Daines Brings the Heat in Final Senate Debate

Montana's Republican Senator Steve Daines came out swinging in the third and final debate, with fresh attacks on Democrat Gov. Steve Bullock. Daines specifically questioned Bullock on why he forced his female lieutenant governor out of office. Bullock, of course, never answered nor was asked by moderators to answer the question in a follow up.

The Great Falls Tribune had this:

“Destroying a woman’s career is nothing new for Gov. Bullock,” Daines said, saying that Lt. Gov. Angela McLean had “been forced out of office, walked off the job with no explanation” and said he owed people an explanation.

McLean left her job as Bullock's lieutenant governor in late 2015 and took another job in state government. Emails between her and Bullock released to the media outlined a rocky relationship.

The debate spread online, where one of Bullock's aides attempted to bail him out, and it ended badly:

Another searing attack on Bullock: Daines called out Bullock for giving more COVID-19 relief funds to one single housing project in Missoula over all of Montana's American Indian tribes combined. Bullock received more than $1.25 billion in COVID relief funds from Montana's Congressional delegation, but so far has failed to distribute a majority of the funds to Montanans in need.

Bullock also came out in support of packing the United States Supreme Court, after being reminded by debate moderator Mike Dennison that he failed to answer both questions. You can watch that interaction by clicking here.

Here's the full debate from Saturday: