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Senator Jon Tester Net Worth at a Glance
Senator Jon Tester net worth is estimated to be between $3-$5 million according to Open Secrets[1].
Senator Jon Tester Net Worth from Investments and Assets
According to various estimates of land holdings and investments, Senator Jon Tester’s Net Worth is between $3 and $5 million[1].
This is the best estimation of Democratic Party member Jon Tester’s net worth that we have.
His wealth has been reported to be spread among farming investments, land, and real estate.
| Assets | Value |
| Farming Industry Investments | ~$3,000,000 |
| Farmland | ~$3,000,000 |
| T-Bone Farms Inc | ~$750,000 |
| Washington D.C. Home | ~$1 million |
| Total Estimated Net Worth | $7.75 million |
Democratic Party Senator Jon Tester Net Worth and Income
The main source of the United States Senator’s income now is his salary as a United States Senator[2]. However, he has family wealth including a butcher shop, and farmland. He also has various investments spread out through real estate, and the farming industry.
Income Source 1: Salary as a United States Senator
He has been a United States Senator from Montana since 2006 since he won the Senate election against Republican Senator Conrad Burns. He has become the Senior United States Senator from Montana[3]. It was one of the closest Senate Races in history.
He makes a base salary of $174,000 in his role as a US Senator. Though he has completed more than 15 years in the US Senate, we don’t have a complete outline of his expenses since 2006. Hence, we can’t calculate his net worth using only his salary.
Income Source 2: Investments in the Farming Industry and Farmland
Jon Tester is from a family of generational farmers and butchers. His employment before joining politics was working on his family’s farm and his family-owned butcher shop[4].
Consequently, he has invested in farmland and the farming industry throughout his life.
He owns $3 million worth of investments in the farming industry. Also, he owns $3-$4 million worth of farmland.
Income Source 3: Washington D.C. Townhome
Jon Tester owns a lavish $1 million townhome in Washington D.C[5].
Jon Tester’s Early Life and Career
Jon Tester was born in Havre, Montana to Helen Marie and David O. Tester. He was one of three brothers. His mother was Swedish and his father was of English descent.
Jon Tester grew up in Chouteau County near the town of Big Sandy, Montana[6]. His grandfather had homesteaded the land in 1912[7]. His family were generational butchers and owned a butcher shop. The Senator lost 3 of the fingers in his left hand in a meat grinder accident at the age of 9[8].
When Jon Tester was in high school he met his future wife Sharla Bitz[9]. They became high school sweethearts and got married during Tester’s senior year at the University of Providence.
Jon Tester graduated from the University of Providence in the College of Great Falls with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music[10]. Jon Tester then worked for 2 years in the Big Sandy School District as a music teacher at the F.E. Miley Elementary School[11]. During this time, his first child, daughter Christine, was born.
Jon Tester then returned to his family’s Montana farm and started working in the custom butcher shop[12]. He and his wife kept operating the farm and switched from conventional to organic farming in the 1980s[13].
He remained on the Big Sandy School District Board for a decade[14].
Jon Tester’s Political Career
Winning the Montana Senate
Jon Tester was elected to the 45th District in the Montana State Senate in 1998[15]. He became State Senator when his neighbor, a Republican State Senator in the Montana Senate, retired[16].
Jon Tester was elected minority whip for the 2001 session in the Montana Senate. In 2002 he was re-elected with 71% of the vote[17]. He also became minority leader in 2003. In 2004, he moved to the 15th district as a holdover due to redistricting.
In 2005, Jon Tester was elected president of the Montana Senate. After his election as the President of the Montana State Senate, Jon Tester began to look towards the United States Senate.
Winning the US Senate Seat
During his career, Jon Tester has won three senate elections.
In 2006, Jon Tester won the Democratic Nomination for the United States Senate Seat from Montana by more than 25% in a 6-way primary. He also managed to defeat Republican Senator Conrad Burns, receiving 49% of the vote[18]. He then left the Montana Senate. It was one of the closest Senate Races in history. He ended up winning the Senate Seat held by Republicans.
In 2012, Jon Tester ran for re-election for a second term against Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg. He was successful[19].
Jon Tester also ran for a third term against Republican Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale. During this election, President Donald Trump made several trips to the state to try to unseat Tester. Jon Tester eventually won due to a high turnout with over 15,000 votes. He won with more than 50% of the vote[20].
Jon Tester is the current Senior United States Senator from Montana.
