MJBiz - September/October 2024 - 36

HIGH STAKES
V O T E
Montana
John Tester
(D-incumbent)
Tim Sheehy (R)
Cook Political Report
Ratings Summary
Toss-up
NORML
Grade
B+
No rating
Cannabis Voter Project
Opposes federal
legalization
No rating
John Tester is one of only a relatively small number of Democrats in Congress who have opposed federal marijuana
legalization. But he has co-sponsored SAFE Banking bills and supports state-level legalization of medical and
recreational marijuana as well as greater access to cannabis for veterans.
Reelecting Tester is key to Democrats retaining control of the Senate, which is seen as important to the success of
federal marijuana reform, NORML's Fox said.
" Without Democratic control of the Senate, the chances of cannabis policy reform progressing-particularly in
stand-alone bills in the upper chamber-is going to be very small, " Fox said.
Meanwhile, Fox said Tim Sheehy's position on cannabis has been vague.
Nebraska
Deb Fischer
(R-incumbent)
Dan Osborn (I)
Cook Political Report
Ratings Summary
Solid Republican
NORML
Grade
F
C+
Nebraska promises to have one of the more unusual Senate races
in the country. While the Cook Political Report lists the race as
solidly Republican, Fox of NORML believes Deb Fischer, one of the
most outspoken anti-marijuana politicians in Congress, is more
vulnerable to defeat than many observers believe.
Fischer's biggest challenger is independent Dan Osborn, an
Omaha-area labor organizer who trails by only a few percentage
points, according to recent polls.
The Legal Marijuana Now Party's candidate, Kerry Eddy, dropped
Cannabis Voter Project
Opposes state and federal
legalization
No rating
Deb Fischer
Dan Osborn
out July 30 and endorsed Osborn. Eddy's decision angered many inside Nebraska's legalization party, which called
Osborn " a creep " on its Facebook page and said it would field a candidate to replace Eddy. As of Aug. 15, no new
candidate had been selected. The deadline to declare a new candidate is Sept. 3.
" That could be a really close race. Deb Fischer is terrible on cannabis. Dan Osborn is great on cannabis, " Fox said.
" There is no reason for the federal government to ban medical cannabis, " Osborn says on his website. " We
waste tens of millions of dollars enforcing the prohibition of a plant with medicinal properties. It's time to remove
cannabis from Schedule I and stop wasting taxpayer dollars on putting people in prison for cannabis crimes. "
Nevada
Jacky Rosen
(D-incumbent)
Sam Brown (R)
Cook Political Report
Ratings Summary
Toss-up
NORML
Grade
A
No rating
Cannabis Voter Project
Supports state and federal
legalization
No rating
According to NORML, Rosen is " a champion for legalizing marijuana on both a medical and recreational level. She
is outspoken in her position and has fought diligently to get qualified patients the medicine they need and (to get)
responsible adults safe, regulated marijuana. "
Rosen also co-sponsored SAFE Banking legislation and supported cannabis operators having access to Small
Business Administration loans.
Brown, a retired Army captain who was severely burned while serving in Afghanistan, has not made any public
comments about cannabis policy.
36 September-October 2024 | MJBizMagazine

MJBiz - September/October 2024

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