MT-Sen: The Final Fifty for Jon Tester

The Montana primary is only a few weeks away. And it represents our best chance to get a progressive populist through a contested primary this year. Something is happening in Montana. Despite trailing two-to-one in fundraising, Jon Tester has the momentum, has the buzz from his first TV ad, and is now trying to seal the deal on fundraising. What's the money for?

Former U.S. Senator John Melcher switched his endorsement from John Morrison to Jon Tester recently. That's got to be a painful blow for Morrison, who used to work for Melcher. But as the former Senator told Democrats assembled in Great Falls recently, "Jon Tester is Montana from the ground up... I like him, I support him. I'm voting Tester. I ask you to support him, too."

The Tester campaign is working to get John Melcher's message out to the state.

They've got more ads ready to go on air and need the final fundraising pieces to come into place: a final $50,000. They're already at $20,000. Let's help get 'em over the line.

The momentum is with Tester. He's clean-cut. He looks, speaks, and acts like Montana. He's a progressive populist who won a district so conservative it literally took a roughly 50% swing in the vote for Tester to pick it up his second time.

Jon Tester's campaign has its own online contributions page, but he's received 911 contributions through ActBlue. Don't you think we can make that an even 1000?

I'll do my part if you do yours.

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By the way, where does Tester stand on the issues?

• NO on CAFTA; YES on Fair Trade!


• NO to the war in Iraq; YES to a timetable for withdrawal and refocusing on real threats!


• NO on the Energy Bill; YES to a clean energy future!


• NO on the Bankruptcy Bill


• And the big one, health care: NO to the Enzi/Burns sham reform; YES to a single-payer system that maintains consumer choice.
• Update: Jon Tester is also pro-choice. Check comments.

•  Pro-choice

  Is he or isn't he?

  by MKS on Wed May 17, 2006 at 10:09:37 AM PDT

  •  Sure Is

    He's personally pro-life, but earned a 100% from choice groups the last three sessions in the Montana Senate.

    As he's explained publicly, he's concerned about how the far right wants to take over every portion of everyone's life. He connected that concern with the issue and it moved him significantly politically.

    by Left in the West on Wed May 17, 2006 at 10:13:53 AM PDT

    •  Cool n/t

      by MKS on Wed May 17, 2006 at 10:14:34 AM PDT

    •  A real 100% or a Chafee 100%?

      Chafee got 100% from some groups because they conveniently left out Chafee's bad votes.  I think it was the environmental groups last time, but could have been NARAL.

      We know that people who are personally pro-life but vote pro-choice is a real problem with the net roots - see Casey in PA and Reid in NV.

      (Yes, this is written half-snarky... how can the netroots get so behind a guy (Tester) who claims to be personally pro-life but votes pro choice, and then jump all over another guy (Casey) who claims to be personally pro-life but would clearly vote pro-choice, just like the current Senate Minority Leader (Reid) who is personally pro-life but votes pro-choice.  It's mind bogglng.)

      -Fred

      by FredFred on Wed May 17, 2006 at 12:03:57 PM PDT

      •  Real 100%

        MT NARAL has a wrap-up (pdf) of the most recent legislative session (2005), with a summary of bills introduced, their final status, and each legislator's voting record. Tester's 100% is legit.

        by bshultz on Wed May 17, 2006 at 12:28:39 PM PDT

      •  Tester is Solid

        He actually went to bat and got the AG to come down on contraception equality after the Montana House deadlocked on the issue. A number of choice leaders in the state are solidly behind Tester because he's solid.

        As for Casey and Reid, I'm not aware that either votes pro-choice. I think the problem many have with them is that they vote pro-life.

        John Kerry is personally pro-life. But he votes pro-choice. It's the same with many Democratic politicians who can divorce their personal views on this subject from their political ones. That's the spirit Jon Tester follows in. Don't believe me? Call the Executive Director of MT Naral.

        by Left in the West on Wed May 17, 2006 at 12:35:40 PM PDT

        •  I was being partially snarky...

          However I can't trust NARAL because they endorse Chafee :).  

          Tester's actions with the AG speak loudly though.  

          As for Reid - I believe he has opposed most of Bush's evil nominees, although he didn't go all out attack on them, which was disappointing.  So I would call that voting pro-choice, but not as strong as I would have liked.  However the "pro-choicer" (if that's a term) Senators didn't step up either.  The Dems just rolled over and died.

          So my point was more that 100% ratings by themselves with no other context don't mean much.

          -Fred

          by FredFred on Wed May 17, 2006 at 03:55:13 PM PDT

      •  Even Dick Durbin

        claims to be personally pro-life, whatever that means.

        by Skaje on Wed May 17, 2006 at 12:38:28 PM PDT

•  Tip Jar?

  So what do y'all think? Is Jon Tester the man or not?

  by Left in the West on Wed May 17, 2006 at 10:15:07 AM PDT

•  Gay marriage

  What's Tester's stand on civil unions/gay marriage?

  by count on Wed May 17, 2006 at 10:42:01 AM PDT

  •  His answer: he opposes discrimination

    He advised his caucus to not endorse the Montana Hate Amendment in '04. He opposes the Constitutional amendments popping up.

    by Left in the West on Wed May 17, 2006 at 12:36:43 PM PDT

•  Loved the 'milk money' choice.....

  .....several years ago there was a Wall Street Journal fron-page profile of Elliot Engel, the Democratic congressman from the Bronx, NY.

   Reflecting his nerdy appearance, members of his staff have a nickname for him: Lunch Money. That is, he looks like the kid most likely to be beaten up for his lunch money.

   And this came from his staff, even!

  by Ed Tracey on Wed May 17, 2006 at 11:42:55 AM PDT