Montana Group Offering to Pay College Athletes to Endorse Senator Jon Tester by Way of NIL Deals

It’s something Republicans will joke about: Democrats handing “walking around” money to people in exchange for votes and dead people casting votes. Any way you look at it, the 2024 election is going to be close, and Republicans have a decent chance of building on their majority in the House and perhaps taking the Senate. With razor-thin differences in both chambers and things looking good for the GOP, Democrats are getting a little sweaty about their reelection chances. Now, Democrats may be using a well-worn campaign tactic as they recruit college students for one of those tight races, but with a bit of an ironic twist.

A group called “Montana Together” has recently begun contacting student-athletes at the University of Montana, offering payments in exchange for promoting Montana Democrat Senator Jon Tester’s reelection bid. The group initially began contacting athletes in July through “Opendorce.com,” The website is a platform where student-athletes can secure Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. Payments ranged from $400 for two scripted videos to $800 for two unscripted videos and $2,400 for four unscripted videos to “spread the word” about Tester, who is in a tight race for reelection. An email to athletes reads in part:

We have an NIL opportunity for Montana student-athletes, and I could use your help getting the information below to any individuals who you recommend applying for this campaign. Montana Together is using Opendorse to source athletes for an NIL deal. Who are they looking for?: Athletes who attend college in Montana and are interested in spreading the word about Senator Jon Tester and causes you care about.

While this might be a tempting offer for a poor, starving college student, it is a rather curious one for female athletes in particular. One of those female athletes who made the offer public said it was “immediately frustrating.” Why? Because Jon Tester was one of 51 Democrats who voted against the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports” Act. She added:

“When I first received the NIL deal offer, I immediately felt frustration. I had to ask myself, ‘Why would someone seek my endorsement when their values directly negatively impact me?’ Tester’s vote against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act is against everything I’ve worked toward as a female athlete. This vote is a gateway to biological men taking away scholarships, medals and roster spots from female athletes. Many female athletes on my team shared this frustration.”

Jon Tester’s campaign claims they do not know about any of these payment offers and have no communication with Montana Together. It would be wise if Tester didn’t have anything to do with the offer of payments to female student athletes, and he may come to regret that “no” vote. Right now, Tester is behind his Republican opponent, Tim Sheehy, by a substantial seven points. In a reliably red state like Montana, where such a bill should have widespread support, Tester could be unemployed after November.

Tester, who bills himself as a moderate Democrat, if indeed there are any of those left, was the second Democrat Senator to call for President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race but may have been pressured by his fellow Democrats into the “no” vote on protecting women’s sports. 

It is unknown whether Montana Together has any party affiliations, but next time they are recruiting people to support candidates, they might want to check the irony meter.