Jon Tester Explained

Jon Tester
Office:Chair of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
Term Start:February 3, 2021
Predecessor:Jerry Moran
Office1:Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee
Term Start1:January 3, 2017
Term End1:February 3, 2021
Predecessor1:Richard Blumenthal
Successor1:Jerry Moran
Office2:Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Leader2:Harry Reid
Term Start2:January 3, 2015
Term End2:January 3, 2017
Predecessor2:Michael Bennet
Successor2:Chris Van Hollen
Office3:Chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee
Term Start3:February 12, 2014
Term End3:January 3, 2015
Predecessor3:Maria Cantwell
Successor3:John Barrasso
Jr/Sr4:United States Senator
State4:Montana
Alongside4:Steve Daines
Term Start4:January 3, 2007
Predecessor4:Conrad Burns
Successor4:Incumbent
Office5:President of the Montana Senate
Deputy5:Dan Harrington
Term Start5:January 3, 2005
Term End5:January 3, 2007
Predecessor5:Bob Keenan
Successor5:Mike Cooney
Office6:Member of the Montana Senate
Constituency6:15th (2005–2007)
45th (1999–2005)
Term Start6:January 4, 1999
Term End6:January 3, 2007
Predecessor6:Loren Jenkins
Successor6:Jim Peterson
Birth Name:Raymond Jon Tester
Birth Date:21 August 1956
Birth Place:Havre, Montana, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Children:3
Education:College of Great Falls (BA)
Website:
Signature:Jon Tester signature 2005.gif

Raymond Jon Tester[1] (born August 21, 1956) is an American politician and farmer serving as the senior United States senator from Montana, elected in 2006. A member of the Democratic Party, Tester is the dean of Montana's congressional delegation and the only Democrat who holds statewide and/or congressional office in Montana. He served in the Montana Senate from 1999 to 2007, and as its president for his last two years in the chamber.

Tester was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, defeating Republican incumbent Conrad Burns in one of the closest Senate races of that year. He narrowly won reelection in 2012 against U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg, and in 2018 against Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale. He is running for reelection in 2024.

Early life, education, and farming career

Tester was born in Havre, Montana,[2] one of three sons of Helen Marie (née Pearson), who was born in North Dakota[3] and David O. Tester, born in Utah.[4] He is the descendant of Mormon pioneers on his father's side. His father was of English descent and his mother was of Swedish ancestry.[5] Tester grew up in Chouteau County, near the town of Big Sandy, Montana, on land that his grandfather homesteaded in 1912.[6] At the age of nine, he lost the middle three fingers of his left hand in a meat-grinder accident.[7] In 1978, he graduated from the University of Providence (then called the College of Great Falls) with a B.A. in music.[8]

Tester then worked for two years as a music teacher in the Big Sandy School District before returning to his family's farm and custom butcher shop.[9] He and his wife continue to operate the farm; in the 1980s, they switched from conventional to organic farming.[10] Tester spent five years as chairman of the Big Sandy School Board of Trustees and was also on the Big Sandy Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Committee and the Chouteau County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) Committee.[11]

Montana Senate (1999–2007)

Elections

Tester was first elected to represent the 45th district in the Montana Senate in 1998, after his neighbor, a Republican State Senator, decided not to run for reelection. Before running for State Senate, Tester served on the Big Sandy school board for a decade.[12] He was elected the minority whip for the 2001 session. In 2002, he was reelected with 71% of the vote,[13] and he became minority leader in 2003. In 2004 he moved to the 15th district as a "holdover" because of redistricting. In 2005, Tester was elected president of the Montana Senate, the chief presiding officer of the Montana Legislature's upper chamber.

Tenure

Tester's election as Senate president marked a transition for Montana Democrats as they moved into the majority leadership of the Senate for the first time in more than a decade. Term limits prohibited Tester from running for State Senate for a third consecutive term.[14] Tester cited a prescription drug benefit program, reinstatement of the "Made in Montana" promotion program, a law to encourage renewable energy development, and his involvement with a bill that led to an historic increase in public school funding as accomplishments while in office.[15]

Committee assignments

U.S. Senate (2007–present)

Elections

2006

See main article: 2006 United States Senate election in Montana.

