Tester officially filed for re-election to Senate

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., officially filed with the Montana Secretary of State’s Office Tuesday to run for a third-term to the U.S. Senate.

A press release from Tester’s campaign said Tester was joined by his wife, Sharla, in Helena, where he formally filed his paperwork to appear on the June 5 primary ballot.

“As a United States senator. I have had the humbling opportunity to defend the state that three generations of my family have called home,” Tester said in a press release. “Over the years, we’ve fought to protect the Montana we know and love from outsiders while continuing to hold government accountable. Today, I’m honored to continue that fight for the people of the best state in the best country in the world.” he said.

The release said Tester hopes to continue his fight for the people of Montana.

“During his time in the Senate, Tester has defended Montana from outsiders-whether they be special interests trying to buy our elections, or folks trying to take away our public lands and personal freedoms. Tester has fought for Montana’s veterans, for better schools, and for better infrastructure, and this Congress has worked with President (Donald) Trump to sign 12 of Jon’s bills into law,” the release says.

Tester is the first Democrat to file to appear on the June primary ballot. Former Havre resident Sarah Dean has said she will challenge Tester in the Democratic primary, but has not filed as of print deadline this morning.

Neither had her husband, William James Dean who said he would file as a Republican. The two said earlier this month they were moving from Havre.

State Auditor Matthew Rosendale of Glendive, retired Yellowstone County state District Judge Russ Fagg of Billings, state Sen. Al Olszewski, R-Kalispell, and Troy Downing, a business man from Big Sky have all filed as candidates in the Republican primary for the seat.

Montana Republican Party Chair Debra Lamm denounced Tester in a press release put out shortly after he filed.

“Sen. Tester has completely lost touch with the people of Montana: Fighting tooth and nail against tax reform that’s putting more money in the pockets of Montana families, voting to shut down the government in an effort to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants, opposing a bipartisan measure to end sanctuary cities and supporting Washington’s reckless spending spree and bloated budget deals,” Lamm said in the release.

A farmer from west of Big Sandy and a former Big Sandy teacher and school board member, Tester served two-terms in the Montana Senate, where he eventually became Senate president.

Tester in 2006 narrowly defeated Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont. He fended off a challenge from Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., in 2012. Republican’s are looking to unseat Tester this November, the only Democrat in Montana’s three-member congressional delegation.

Despite Montana’s Republican lean in federal election, as the race now stands, it is Tester’s to lose, said Jeremy Johnson, associate professor of political science at Carroll College.

Tester, Johnson said, is a savvy campaigner, who heads into the election season with several strengths.

“He is a strong campaigner and he can reach out to voters, moderate conservative voters, that often Democrats have trouble reaching,” he said.

Johnson said Tester is able to connect with Republican-leaning voters through his background as a farmer and his work on veteran’s issues as the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Tester, he said, will still need a big Democratic turnout to win in November and still faces challenges in the race.

The electorate, Johnson said, is more polarized in Montana than it was when Tester was first elected in 2006. Montana tends to lean strongly Republican in federal elections, he said, with Trump defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 by 20 points.

Trump, he said, also remains more popular in Montana than he is in some other parts of the country.

“So that is something Tester is going to have to navigate,” Johnson said.