Jon Tester Accomplishments
Positions in the Big Sandy School District
Jon Tester was chairman of the Big Sandy School Board of Trustees for 5 years[21]. Jon Tester was also on the Big Sandy Soil Conservation Service Committee[22]. Jon Tester also held a position at the Choteau County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Committee.
Positions in the Montana State Senate
During his time at the Montana State Senate, Jon Tester was appointed to several committees[23].
Jon Tester was appointed to the Senate Finance Committee from 2001-2004. Jon Tester was appointed to the Senate Agriculture Committee from 2000-2005. Jon Tester was appointed to the Senate Rules Committee from 2003-2005. Jon Tester was appointed to the Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs Committee in 2005.
Jon Tester was also a member of the Panthera Leo City Council of Petroleum County in 2012. Jon Tester was also part of the Council Interim Committee from 2003-2004.
Positions in the United States Senate
During his time in the United States Senate, Jon Tester has been posted to several committees[24].
Jon Tester has been assigned to the Committee on Appropriations, the Subcommittee on Defense, Energy and Water Development, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.
Jon Tester Controversies
Jon Tester has positioned himself as a moderate Democrat. His positions on various issues have shifted from more conservative to liberal in the past decades.
Jon Tester voted in favor of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010 [25]. He opposed same-sex marriage in both 2006 and 2012. However, he is now a cosponsor of the Equality Act[26]. He also praised the ruling mandating all U.S. States to recognize gay marriage. This makes him controversial to half the United States.
He also supports abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research[27]. This is a controversial position for half the country.
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Jon Tester Biography
| Legal Name/Birth Name | Raymond Jon Tester |
| Jon Tester Net Worth | $2-$7.3 million |
| Pseudonyms | N/A |
| Source of Wealth | US Democrat Senator for the State of Montana |
| Date of Birth | August 21, 1956 |
| Place of Birth | Havre, Montana, US |
| Nationality | American |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 172 cm (5 ft 8 in) |
| Weight | N/A |
| Religion | Holiness (Church of God) |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Partner/Spouse | Sharla Bitz (married since 1978) |
| Children | 2 |
| Names of Children | Christine Tester, Shon Tester |
Frequently Asked Questions About Jon Tester
Is Jon Tester still In Office?
Jon Tester has been in the United States Senate since 2006. He is currently serving his third term.
How Old is Jon Tester?
Jon Tester was born on August 21, 1956 . This makes him 65 years old.
Who are Montana’s Senators?
While Jon Tester is the Senior United States Senator from Montana, he is only one of two. Steven David Daines has been the Junior United States Senator from Montana since 2015.
How can I Contact Jon Tester?
You can contact Jon Tester using his official E-mail or using a contact form on his Senate Webpage [28].
References
[1] https://www.opensecrets.org/personal-finances/net-worth?cid=N00027605&__cf_chl_captcha_tk__=DiCyqJ2Yq47rVNWgK_hlpRsmJdXUJSX3t_dS8j43yrk-1639644435-0-gaNycGzNC5E
[2] https://www.senate.gov/senators/SenateSalariesSince1789.htm
[3] https://www.tester.senate.gov/
[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/03/insider/senator-tester-farm.html
[5] https://www.nrsc.org/press-releases/watch-ad-hits-sen-tester-1000000-d-c-home-2018-06-26/
[6] https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDIR-2016-02-12/pdf/CDIR-2016-02-12-MT-S-1.pdf
[7] https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=biography
[8] https://twitter.com/jontester/status/1016783285395980288?lang=en
[9] https://www.jontester.com/about/biography/
[10] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jon-Tester
[11] https://contactsenators.com/articles/senator-jon-tester/
[12] https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/testers-butcher-business-never-licensed/article_0f468cd7-9c73-500e-845b-477050f2c460.html
[13] https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=news&id=257
[14] https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=t000464
[15] https://ballotpedia.org/Jon_Tester
[16] https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=news&id=512
[17] https://www.thecommongoodus.org/past-speakers/tag/Jon+Tester
[18] https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/us/politics/09senatecnd.html
[19] https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections_in_Montana,_2012
[20] https://www.vox.com/2018/11/7/18049646/senate-midterm-results-montana-jon-tester-winner
[21] https://media.cq.com/members/25811?rel=memberLink
[22] https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDIR-2018-10-29/pdf/CDIR-2018-10-29-MT-S-2.pdf
[23] https://www.congress.gov/member/jon-tester/T000464
[24] https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=8036
[25] https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1614
[26] https://www.hrc.org/resources/yeo/us-senate-mts01
[27] https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-111shrg58419/html/CHRG-111shrg58419.htm
[28] https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=email_senator