Tester announced his candidacy in May 2005 for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican incumbent Senator Conrad Burns. Tester was the second Democrat to jump into the race after state auditor John Morrison. While Tester had a greater following among his fellow legislators,[22] Morrison, whose grandfather had been governor of Nebraska, raised significantly more money and had greater statewide name recognition than Tester. Morrison had collected $1.05 million as of the start of 2006, including $409,241 in the last three months of 2005.[23] But "Morrison's advantages in fundraising and name identification [did] not translate into a lead in the polls",[24] most of which showed the race as exceedingly tight; as of late May 2006, some polls called the primary a "deadlock".[25]

In June 2006, Tester won the Democratic nomination by more than 25 percentage points in a six-way primary.[26] He was described as having "gained momentum in the closing weeks of the campaign through an extensive grass-roots effort". While Tester's pledge to "end secret meetings with lobbyists" was a central issue in his campaign, CNN reported in 2023 that he had not fully followed through on it.[27]

In the November 2006 general election, Tester defeated Burns, receiving 199,845 votes (49.2%) to Burns's 196,283 (48.3%). Libertarian Stan Jones received 10,377 votes (2.6%). Tester's victory was confirmed the day after the election.[28]

2012

See main article: 2012 United States Senate election in Montana.

Tester sought reelection to a second term and was challenged by Republican U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg.[29]

The race was seen as pivotal for both parties. During his first term, Tester split with Democrats on key issues like the Keystone XL oil pipeline; he had also voted with his party on issues such as the Affordable Care Act and the Dodd–Frank financial services overhaul.[30]

When announcing his candidacy, Rehberg called Tester a "yes man" for President Obama, saying that he sided with the administration in 97% of his votes. Rehberg cited Tester's support for the ACA and the 2009 stimulus, both of which Rehberg opposed. Tester said that he stood by his votes on both bills, saying that the ACA contained "a lot of good stuff". The Los Angeles Times noted that Tester diverged from his party on matters such as gun rights and illegal immigration.[31]

On Election Day, Tester defeated Rehberg, 48.6% to 44.9%. Libertarian Dan Cox received 6.6% of the vote.

2018

See main article: 2018 United States Senate election in Montana.

Tester won a third term, defeating Republican nominee Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale in a high-turnout election by over 15,000 votes and crossing the 50 percent threshold in vote totals for the first time in his three Senate elections.[32] Tester defeated Rosendale, receiving 253,876 votes (50.3%) to Rosendale's 235,963 (46.8%). Libertarian Rick Breckenridge received 14,545 votes (2.9%). President Donald Trump made a particular effort to unseat Tester, traveling to Montana four times over the preceding months. Despite some increase in Republican turnout in the state, Tester secured victory with increased turnout in Democratic-leaning areas, strong support from Native Americans and women, increased support among independent voters, and 67 percent of the youth vote.[33]

2024

See main article: 2024 United States Senate election in Montana.

Despite reports that Tester was considering retirement,[34] on February 22, 2023, he announced that he would seek a fourth Senate term. His reelection is considered pivotal for Democrats to maintain their Senate majority in the 119th United States Congress.[35]

Tester is one of the Democratic Party's last remaining red-state U.S. senators. Montana's other U.S. senator, Steve Daines, is the head of the Republican campaign arm charged with winning back the majority in the 2024 election cycle, which will likely require unseating Tester. According to Politico, "That makes the senators from Big Sky Country the most awkward pair in the chamber."[36] Montana is one of five states with Senate delegations split between the Republican and Democratic parties. According to The Washington Post, Republican and Democratic strategists agree that "the race will be a test of whether [Tester's] authenticity and connection with his home state's voters can override most Montanans' inclination to vote Republican." Trump carried Montana by 16 percentage points in 2020; his margin of victory was larger in 2016. Tester has made some moves to distance himself from the Joe Biden administration, but his voting record remains in line with the Democratic Party.[37] On 18 July 2024, Tester called for Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 United States presidential election.[38]

Tenure

During a 2006 Billings press conference, the Tester campaign released a statement from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, pledging to give Tester a coveted seat on the Appropriations Committee "as soon as possible", regardless of whether Democrats won control of the Senate.[39] On January 13, 2009, during Tester's second session of Congress, he was given a seat on the Appropriations Committee.[40] In 2013, Tester became chairman of the Banking Committee's Securities, Insurance, and Investment Subcommittee.[41]

In September 2013, Tester opposed the appointment of Larry Summers as chairman of the Federal Reserve; lacking a committee majority, Summers then withdrew his name from consideration.[42]

Tester received more money in campaign contributions from lobbyists than any other member of Congress in 2018. When asked about this, he said it was "bull".[43]

Tester was on Capitol Hill for the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count on January 6, 2021, when Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. He was in his office in the Hart Senate Office Building when the Capitol was breached. Along with his staff, Tester was evacuated to an undisclosed location for safety.[44] He called the storming a "despicable and dangerous attack on our democracy" and "a coup by domestic terrorists",[45] [46] and blamed Trump for instigating it. He also said that impeachment of Trump was unlikely in the short period of time before Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20. He called fellow Montana senator Steve Daines an "enabler" of the attack, as Daines supported Trump's unproven voter fraud claims.[47]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political positions

