Raised on a family farm originally homesteaded by his grandfather in 1916, U.S. Senate hopeful and Democrat Jon Tester, president of the Montana Senate, is a native of the state with a background in farming and agriculture.
 Tester evokes images of land and family in his political advertisements and campaign literature. His family continues to run a farm that has been organic since the 1980s, growing wheat, barley, lentils, peas, millet, buckwheat, alfalfa and hay.
"It's here that my wife, Sharla and I taught our own children that family is everything, your word is your bond, and that building a better future means working hard everyday," Tester says in a biographical radio advertisement.
His is a campaign touting positive images of Montanans working together for their state.
"We're putting together a team of Montanans that care deeply about their own state and want to see this senate seat returned to the people of Montana," Tester said on his Web site.
He was born in Havre, Mont. on Aug. 21, 1956 and went on to receive a bachelor of science in music from the University of Great Falls. In his early career, he was a music teacher and later served for five years as the chairman of the Big Sandy School Board of Trustees.
Tester began a career in state politics in 1998 when he ran and won a seat in the Montana Senate representing District 15, a rural area in eastern Montana. He transitioned from minority whip in the 2001 session to party leader in 2003 to president of the Senate in 2005. Tester leads the state's upper legislative chamber as the Democrats acquired a majority for the first time in more than 10 years.
Joining the race for the U.S. Senate in May 2005, Tester won a surprising victory against state auditor John Morrison. Tester had been considered an underdog in the five-way primary but came away about 25 points ahead of Morrison.
Tester attributes his victory to grassroots campaigning.
"We hit the issues that Montanans are connected with: energy, health care, jobs, public land issues, ethics, fiscal responsibility," Tester told the Billings Gazette.
Tester now faces three-term incumbent Conrad Burns, who some political analysts say is vulnerable due to his connections to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, now involved in a federal corruption investigation.
Burns was on the receiving end of more campaign money from Abramoff associates and clients than any other member of Congress, the Billings Gazette reported. Burns has returned the money and denied any wrongdoing.
Tester and his wife, Sharla, have two grown children, Christine and Shon, as well as one grandchild, Kilikina.
Campaign Web site: www.testerforsenate.com
-- Compiled by Annie Schleicher for the Online NewsHour
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