat, they could take over the chamber even if they fail to oust Democrats in any other key races.

In a series of Facebook ads launched in early September, Tester’s campaign said Sheehy supports banning abortion with no exceptions.

An ad launched on Sept. 6 said, “Tim Sheehy wants to take away the freedom to choose what happens with your own body, and give that power to politicians. Sheehy would let politicians like him ban abortion, with no exceptions for rape or to save a woman’s life, and criminalize women. We can’t let Tim Sheehy take our freedom away.”

Sheehy’s Anti-Abortion Stance Allows for Rape, Health Exceptions

Sheehy’s website calls him “proudly pro-life,” and he’s campaigning against abortion. He opposes a measure on Montana’s November ballot that would amend the Montana Constitution to provide the right to “make and carry out decisions about one’s own pregnancy, including the right to abortion.”

In July, we rated False Sheehy’s statement that Tester and other Democrats have voted for “elective abortions up to and including the moment of birth. Healthy, 9-month-year-old baby killed at the moment of birth.”

But contrary to the new ad’s message, Sheehy has voiced support for exceptions.

In a Montana Public Radio interview in May, Sheehy was asked, “Yes or no, do you support a federal ban on abortion?” 

Sheehy said, “I am proudly pro-life and support commonsense protections for when a baby can feel pain, as well as exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother, and I believe any further limits must be left to each state.”

And in a June debate with Tester, Sheehy said, “I’ll always protect the three rights for women: rape, incest, life of the mother.”

The issues section of Sheehy’s campaign website does not say that he has a no-exceptions stance, nor does it say he would “criminalize women” who have abortions.

In a statement, the Sheehy campaign told PolitiFact that the ad mischaracterizes Sheehy’s abortion position. Allowing no exceptions “has never been Tim’s position,” the campaign said.

Our Ruling

The Tester campaign’s ad says Sheehy “would let politicians like him ban abortion, with no exceptions for rape or to save a woman’s life, and criminalize women.” 

Sheehy has said he supports abortion ban exceptions for rape or to save a pregnant woman’s life. We found no instances of him saying he would be OK with states criminalizing women who receive abortions in violation of state laws.

What gives the ad a kernel of truth is that Sheehy has voiced support for letting states decide abortion parameters within their borders. The Tester campaign argues that this means Sheehy would effectively enable legislators to pass abortion restrictions that don’t include exceptions or that criminalize women.

The Tester campaign’s argument relies on hypotheticals and ignores Sheehy’s stated support for exceptions, giving a misleading impression of Sheehy’s position.

We rate it Mostly False.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.