Tester is considered a moderate Democrat.[48] [49] [50] [51] [52] A New York Times profile of Tester after his 2006 election described him as "truly your grandfather's Democrat—a pro-gun, anti-big-business prairie pragmatist whose life is defined by the treeless patch of hard Montana dirt that has been in the family since 1916".[53] In 2012, USA Today noted that Tester had sometimes "split with Democrats—most recently in his support of construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast—but he has voted with Obama on the most critical issues of his presidency: the stimulus, the health care legislation and the Dodd-Frank financial services overhaul".[54] FiveThirtyEight, which tracks votes in Congress, found that Tester had voted with Trump's position 30% of the time during Trump's presidency.[55] Through January 2023, Tester had voted in line with Joe Biden's position 91% of the time.[56]

Abortion

Tester supports abortion rights. In 2023, The New York Times wrote that his "electoral successes trace back to carefully tailored campaigns that catered to local issues over dominant national ones like abortion", and that for red state Democrats like Tester and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, it was an open question whether they could "maintain their invaluable political personas while—for the first time in their lengthy careers in public office—persuading their constituents to keep abortion rights front and center when voting next year."[57]

Economy and jobs

In 2011, Tester was one of two Democratic senators to filibuster the American Jobs Act. It was reported that he was not concerned about the surtax on some families to pay for the plan, but was unsure that the new spending would actually create jobs. "I've got more of a concern about a state aid package ... and how the money is going to be spent and whether it's really going to create jobs," he explained.[58]

In January 2018, Tester was the only Democratic senator from a Republican-leaning state to oppose a stopgap funding measure to end a three-day government shutdown and reopen the federal government.[59]

In 2018, Tester became one of the Democrats in the Senate to support the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, a bill that partially repealed Dodd-Frank and relaxed key banking regulations. As one of at least 11 other Democrats, he argued that the bill would "right-size post-crisis rules imposed on small and regional lenders and help make it easier for them to provide credit". Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren vehemently opposed the legislation.[60] Tester became the first Democrat endorsed by Friends of Traditional Banking, a political action committee that had previously endorsed Republicans.[61]

Environment

In May 2011 a Newsweek reporter who traveled with Tester in Montana said that the "desire to wrest control of wolves from D.C. ... was the only topic that came up everywhere he went: hotels, coffee shops, art auctions. 'What do you think about wolves?' a sixth grader asked during an assembly in Miles City. 'I think we should start hunting them again!' Tester said. The kids let out their loudest cheer of the afternoon." Tester tried to revive a bill that was meant to be a compromise between the conservationists and the timber industry. The bill would put 700,000 acres of wilderness aside for "light-on-the-land logging projects" with the intention of creating jobs in the flagging industry. It was noted that Tester was not "winning admirers on his side", with some liberal environmentalists saying that would give lumber mills control of the national forests.[62] [63]

Guns

Tester is a gun owner.[64] On gun rights, the NRA Political Victory Fund gave him an A− rating in 2012.[65] This was downgraded to a D in 2018 after he voted against confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court.[66] Tester supports efforts to loosen restrictions on gun exports, saying it would help U.S. gun manufacturers expand their business and create more jobs.[67]

In 2016, Tester voted against a Democrat-sponsored proposal that would have required background checks for purchases at gun shows and for purchases of guns online nationwide. He argued that the bill would "have blocked family members and neighbors from buying and selling guns to one another without a background check". Tester voted for a second Democrat-sponsored proposal to ban gun sales to people on the terrorist watch list. Both proposals failed.[68]

Health care

Tester supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, voting for it in December 2009.[69] He voted for the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.[70]

In 2017, he said that Democrats should consider a single-payer health care system. In July that year, Tester said that health care needed reform but that the latest GOP attempt at reform was a "train wreck" that would "strip health care away from millions of Americans". He said that Democrats should "work to fix what's wrong with the current health care system in a bipartisan way. And that means going through committee process, not doing it in a dark room with a select few, but going through the committee process and getting good ideas from everybody". Reminded that some Democrats "believe that compromise on this issue is not only unprincipled but unnecessary", Tester said the issue was "too important ... not to try to help remedy the problems".[71]

Immigration

In December 2010, Tester voted against the DREAM Act, which would have created a pathway to citizenship for the foreign-born children of illegal immigrants. He has said, "Illegal immigration is a critical problem facing our country, but amnesty is not the solution. I do not support legislation that provides a path for citizenship for anyone in this country illegally."[72] [73]

In 2017, Tester criticized Trump for saying that he would cancel DACA in six months. "I don't support what the president did", Tester said. "I think it's ill-informed, I think it rips families apart, and it's not what this country stands for." Asked if he would now commit to voting for the DREAM Act, he said, "I support comprehensive immigration reform."[74]

