Montana Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy said in a debate on Monday that controversial comments he made in the past about Native Americans were “insensitive.” 

Sheehy, who is running against Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, declined during the debate to apologize for the comments.

He reportedly told supporters last year that he roped cattle while working at a ranch on the Crow Indian Reservation, calling it “a great way to bond with all the Indians while they’re drunk at 8 a.m. and you’re roping together.” 

“Yeah, insensitive,” Sheehy, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, said. “I come from the military as many of our tribal members do. You know, we make insensitive jokes and probably off color-jokes sometimes.”