Member of the Week: Jon Tester

Senator Jon Tester

Representing Montana

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Although recent polls give Republican candidate Denny Rehberg a slight edge over Jon Tester, one thing is certain. Tester is no stranger to close races, and certainly isn’t your typical senator. That’s why we’ve put the spotlight on the farmer from Montana as our Member of the Week.

Tester was born in Havre, Montana on August 21, 1956. He grew up on his parents’ farm, and has never lived more than two hours away from it. When he was nine, he tragically lost three fingers in a meat grinder accident, which we assume is not an uncommon injury in Montana. In 1978, he graduated from The University of Great Falls with a B.S. in music.

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After graduating, Tester worked as a music teacher for two years before returning to his family’s farm, which he and his wife still operate today. In the 1980s, they switched from conventional to organic farming, and grow wheat, barley, peas, buckwheat, alfalfa, millet, and lentils.

Tester’s political career began in 1998, when he ran for Montana State Senate. He was elected minority whip for the 2001 session before winning reelection with 71% of the vote in 2002. In 2005, he was elected president of the Montana State Senate. With his election as president, Montana democrats held a majority in the state senate for the first time in nearly a decade. Term limits prevented him from running a third time.

In 2005, he announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate, and in 2006 won the Democratic primary election by more than 25 percentage points. His victory, along with Jim Webb’s of Virginia, was the two closest and last-decided senate races of 2006.

As a senator, he has been assigned to five different committees over the course of his tenure. Tester has been described as “your grandfather’s democrat”—he is pro-gun, anti-big business, and truly devoted to his constituency. Tester has been known to butcher and bring his own meat with him to Washington, and cites Pearl Jam as his favorite band, because they “promote many liberal causes.” As one of the races that may shift the power balance in the US Senate, everyone will be watching this race.

-Ms. Gardzalla is a North Carolina law student with a big Washington-shaped hole in her heart. You can also follow her on Twitter!

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