In January 2018, Tester and Senators Heidi Heitkamp, Kamala Harris, and Claire McCaskill co-sponsored the Border and Port Security Act,[75] legislation to mandate that U.S. Customs and Border Protection "hire, train and assign at least 500 officers per year until the number of needed positions the model identifies is filled" and require the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection to determine potential equipment and infrastructure improvements for ports of entry.[76]

Impeachment of Donald Trump

Tester voted to convict Trump during both of his impeachment trials.[77]

LGBT rights

On December 18, 2010, Tester voted for the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010.[78] While he opposed same-sex marriage during both his 2006 and 2012 campaigns, Tester announced his support for it in March 2013, citing concerns about federal government overreach.[79] After the U.S. Supreme Court held in Obergefell v. Hodges that all U.S. states must recognize gay marriage, Tester praised the ruling as protecting "the rights and freedoms of every married couple".[80] In 2022, he voted for the Respect for Marriage Act.[81]

Privacy

During Tester's first Senate campaign, in a September 24, 2006, debate in Butte, Conrad Burns criticized Tester for wanting to weaken the PATRIOT Act. Tester replied: "I don't want to weaken the PATRIOT Act, I want to repeal it!"[82] Tester opposed the confirmations of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General,[83] Mike Pompeo as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency[84] and Neil Gorsuch as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States for supporting the PATRIOT Act's bulk data collection provisions.[85] On September 28, 2018, Tester announced that he would vote against confirming Brett Kavanaugh as an associate justice of the Supreme Court. Among other reasons, Tester cited "concerns that Judge Kavanaugh defended the PATRIOT Act instead of Montanans' privacy", as Kavanaugh had helped the Bush administration craft a program of mass domestic surveillance and had ruled in favor of increased government surveillance under the PATRIOT Act in Klayman v. Obama.[86]

On May 20, 2015, Tester was one of seven Senate Democrats to join Republican Senator Rand Paul in his 10-hour filibuster against reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act.[87]

Supreme Court

Tester opposed the Supreme Court decision Citizens United, which allows corporations and unions to donate unlimited amounts of money to third-party political groups. He proposed a constitutional amendment to reverse the decision, arguing that it had a bad impact on American democracy.[88]

Tester voted to confirm Supreme Court nominees Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. He opposed Trump's nomination of Neil Gorsuch.[89] Tester also voted against Trump's nominees Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.[90] [91] Tester voted to confirm Joe Biden's nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.[92]

Torture and interrogation

In May 2018, Tester said that he would not support Gina Haspel's nomination to become CIA Director.[93] The first Democrat from a red state to express opposition to her, he cited her role in Bush administration interrogation and detention programs, and said he was "not a fan of waterboarding".

Veterans affairs

As ranking member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Tester raised concerns about the nomination of Ronny Jackson to head the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. There were allegations against Jackson that he dispensed medications in a medically unethical fashion, was drunk on an overseas trip and drunkenly banged on the hotel door of a female colleague.[94] Jackson denied the allegations but withdrew his nomination.[95] In response, Trump called for Tester's resignation and said that the allegations against Jackson were false. According to CNN, four sources familiar with the allegation that Jackson drunkenly banged on the door of a female colleague confirmed it. The Secret Service said it could not verify any of the allegations. Johnny Isakson, the Republican chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, defended Tester, saying he had no problem with Tester's handling of Jackson's nomination.[96]

Personal life

During Tester's senior year in college, he married Sharla Bitz.[97] They have three children.[98] Tester is affiliated with the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana).[99]

Before his election to the Senate, Tester had never lived more than two hours away from his north-central Montana farm. In addition to his Montana farm, Tester owns a home in Washington, D.C.[100]

A January 2012 profile of Tester focused on the fact that he butchers and brings his own meat with him to Washington. He said "Taking meat with us is just something that we do ... We like our own meat".[101]

Tester is a Freemason.[102]

