Jon Tester
Jon Tester | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Official portrait, 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States Senator from Montana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Conrad Burns | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Tim Sheehy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| President of the Montana Senate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Dan Harrington | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Bob Keenan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Mike Cooney | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Montana Senate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office January 4, 1999 – January 3, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Loren Jenkins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jim Peterson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency |
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Raymond Jon Tester August 21, 1956 Havre, Montana, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Democratic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Sharla Bitz (m. 1978) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | College of Great Falls (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Raymond Jon Tester (born August 21, 1956) is an American farmer and retired politician who served from 2007 to 2025 as a United States senator from Montana. A member of the Democratic Party, Tester served in the Montana Senate from 1999 to 2007, and as its president from 2005 to 2007. As of May 2025, he is a political analyst for MSNOW, and the most recent Democrat to have won or held statewide office in Montana.
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 and 2018. He ran for reelection to a fourth term in 2024, losing to Republican nominee Tim Sheehy.
During his time in office, Tester voted for the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which rolled back parts of the Dodd–Frank Act, and joined Republicans in supporting a measure to delay certain environmental regulations affecting coal power plants. He voted against the DREAM Act and against Democratic proposals to expand background checks, and has supported efforts to loosen restrictions on gun exports. Tester supported abortion rights, voted for the Affordable Care Act, and voted for the Respect for Marriage Act.