Montana PBS will host a live debate featuring U.S. Senate candidates Jon Tester and Tim Sheehy at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 30. The one-hour event will take place in a Montana PBS studio located on the University of Montana campus in Missoula.
Incumbent Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat, will face Republican challenger Tim Sheehy as they discuss key issues and respond to questions posed by Montana PBS journalists John Twiggs and Anna Rau. Notably, there will be no live audience present during the debate.
The debate format is designed to allow candidates to provide in-depth responses and engage in direct exchanges, potentially including questions directed at each other. Aaron Pruitt, director and general manager of KSUM-TV/Montana PBS, stated that this format offers viewers a closer look at the candidates and facilitates dynamic discussions on pressing state issues.
The debate will be simulcast live on Montana Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio, as well as streamed online at montanapbs.org/live and on the Montana PBS Facebook page. Additionally, a team of faculty and students from the University of Montana School of Journalism will be on hand to fact-check the candidates’ statements throughout the debate.