Bibliography

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Otis McDonald, et al. v. City of Chicago, Illinois, et al. . American Bar Association . https://web.archive.org/web/20140810135549/https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publishing/preview/publiced_preview_briefs_pdfs_09_10_08_1521_PetitionerAmCuSenatorKayBaileyHutchison.authcheckdam.pdf . August 10, 2014.
  2. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=T000464 "Tester, Jon"
  3. Web site: Helen M Pearson in the 1940 Census Ancestry® . 2024-04-01 . Ancestry.com . en.
  4. Web site: Obituary information for David O. Tester . 2024-04-01 . www.yatesfuneralhomes.com . en-US.
  5. Web site: 1 . https://archive.today/20120630211318/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/senators/tester.htm . dead . June 30, 2012 . Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com . August 12, 2014.
  6. Cohen, Betsy. "Back on the farm", Helena Independent Record, April 9, 2007.
  7. Klein, Joe. "The Democrats' New Populism". Time. July 2, 2006.
  8. Web site: Biography . tester.senate.gov . November 16, 2017 . July 23, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120723144430/http://www.tester.senate.gov/Jon/index.cfm . dead.
  9. http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Jon_Tester "Jon Tester (D-Mont.)"
  10. Lowery, Courtney. "The 'Good Guy' Running for U.S. Senate", NewWest, August 28, 2005.
  11. http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/person/jon-tester-mt/ "Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)"
  12. News: Almanac: Sen. Jon Tester (D) . July 10, 2014 . National Journal . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714145957/http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/member/490 . July 14, 2014 . live . mdy-all.
  13. Web site: Ourcampaigns.com . Our Campaigns . August 12, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150208170201/http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=141878 . February 8, 2015 . live . mdy-all.
  14. Web site: McCulloch . Linda . Term Limits – Elections . October 3, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170129230651/http://sos.mt.gov/elections/term_limits/index#State . January 29, 2017 . dead . mdy-all.
  15. Johnson, Charles S. "Tester begins Demo race for U.S. Senate", Billings Gazette, May 24, 2005.
  16. Web site: Mike Allen . Legislative Finance Committee . Montana Legislature . August 12, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140902150154/http://leg.mt.gov/css/Committees/Administration/Finance/2003-4/2005_lfc.asp . September 2, 2014 . dead . mdy-all.
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  18. Web site: Montana Legislature: Sessions . Montana Legislature . August 12, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140902150132/http://leg.mt.gov/css/Sessions/57th/senate_committees.asp#ag . September 2, 2014 . dead . mdy-all.
  19. http://leg.mt.gov/content/Committees/Session/2005_senate_committees.pdf
  20. Web site: Senate Committees - 58th Legislative Session - 2003 . May 2, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120624032950/http://leg.mt.gov/content/Committees/Session/2003_senate_committees.pdf . June 24, 2012 . live . mdy-all.
  21. Web site: Montana Legislature: Interim Committees Membership . Montana Legislature . May 21, 2013 . August 12, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140902173252/http://leg.mt.gov/css/Committees/Interim/InterimMembership.asp?CommitteeID=593 . September 2, 2014 . dead . mdy-all.
  22. Johnson, Charles S. "Tester, Morrison list endorsements", Billings Gazette, May 16, 2006.
  23. Johnson, Charles S. "Burns' fundraising nears $5 million; Morrison's hits $1 million", CQPolitics.com, August 28, 2005.
  24. Horrigan, Marie. "MT Senate: Race to Take On Embattled Burns Nears Finish", CQPolitics.com, May 31, 2006.
  25. Johnson, Charles S. "Tester, Morrison deadlocked". Helena Independent Record. May 28, 2006.
  26. Charles S. Johnson, Tester routs Morrison, will challenge Burns: Embattled incumbent beats Keenan by 3-to-1 margin, Billings Gazette (June 6, 2006).
  27. Web site: Kaczynski . Andrew . Turner . Abby . 2023-09-13 . Jon Tester failed to fully follow through on ethics pledge at center of 2006 campaign CNN Politics . 2023-10-29 . CNN . en.
  28. News: Hauser . Christine . 2006-11-08 . Democrat Wins Senate Race in Montana . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-11-25 . 0362-4331.
  29. News: Montana . The New York Times . November 7, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121108082307/http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/results/states/montana . November 8, 2012 . live . mdy-all.
  30. News: Susan . Davis . Montana race could tip balance of power in U.S. Senate . USA Today . April 5, 2012 . October 6, 2012 . January 10, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140110090301/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-04-04/montana-senate-race/54013908/1 . dead .
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  32. News: Democrat Jon Tester wins re-election in Montana Senate race . Merica, Dan . CNN . November 7, 2018 . November 8, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181108214213/https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/07/politics/jon-tester-montana/index.html . November 8, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  33. News: Jon Tester Wins in Montana, Despite Trump's Best Efforts . Yager, Sarah . The Atlantic . November 8, 2018 . November 8, 2018.
  34. News: Perano . Ursula . The 'Only Democrat Who Can Win' in Montana Might Not Run . The Daily Beast . February 15, 2023 . February 23, 2023.
