Congress needs more sunshine to counter dark money

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., seemed remarkably optimistic on a Thanksgiving week visit to Billings, despite Nov. 4 losses that cost the Democratic Party its U.S. Senate majority.

Tester will lead efforts to reverse his party’s losses in 2016 as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Why would a second-term senator from a purple/red state want to take on his party’s national challenge?

“It gets me in on leadership meetings,” Tester told The Gazette editorial board last week. Tester hopes to influence the party’s direction

He said his Montana connections help him see things that party leaders don’t because they tend to stay in Washington, D.C. Tester comes home most weekends and still farms outside Big Sandy, starting the work day by putting 150 gallons of diesel into the tractor.

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