Jon Tester | |
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United States Senator from Montana | |
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2025 | |
Preceded by | Conrad Burns |
Succeeded by | Tim Sheehy |
Chair of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee | |
In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025 | |
Preceded by | Jerry Moran |
Succeeded by | Jerry Moran |
Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee | |
In office January 3, 2017 – February 3, 2021 | |
Preceded by | Richard Blumenthal |
Succeeded by | Jerry Moran |
Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee | |
In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 | |
Leader | Harry Reid |
Preceded by | Michael Bennet |
Succeeded by | Chris Van Hollen |
Chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee | |
In office February 12, 2014 – January 3, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Maria Cantwell |
Succeeded by | John Barrasso |
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 Big Sandy, Montana, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Sharla Bitz (m. 1978) |
Children | 3 |
Education | College of Great Falls (BA) |
Signature | |
Website | |
Raymond Jon Tester[1] (born August 21, 1956) is an American politician and farmer who served from 2007 to 2025 as a United States senator from Montana and from 2005 to 2007 as president of the Montana Senate. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the most recent Democrat to hold statewide or congressional office in Montana. Tester served in the Montana Senate from 1999 to 2007.
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. His loss was one of four Republican flips in the Senate during the 2024 elections, the other three being in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.[2]