  35. Web site: Levine . Marianne . Everett . Burgess . Tester will seek reelection, bolstering Dems in 2024 . Politico . February 22, 2023 . February 23, 2023.
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  37. News: Goodwin . Liz . The battle to defeat Jon Tester in Montana is personal for Republicans . June 21, 2023 . The Washington Post . May 23, 2023.
  38. Web site: Sen. Tester calls on Biden not to seek another term . Daily Montanan) . 19 July 2024.
  39. Johnson, Charles S. "Dems vow to get Tester on Senate appropriations". Helena Independent Record. October 19, 2006.
  40. Web site: Tester earns seat on Senate Appropriations Committee . tester.senate.gov . January 13, 2009 . April 23, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130514185728/http://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=2352 . May 14, 2013 . live . mdy-all.
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  42. News: White, Ben . Dem opposition dooms Summers . Politico . September 15, 2013 . September 18, 2020 . September 19, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130919045227/http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/larry-summers-withdraws-name-federal-reserve-chairman-96824.html . dead.
  43. Web site: 2018-09-10 . AP FACT CHECK: Tester did rank No. 1 in cash from lobbyists . 2024-04-01 . AP News . en.
  44. News: Dennison . Mike . Sen. Tester rips Rs for enabling Capitol violence; MT officials condemn it . 13 January 2021 . KTVH . 6 January 2021 . en.
  45. News: Depping . Meridith . Sen. Daines, Sen. Tester and Rep. Rosendale and their staff reported to be safe . 13 January 2021 . KULR-8 Local News . 6 January 2021 . en.
  46. News: Bolton . Aaron . Tester: D.C. Insurrection Was 'A Terrorist Act' . 13 January 2021 . Montana Public Radio . 7 January 2021 . en.
  47. News: Adams . John S. . Siege response . 13 January 2021 . Montana Free Press . 11 January 2021.
  48. News: Moderate Democratic senators to visit White House . Everett, Burgess . Politico . February 7, 2017 . 2018-03-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180318182735/https://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-democrats-senate-meeting-234781 . March 18, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  49. News: Centrist Dem: Maybe we should look at single-payer health care . Roubein . Rachel . 2017-09-06 . The Hill . 2018-03-18 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20180208003238/http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/349493-centrist-dem-maybe-we-should-look-at-single-payer-healthcare . February 8, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  50. News: Robillard, Kevin . April 18, 2018 . 'I don't think they can beat who I am' . en . Politico . live . 2018-07-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180716111902/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/18/jon-tester-montana-democrat-senate-531524 . July 16, 2018 . mdy-all.
  51. Web site: 2023-08-21 . Jon Tester faces another tough Senate campaign in Montana as the GOP braces for a possible primary . 2023-08-29 . NBC News . en.
  52. Web site: 2023-06-27 . Former Navy SEAL seeks GOP nod to challenge Montana Democratic US Sen. Tester in 2024 . 2023-08-29 . AP News . en.
  53. News: Fresh Off the Farm in Montana, a Senator-to-Be . Egan . Timothy . November 13, 2006 . The New York Times . October 6, 2012.
  54. News: Davis . Susan . Montana race could tip balance of power in U.S. Senate . USA Today . March 21, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120627035340/http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-04-04/montana-senate-race/54013908/1 . June 27, 2012 . live . mdy-all.
  55. News: Tracking Jon Tester In The Age Of Trump . Bycoffe . Aaron . 2017-01-30 . FiveThirtyEight . 2018-03-18 . en-US . https://web.archive.org/web/20180318120555/https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/jon-tester/ . March 18, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  56. News: Bycoffe . Anna Wiederkehr and Aaron . Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden? . June 21, 2023 . FiveThirtyEight . April 22, 2021 . en.
  57. News: Bender . Michael C. . Huynh . Anjali . Could Abortion Rights Rescue Red-State Democrats in the Senate? . The New York Times . 29 November 2023.
  58. News: Manu . Raju . Scott . Wong . Jon Tester, Ben Nelson unsure on teachers bill . Politico . October 17, 2011 . October 6, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120210191158/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66203.html . February 10, 2012 . live . mdy-all.
  59. News: Everett . Burgess . Robillard . Kevin . Tester puts reelection on the line with risky shutdown vote . February 5, 2018 . Politico . January 25, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180206131436/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/25/senate-2018-tester-puts-reelection-on-line-government-shutdown-366941 . February 6, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  60. News: Warmbrodt . Zachary . Victory in sight for Democrats defying Warren on bank bill . Politico . March 5, 2018 . March 9, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180310010720/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/05/democrats-warren-bank-regulations-383779?lo=ap_d1 . March 10, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  61. News: Tester is first Dem endorsed by banking super PAC . American Banker . Haggerty, Neil . July 11, 2018 . 2018-08-07 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20180807185942/https://www.americanbanker.com/news/jon-tester-is-first-democrat-endorsed-by-banking-super-pac . August 7, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  62. News: Romano . Andrew . The Democrats' Last, Best Hope . The Daily Beast . May 1, 2011 . October 6, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121002161805/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/05/01/the-democrats-last-best-hope.html . October 2, 2012 . live . mdy-all.
