Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) is up with his first ad of the election, a positive spot in which he touts his farming background and criticizes Washington, D.C.'s hyper-partisan climate.
"Being out here gives me perspective," Tester says in the ad as a picture of a farming combine harvester is shown. "The combine doesn't care if you're a senator; it breaks down when it wants to break down. In Montana we know what's important, like cutting government waste, protecting our freedoms, putting Main Street ahead of Wall Street. Sitting out here makes the partisanship back there seem pretty ridiculous. Montanans don't care which party gets the credit or the blame. That's why I'm focused on doing what's right for Montana — always."
One of Tester's best hopes at winning reelection in the
Republican-leaning state is to find separation from his party and tout
his local roots as a farmer, and the ad seeks to do both things. The ad is being shown statewide but has a low total behind it — $60,000 so far.
Tester and his opponent, Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), haven't been on the air yet in the state. But outside groups have spent millions on the race already.
The Hill rates this race a toss-up.
