HELENA — Last week, election officials across the country reported receiving suspicious packages in the mail. On Friday, the Montana Secretary of State’s Office confirmed a suspicious mailing intended for them was intercepted this week.

The Republican now holds a 7-point lead over the Democrat in crucial Senate race, having previously been behind by 5 points.

Thirty-four Senate seats will be on the ballot in November, but a handful of close races could decide the balance of power in Congress.

While they haven’t seen the multimillion-dollar spending of Montana’s U.S. Senate race, the elections for governor and other state-level offices have also seen higher fundraising numbers.

Ben Alke's campaign proposes a less partisan justice department. Incumbent Attorney General Austin Knudsen said that would be a "weak" exercise of the office.

Already in hot water with Native American tribes in Montana for his racist and disparaging remarks about members of the Crow Nation, Senate candidate Tim Sheehy has been caught on tape comparing Indigenous Afghans and Indigenous people of Montana.

Democrats and Republicans are investing heavily in the critical Montana Senate race between Jon Tester and Tim Sheehy.

Montana election officials say ballots on the state's online election system for overseas and military voters initially did not include Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris as a candidate for president.

The vice president's name was briefly missing from an electronic ballot provided to Montanans voting overseas due to a technical glitch. It was fixed the same day.

Ben Alke's campaign proposes a less partisan justice department. Incumbent Attorney General Austin Knudsen said that would be a "weak" exercise of the office.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and his Republican challenger Tim Sheehy will participate in a debate hosted by Montana PBS next Monday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. The debate will take place live at Montana PBS’s studio at the University of Montana in Missoula and will last for one hour,