  63. News: Rob . Chaney . Tester's Forest Jobs and Recreation Act draws mixed reviews . The Missoulian . May 26, 2011 . October 6, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110528040028/http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_5960ac0c-874c-11e0-a444-001cc4c002e0.html . May 28, 2011 . live . mdy-all.
  64. News: Greene . David . The View From Montana, Where Guns Are An Important Election Issue . NPR . October 5, 2017 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20171005101214/http://www.npr.org/2016/05/06/476994024/the-view-from-montana-where-guns-are-an-important-election-issue . October 5, 2017 . live . mdy-all.
  65. News: How the N.R.A. Rates Lawmakers . The New York Times . Matthew . Bloch . Hannah . Fairfield . Jacob . Harris . Josh . Keller . December 19, 2012 . February 22, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170228083552/http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/12/19/us/politics/nra.html . February 28, 2017 . live . mdy-all.
  66. Web site: NRA Downgrades Sen. Tester's Rating to a D . nrapvf.org . NRA-PVF . 9 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230809081129/https://agegateway.nrahq.org/?s=CA&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrapvf.org%2Farticles%2F20181009%2Fnra-downgrades-sen-testers-rating-to-a-d . 9 August 2023 . en-US . October 9, 2018 . live.
  67. News: Miller . Nicole . Sen. Tester pushing for help for Montana's gun manufacturers . KPAX . October 5, 2017 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20171005100714/http://www.kpax.com/story/35567192/sen-tester-pushing-for-help-for-montanas-gun-manufacturers . October 5, 2017 . dead . mdy-all.
  68. News: Lutey . Tom . Tester splits with Democrats on gun show background checks . The Missoulian . June 21, 2016 . October 5, 2017 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20171005151452/http://missoulian.com/news/local/tester-splits-with-democrats-on-gun-show-background-checks/article_4ff25dd7-5386-55d2-ae4f-f704919c3801.html . October 5, 2017 . live. mdy-all.
  69. Web site: U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records Home – Votes – Roll Call Vote . U.S. Senate . December 24, 2009 . December 10, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718202033/https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00396 . July 18, 2011 . live . mdy-all.
  70. Web site: U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records Home – Votes – Roll Call Vote . U.S. Senate . March 25, 2010 . December 10, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100804082122/https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00105 . August 4, 2010 . live . mdy-all.
  71. News: Simon . Scott . Democratic Sen. Jon Tester On Health Care . NPR . July 15, 2017 . March 25, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084423/https://www.npr.org/2017/07/15/537381196/democratic-sen-jon-tester-on-health-care . March 27, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  72. News: Good . Chris . After DREAM Vote, Immigration Reform Unlikely This Year . The Atlantic . March 25, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327023719/https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/12/after-dream-vote-immigration-reform-unlikely-this-year/68245/ . March 27, 2018 . live . mdy-all . December 18, 2010.
  73. News: Hohmann . James . The Daily 202: DACA reaction shows how immigration has become a litmus test for Democrats . The Washington Post . September 6, 2017 . March 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180215042950/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/09/06/daily-202-daca-reaction-shows-how-immigration-has-become-a-litmus-test-for-democrats/59af142730fb04264c2a1ced/ . February 15, 2018 . live. mdy-all.
  74. Web site: Dayen . David . David Dayen. The politics of the DREAM Act seem pretty easy, but some Democrats are still screwing it up . The Intercept . March 25, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084134/https://theintercept.com/2017/09/06/jon-tester-and-joe-manchin-key-democratic-senators-wobbly-on-dream-act/ . March 27, 2018 . live . mdy-all . September 6, 2017.
  75. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BILLS-115s2314is S. 2314 (IS) - Border and Port Security Act
  76. News: Tester wants more border personnel . January 19, 2018 . Patrick . Reilly . Daily Inter Lake . September 27, 2019 . December 22, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191222105856/https://www.dailyinterlake.com/local_news/20180119/tester_wants_more_border_personnel . dead.
  77. News: Cates-Carney . Corin . Tester Votes For, Daines Votes Against Second Trump Impeachment Trial . Montana Public Radio . January 14, 2022 . en . February 9, 2021.
  78. Web site: Legislation & Records Home – Votes – Roll Call Vote . U.S. Senate . December 18, 2010 . December 10, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110804041751/https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00281 . August 4, 2011 . live . mdy-all.
    News: Senate Vote 281 – Repeals 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' . The New York Times . October 6, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130128031443/http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/111/senate/2/281 . January 28, 2013 . mdy-all.
