U.S. Senator Jon Tester invited YPR to sit down for a one-on-one chat early Tuesday afternoon at the Holiday Inn in Great Falls where he and his family were staying to ride out the election.
A couple of hours earlier, the farmer from Big Sandy had thanked his campaign staff and supporters. At that hastily called press conference, he called on members of Congress and the Executive branch to put aside their partisan differences and tackle the issue confronting the country.
YPR: I'd like for you to expand a little bit about how nasty this race got and how personal. How hard is it for you to put that all aside, not let - as you work with members of the delegation and so forth – put that aside.
Jon Tester: Yeah. Well, I mean, it's true. I mean this this race did get off the issues and got on some real personal attacks. And that's unfortunate. I think it's the first race I've ever been in that it's devolved into that.
But the fact of the matter is you've got to keep your mind as to what this position is. This is the United States Senate position - of which there are only two from Montana - whose job it is to represent Montana and the United States Senate. And advocate for things will help move the country and the state forward.
And so I could get tied up in the personal attacks and I could let that, you know, hamstring ya’. But the truth is, is that the position is too important to let that happen.
So I just think it's important that you have a short memory and understand that we have a job to do in Congress. And I have a job to do in the United States Senate. Keep focused on what needs to be done and try to try to achieve success in that. I think that's what the people of the state of Montana want and quite frankly I think is what the people of the country want.
YPR: I've been watching your family. It's been hard on them and they probably it's probably been harder on them than it was on you.
JT: I don’t think there was any doubt.
YPR: Was it worth it?
I don't think there's any doubt about it. And you always ask yourself that, by the way, while you're in the middle of a campaign is this really worth it because normal people don't put themselves through the kind of stuff that people run for public office do.
JT: I don't think there's any doubt about it. And you always ask yourself that, by the way, while you're in the middle of a campaign is this really worth it because normal people don't put themselves through the kind of stuff that people run for public office do.
It is hard in the family. And I think it's harder on them because when you're in the middle of the fight you don't tend to notice a lot that's going on just what's in front of you. And they see everything they see the entire gamut of what's going on TV. What's going on on the radio. What's going on in the news. What's going on in Montana news. What's going on in national news. And quite frankly, it can, it can, it can hurt.
And it's why I think you saw at the news conference today there were a lot of tears because people are glad it's over. There just glad that we can now put this behind us and move forward in a way that will you know move Montana in a solid position in the 21st century.
So, you're right. There's no doubt in my mind it's harder on my wife than it is on me. And she never talks about it. She never ever talks about it. But the truth is, I know it is because she happens to love me and I happen to love her. That's the way things work, you know.
YPR: and she gets to see what I jokingly said is the salty Jon Tester that occasionally flashes when you're meeting in the public.
JT: Well, that's true. I mean it does happen occasionally.
YPR: You're Montana and after.
JT: That's exactly right. I'm damn glad to be one too.
YPR: I wanted to ask you about your message that I heard was to start so healing and to work on some issues. What responsibilities do you see, what role do you play in that? Maybe reaching out and trying to at least initiate that?
JT: Yeah well it's it's going to be a bigger role. I mean because in the Senate it's a body that is built upon seniority. My seniority will go up higher than I thought it was going to go up after this last election. And I think it puts Montana and myself in a position that we will be able to get some things done and work with people.
But the key is negotiation. The key is being able to visit with people and find common ground. Any good piece of legislation is not going to contain everything I want and it's not going to contain everything I like it's going to contain mostly what I like.
And it's finding that sweet spot where it does more good than it does harm and moves the ball forward because you got 100 people in the Senate and they're all going to have a little different view and if the attitude is my way or the highway there's not a lot that's going to get done. And there's a lot of that, ‘my way or the highway’ attitude back there in the Senate and the House and in the Executive branch too as far as that goes. And it needs to be put behind us.
Negotiations is not a dirty word. Compromise is not a dirty word.
Negotiations is not a dirty word. Compromise is not a dirty word. And getting to a point where you can do things together, taking public input along the way, working towards bipartisanship is how the forefathers envisioned our government working. And it has worked that way for the majority of its time. We as members of Congress, whether in the House and the Senate, need to step back and say what do we need to do to maintain our values, but work for the betterment of our state and country
YPR: I understand through social media that the President did call Nancy Pelosi and said she should be Speaker. I'm wondering, would you like to hear from the President to just have him talk? He mentioned Saturday that he didn't know you, that you're probably a good guy, but he just didn't know you.
JT: Well we've met several times. But that aside, that doesn't really matter. I think in the end, there are many things going on in this world in this country that the President needs to pay attention to as leader of the free world and I don't expect to get a call from the from the president because he's got a lot of stuff to do.
But in the meantime, I also expect that people on both sides of the aisle and both the executive and the legislative branch stop the division. Stop working to divide this country and start working with a vision to move the country forward. Together.
And I think if we can do that I think it will reinstate faith in our political process in Washington, DC. I mean, there is good reason why our popularity has a group is in the single digits. You know, I would probably give it the same ranking, quite frankly.
We have a lot of opportunity to work together with the President and the President has a lot of opportunity to work together with us. Hopefully that will happen, but it has to be based on truth. It has to be based on honesty. It has to be based on what I would call a Montana value, which is: your handshake is your word, is your bond.
We have a lot of opportunity to work together with the President and the President has a lot of opportunity to work together with us. Hopefully that will happen, but it has to be based on truth. It has to be based on honesty. It has to be based on what I would call a Montana value, which is: your handshake is your word, is your bond.
YPR: Is that possible?
JT: I think it's entirely possible. I think for it not to be possible is really against what we stand for as a country.
YPR: Did you get a message, do you think because you have traveled the state so many times. I hesitate to call it a mandate, but as you look toward the next Congress, you know, finishing out this session. Looking to the next session. Do you feel like there was a message that Montana said, ‘this is job one.’
JT: Well, I mean, I think there are a number of things. I think people are very concerned about healthcare. I think very people are very concerned about losing their public lands. I think there are the people concerned about how we deal with our veterans. I think people are concerned about accountability and government and transparency in government and I think people are concerned about how we work together, or we don't work together and how that's really impeding the ability of our small businesses and large businesses and working families and family farm agriculture to be successful.
And so if I was going to say one truly bipartisan thing that people talk to me about is, ‘Can you guys work together? Move the ball forward?’
I think that's what America wants. It’s certainly what I want. And I think it can be done, but we like I said you can't continue to marginalize people. You can't continue to fractionate the citizenry. That won't work.
YPR: And finally, have you had a chance yet to speak with Matt Rosendale?
JT: Yes, I have. I have a matter of fact, we had a visit here about a half hour after the press conference that I had downstairs. It was good visit.
YPR: Did he concede the race?
JT: Well, he we congratulated me on the win. I would assume that’s a concede. (laugh) But yeah, he did congratulate me on the win.
I mean. It's pretty much a done deal. I mean, it’s pretty much done. So, he was, you know he was professional enough to give me a call and I appreciate that.
YPR: Ok. Thank you so much.
JT: You bet. Thanks.
