Democratic Sen. Jon Tester announces run for reelection in Montana

Sen. Jon Tester of Montana stated Wednesday he’ll search reelection to a fourth time period in 2024, a lift to Democrats’ hopes of sustaining a seat within the Republican-leaning state as they attempt to dangle on to their slim Senate majority.

Tester, 66, stated he was looking for reelection to proceed standing up for veterans and to “decrease prices,” which his marketing campaign stated referred to rising bills for housing, well being care, baby care and different wants.

“I do know that folks in Washington do not perceive what a tough day’s work seems to be like or the challenges working households are going through in Montana,” the Democrat stated Wednesday in a press release. “Montanans want a fighter holding Washington accountable.”

As a third-generation farmer and former music instructor, Tester has leaned on a folksy talking type and populist-themed messages to beat his Republican opponents in every of the final three elections. He narrowly prevailed every time by drawing independents and centrist Republicans whereas distancing himself from get together leaders in Washington.

The state’s political panorama has shifted sharply since Tester was first elected in 2006, and he has been the only Democrat holding statewide workplace for the previous two years.

The race may draw a fierce GOP major contest between U.S. Reps. Ryan Zinke and Matt Rosendale. Zinke, who served as inside secretary within the Trump administration, stated he’ll take into account a Senate marketing campaign, whereas Rosendale has declined to say if he’ll run.

Rosendale, a hard-right conservative, tried and did not unseat Tester in 2018, with then-President Donald Trump making repeated appearances in Montana on the Republican’s behalf. Trump gained Montana by 20 share factors within the 2016 presidential election and 16 share factors within the 2020 election, however Tester defeated Rosendale by 3.5 share factors.

In his previous elections, Tester confused a handful of points — agriculture, well being care, reproductive selection and help for veterans. He prevented direct confrontations with nationwide Republican figures resembling Trump, who bore a grudge in opposition to Tester for derailing his Veterans Affairs nominee, then-White Home physician Ronny Jackson, with revelations of misconduct.

In 2018, Tester was the one Democratic senator from a Republican-leaning state to win his reelection bid after voting in opposition to Trump’s Supreme Courtroom picks.

Tester, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, sponsored laws that expanded well being care providers for thousands and thousands of service members uncovered to poisonous smoke from burn pits at army bases.

He is advocated for marketing campaign finance reform however has generally ranked as the highest congressional recipient of marketing campaign donations from lobbyists, together with in 2012 and 2018, in line with the Heart for Responsive Politics. His marketing campaign has raised greater than $4 million in money since his 2018 reelection and had nearly $3 million remaining as of Jan. 1, in line with Federal Election Fee filings.

Earlier than operating for the Senate, Tester, who nonetheless works on his household farm, taught music at an elementary faculty within the small city of Huge Sandy in central Montana and was later elected to the city’s faculty board. He served within the state Senate from 1999 to 2007, spending the final two years because the chamber’s president.