  79. News: Stein . Sam . Jon Tester Explains Gay Marriage Evolution . The Huffington Post . March 30, 2013 . March 28, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130331013127/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/28/jon-tester-gay-marriage_n_2971715.html . March 31, 2013 . live . mdy-all.
  80. News: Montana leaders react to same-sex marriage ruling . KPAX/MTN news . June 26, 2015 . June 21, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180622083853/http://www.kpax.com/story/29417684/montana-leaders-react-to-same-sex-ruling . June 22, 2018 . dead . mdy-all.
  81. Web site: U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 117th Congress - 2nd Session . 2022-11-30 . U.S. Senate.
  82. Web site: Jon Tester on Homeland Security . On the Issues . September 19, 2020.
  83. Web site: Tester Stands with Montanans in Opposing Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions . tester.senate.gov . February 8, 2017 . September 19, 2020.
  84. Web site: Tester Champions Civil Liberties, Opposes Pompeo for CIA Chief . tester.senate.gov . January 23, 2017 . September 19, 2020.
  85. Web site: Tester . Jon . Why I Cannot Support Judge Gorsuch . Medium . March 25, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084500/https://medium.com/@sen_jon_tester/why-i-cannot-support-judge-gorsuch-70c7b460cd7e . March 27, 2018 . live . mdy-all . April 3, 2017.
  86. Web site: Tester: 'I have concerns about Kavanaugh's record' . tester.senate.gov . September 28, 2018 . September 18, 2020.
  87. News: After Over 10 Hours, Rand Paul Ends His NSA 'Filibuster' . Dustin . Volz . Kaveh . Waddell . The Atlantic . May 20, 2015 . September 19, 2020.
  88. News: Frank . James . Sen. Jon Tester Decries Citizens United's Impact In Montana, Nationally . January 30, 2012 . October 6, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121009075949/http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/01/31/146096873/sen-jon-tester-decries-citizens-uniteds-impact-in-montana-nationally . October 9, 2012 . live . mdy-all.
  89. News: Lutey . Tom . Tester will oppose Neil Gorsuch . February 5, 2018 . The Missoulian . April 2, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180206131448/http://missoulian.com/news/government-and-politics/tester-will-oppose-neil-gorsuch/article_ca259d00-8777-5a61-96b8-44742358ead8.html . February 6, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  90. News: Montana Sen. Tester a 'no' vote on Kavanaugh confirmation . Volz, Matt . Great Falls Tribune . September 18, 2020.
  91. Web site: Tester Statement On Supreme Court Nominee . January 25, 2021.
  92. Web site: April 7, 2022 . Tester Statement on Confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson . 2022-04-19 . tester.senate.gov . en.
  93. News: Democratic Sen. Jon Tester to vote no on Haspel: 'I'm not a fan of waterboarding' . Daniella . Diaz . CNN . May 8, 2018 . 2018-05-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180509075627/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/08/politics/jon-tester-no-gina-haspel-cia-director/index.html?sr=twCNNp050818jon-tester-no-gina-haspel-cia-director1224PMVODtop&CNNPolitics=Tw . May 9, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  94. News: Donald Trump calls for Jon Tester to resign over Jackson opposition . Korade . Matt . Tatum . Sophie . CNN . 2018-04-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180429025145/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/28/politics/donald-trump-jon-tester-resign/index.html . April 29, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  95. News: Trump challenges allegations against Jackson, calls on Tester to resign . Politico . Parthasarathy, Maya . April 27, 2018 . 2018-04-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180428155358/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/27/donald-trump-ronny-jackson-allegations-a-disgrace-557673 . April 28, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  96. News: GOP chairman 'does not have a problem' with Tester's handling of Jackson allegations . Anapol . Avery . 2018-04-28 . The Hill . 2018-04-28 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20180429025342/http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/385317-gop-va-committee-chair-does-not-have-a-problem-with-testers-handling-of . April 29, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  97. McKee, Jennifer. "Mr. Tester Goes to Washington". Montana Magazine. January 15, 2007. Article quoted at Jon Tester's official U.S. Senate website. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
  98. Book: Parker, David C. W. . Battle for the Big Sky: Representation and the Politics of Place in the Race for the US Senate . . 2014 . 9781483368658 . 2014 . 197 . The senator's son, Shon, introduced his family and parents to the assembled reporters and supporters. Both Christine and the Testers' adopted daughter, Melodee, spoke about what their dad meant to them [...].
  99. News: Sen.-Elect Jon Tester (D—Mont.) . New York Times . November 8, 2006.
  100. News: Terris. Ben. Jon Tester could teach Democrats a lot about rural America — if he can keep his Senate seat. February 5, 2018. The Washington Post. May 2, 2017.
  101. News: Jennifer . Steinhauer . Loyal to His 4-Legged Constituents . The New York Times . January 10, 2012 . October 6, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120502160814/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/11/dining/senator-jon-tester-brings-dinner-from-montana.html . May 2, 2012 . live . mdy-all.
  102. Book: Print, Congress (U S.) Joint Committee on . Official Congressional Directory, 2009-2010: 111th Congress, Convened January 2009 (Paperback) . 2010 . Government Printing Office . 978-0-16-083727-2 . en.

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