Former President Donald Trump is set to make his return to the campaign trail on Friday as he visits Montana, where he aims to bolster Republican efforts to unseat Democratic Senator Jon Tester in a race that could determine control of the Senate. The highly anticipated rally in Bozeman will mark Trump's first public appearance since Vice President Kamala Harris secured the Democratic nomination and selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.

Montana, known as Big Sky Country, is expected to strongly support Trump in the upcoming November elections. However, the Senate race between Republican Tim Sheehy and incumbent Tester, a rare red-state Democrat, is forecasted to be much closer. During the 2018 midterm cycle, when he was still President, Trump passionately campaigned for then-state Auditor Matt Rosendale, making four visits to the state. Although Rosendale ultimately lost to Tester by a narrow margin of about 3 points, Trump's intervention showcased his determination to influence Montana politics.

Sources familiar with the event have reported that Sheehy, a retired Navy SEAL and aerospace CEO, is expected to join Trump on stage during the rally. The former President has had a contentious relationship with Tester, particularly due to their disagreements over the senator's role in derailing the nomination of former White House doctor Ronny Jackson to head the Veterans Affairs Department.

Trump's visit to Montana coincides with a busy week for Vice President Harris, who announced her selection of Governor Walz as her running mate and embarked on a campaign tour of battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In a strategic move to contrast his own campaign, Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, has also been traveling to the same states, intensifying the competition between the rival tickets.

While Trump spent the week at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, he held a news conference on Thursday during which he attempted to reclaim the media spotlight from his Democratic counterparts. Trump took the opportunity to launch a familiar series of attacks against Harris, Walz, and Democrats at large, criticizing Harris' intelligence, questioning her lack of press conferences, branding Walz as a left-wing radical, and making controversial remarks regarding Jewish voters.

During the news conference, Trump also announced his campaign's participation in three upcoming debates, with the first scheduled to take place on September 10 against Harris. The debates promise to be crucial opportunities for both candidates to present their visions to the American people as the election approaches.

In contrast to the focused messaging of the Democratic ticket, Trump's meandering commentary touched on various topics including immigration, the economy, and media coverage of his rallies. Notably, he avoided answering a question regarding his stance on a proposed six-week abortion ban in Florida.

As the week unfolded, it became evident that the 2024 campaign had entered a new phase, with the major-party tickets solidifying and the candidates ramping up their rhetoric. Harris and Walz used their recent Midwestern tour to frame the election as a choice between a prosecutor and a convicted felon, emphasizing their credentials as a "normal" ticket compared to what they deemed the "weird" pairing of Trump and Vance.

Vance capitalized on his travels by targeting Harris' track record on crime, inflation, and immigration, while doubling down on false claims about her heritage. He also intensified his attacks on Walz, accusing the governor of evading service in Iraq and alleging embellishments of his military record.

However, the focus of attention is expected to shift to the ultra-competitive Senate race in Montana during Friday night's rally. Incumbent Senator Tester, first elected in 2006, is the sole remaining Democrat in nonjudicial state office in Montana. Challenger Tim Sheehy has earned the support of Trump and the GOP establishment, both recognizing the importance of winning the seat as a step towards a Senate majority in 2025.

With both parties investing significant resources into this closely-watched contest, the race for Montana's Senate seat has become the second most expensive Senate race of the cycle so far. As Trump takes the stage in Montana, supporters and political observers eagerly await the impact his presence will have on the outcome of this critical election.