Today we are seeing something we've seen time and time again in the different approaches  between state Senate President Jon Tester and state Auditor John Morrison in their campaigns to topple Burns. It involves Jon Tester standing up for an issue he cares about and have his record paint the perfect contrast, from the Gazette State Bureau:

"Senator Burns' bill will strip Montanans who are insured of health benefits that they need and use to keep their families healthy," Tester said. "Once again, Senator Burns is turning his back on Montana families and standing up for the big insurance industry."

Burns is one of three co-sponsors of S. 1955, sponsored by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., which may be voted on by the full Senate early next month.

Tester said the bill would limit states' rights to regulate the health insurance industry, set rates and establish minimum benefits, such as maternity care, mammograms and well-child care for health insurance customers. State traditionally have regulated the health-care industry, he said.

A Tester-sponsored law enacted last year created incentives for small businesses to provide health insurance for their employees.

Morrison has gone with the "electability" campaign route: locking himself in the call room, making sure he doesn't say anything that could offend anyone, and dialing, dialing, dialing. Now that the scandal involving John Morrison is all over the papers, the fact Morrison has run a vague issues campaign means the pivot from "spend enough to beat Burns" to something else is quite difficult. And maybe there isn't an issues basis to fall back upon at all,  thesophist at Daily Kos remembered Morrison from Hellgate High:

Certainly that was a long time ago, and people do change, but I have a hard time imagining John as motivated by abstract principles and a burning sense of fairness.

We were on the same debate team, and while he was fairly successful, the sense was that it was more due to rhetorical style than actual argumentative substance.  Maybe that's what's necessary to be a successful pol, but I find it easy to believe that Tester is the more substantial candidate.

But candidates don't have to run like this. Candidates can step up constantly with straight talk and bold action. Instead of running as "not Republican" with promises that things will be different after the election, they can lead year round and fight on the issues during the campaign to show voters how they will be in DC. I think we've seen this over the last year from Tester.

April 2005
State Auditor John Morrison files for US Senate so he can start raising money. Meanwhile, State Senate President Jon Tester was finishing up the 2005 legislative session. In fact, a renewable energy bill Tester was working on the time allowed him to report in an interview ten months later that, "what we did last session with some wind energy incentives that moved us from 50th to 15th in the nation in wind energy production just since the session adjourned last April." It was a busy session, Tester was busy:

Jobs, health care and education were the top three priorities for Democrats going into the session. Senate President Jon Tester, D-Big Sandy, said the state took steps to improve all three areas.

Tester said legislation to promote alternative energy sources, including the use of ethanol in motor fuels, will boost rural economies. Other bills will increase school funding by about $70 million, help the elderly pay for prescription drugs and add more children to the state health care program CHIP.

And, he added, the state's budget is balanced, includes no new taxes and fits under the spending cap.

"We've allowed families in this state to have a better quality of life," he said. "We've taken steps to make this a better place to live."

May 2005
While Morrison was dialing for dollars, Tester was enjoying the great press of his accomplishments during the legislative session, noting Tester's success with prescription drug benefits (the bill he was most proud of), renewable energy and education. He also officially announced his candidacy, taking his rig out for his first statewide tour. He told Lee Newspapers how much he needed to raise to win:

Tester said he will try to raise the $600,000 to $800,000 that people have told him he will need for the primary election. Defeating Burns in the general election will take at least $6 million, he said.

"We'll handle the money as frugally as we can," Tester said. "We'll do the best we can with what we have to work with. I'm used to working with budgets that are pretty close to the table."

Tester is a former school music teacher who is an organic grain farmer. He served on the Big Sandy school board before serving four sessions in the Montana Senate, most recently as Senate president.

June 2005
Tester fired up Montana bloggers with his record with organic farming, violence against women and equal protection:

I am a Jon Tester supporter for a number of reasons.  One of the major ones is that I know that he is unwilling to compromise on some of the issues that are the most important to me.  Not compromising on the equal protection of the law for all people and a strong sense of reverence for our Constitution represents a clear distinction between him and John Morrison.  When the bigot coalition contacted State Auditor Morrison, an incumbent running against Duane Grimes a state senator from Clancy, John Morrison looked closely at the polls and thought that it would hurt him too much politically not to sign on with the bigots, even though he was running what I considered to be a fairly safe race.  He has since apologized, and that does make him better than most.  Folks who recognize that they are not perfect and take the responsibility for their own actions make this state a better place, but all the same, even Conrad Burns was luke warm about changing the Constitution for political gains.

