Jon Tester

Jon Tester
Official portrait, 2014
United States Senator from Montana
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Conrad Burns
Succeeded by	Tim Sheehy
Committee positions 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	45th (1999–2005) 15th (2005–2007)
Personal details
Born	Raymond Jon Tester (1956-08-21) August 21, 1956 (age 68) Big Sandy, Montana, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Sharla Bitz ​ (m. 1978)​
Children	3
Education	College of Great Falls (BA)
Signature
Tester's voice Tester supporting the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 Recorded August 2, 2022

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.

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 voted for the Affordable Care Act, the Respect for Marriage Act, and has supported abortion rights.