A Helena, Montana city commissioner candidate saw her campaign falter after a deeply disturbing voicemail surfaced, revealing a torrent of threats directed at Senator Tim Sheehy. The audio, from July, ignited a national firestorm and ultimately didn't translate into electoral success.
The voicemail, obtained and verified by reports, showcased a furious outburst from Haley McKnight. She accused the senator of callous disregard for healthcare and unleashed a string of intensely personal and violent wishes upon him, including a graphic hope for a devastating cancer diagnosis.
The tirade didn’t stop at illness. McKnight’s message included insults targeting Sheehy’s family and fertility, culminating in a chilling threat of physical confrontation. The recording revealed a level of anger that quickly dominated the local election narrative.
McKnight questioned the timing of the voicemail’s release, but Sheehy’s office stated they were unaware of the message until recently. The controversy unfolded as she actively campaigned for a city commissioner seat, overshadowed by higher-profile races across the country.
Despite a broader wave of Democratic victories in Virginia, New Jersey, and other contests, McKnight failed to secure a spot in the top two. She garnered just 20% of the vote, placing third in a four-candidate field.
Melinda Reed and Ben Rigby claimed the two available commissioner seats, with Reed receiving 36.5% and Rigby 31.2%. The fourth candidate received 11.5%, and write-in votes accounted for a mere 0.52%.
When initially questioned about the voicemail, McKnight offered “no comment” regarding her rhetoric. She later suggested her intention wasn’t to threaten harm, but to vividly illustrate the hardships faced by people in her community due to the senator’s policies.
McKnight argued her specificity stemmed from witnessing real struggles firsthand, claiming Sheehy was focused on other matters – specifically, blocking the release of certain files – instead of addressing the needs of Montanans.
Asked if she believed the voicemail impacted her election results, McKnight again declined to comment, leaving unanswered the question of whether the controversy ultimately sealed her fate at the ballot box.