Here is the distinction, Jon Tester, a legislative leader for the Democrats, who represents a very tough district in central and eastern Montana, was asked to sign on with the bigots too.  His home county voted a little over 3:1 in favor of CI-96 (2171-704), but Jon stood his ground that he was not sure that the Constitution needed amending for something like this.  He declined to sign on with the bigots.

July 2005
The month began with news Burns was planning on spending $8 million to $10 million for he re-election campaign. Tester set out to define himself on federal issues, starting with disgust over Burns' pesticide vote and he also stood proud against CAFTA:

"Congress sold rural America short with this agreement," Tester said. "CAFTA puts the viability and profitability of family farm and ranch operations across Montana at risk by handing off trade advantage to foreign interests."

"CAFTA will harm our domestic cattle industry and Montana sugar beet growers," Tester added.
"I will fight for Montana priorities in the U.S. Senate by standing firmly opposed to unfair trade agreements like CAFTA that hurt our communities and way of life," Tester said.

August 2005
Tester launched his campaign blog Tester Time with news about his first major fundraiser. The event was an arena show with Pearl Jam. And Tester posted his first Daily Kos diary talking about the issues:

The fact of the matter is that politicians in Washington, D.C., aren't focusing on the right issues. Some of them want to privatize Social Security while most Americans face skyrocketing health insurance premiums. But when they finally do try to tackle an important issue, like rising gas prices, they do it by giving a break to some of America's wealthiest corporations at taxpayer expense. Our representatives should focus on issues that matter - like affordable health care for families, jobs, education and our economic and retirement security.

I'm running for U.S. Senate because I think before our government signs off on a bankruptcy bill that gives creditors the green light to go after working families, the government should fix its own financial house of cards. I think its about time to remind people in Washington, D.C., about what people out here in the rest of the country are worried about. These kitchen-table issues matter. And Conrad Burns and the current administration aren't getting the job done for Montana families.

For the past seven years, I've served in the Montana Legislature in both the minority and as the President of the Senate. We've accomplished a lot since winning back the Senate in 2004, from strengthening Montana's privacy laws to increasing funding for education, making health care more affordable and accessible and producing some serious plans for rural economic development.

September 2005
In the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina, both Democrats campaigns sent fundraising emails, Tester asked people to donate to the Red Cross while Morrison asked for contributions. Tester pushed for a real energy policy. Former Montana Democrat Party Chair Bob Ream endorsed Tester and said, "he is the only Democrat who can beat Conrad Burns":

Jon Tester is a team player. During the last election when Montana Democrats took control of the Senate, the Montana Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and the Party had no bigger ally than Jon Tester. Jon spent the year raising money, knocking on doors and mentoring our new candidates.

His hard work paid off: we picked up 6 Senate seats and 3 House seats. Because of his hard work and the respect of the other 26 Senate Democrats, Jon was elected President of the Senate. In that capacity he was highly successful at working across the aisle and working with the Governor's office to get solid legislation passed.

Democrats like you and I and Jon Tester went through a lot together in this last decade. Together, we witnessed some of our party's worst defeats. And, together, we rebuilt one of the strongest Democratic parties in the nation - making it truly a New Day in Montana.

Please join me in sending Jon Tester a contribution, so we can return Burns' seat to the party of Mike Mansfield

October 2006
Tester's legislative achievements provide perfect contrast with Senator Burns during the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) debate. While Burns stumbled, Tester was remembered as a hero to the Cattlemen's Association for his bill. In a dustup over fundraising by Leo Giacometto, Morrison said he thought it was "great" for Democrats to take money from Giacometto. Morrison did this even though Giacometto has been at the center of the "Culture of Corruption" as a MDP website reports:

Former Burns Chief Of StaffLeo Giacometto visited the Marianas Islands in 1997 on a trip organized by Jack Abramoff and paid for by the government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI). The "fact-finding" missions included rounds of golf - arranged as part of a package the island government and Saipan garment manufacturers had paid lobbyist Jack Abramoff to set up. In addition, Giacometto, now a well-connected lobbyist was listed as having paid for a trip by Rep. Dennis Rehberg to Las Vegas despite House ethics rules that prevent lobbyists paying for congressional travel. Over a year later, Rehberg later "corrected" the travel report to say that the trip was paid for by Giacometto's client. The change came after Tom Delay's Abramoff sponsored travel was reported in newspapers. In addition, Giacometto was involved in a string of controversies as a member of the Martz cabinet. Investigators into the negligent homicide charges against Martz' advisor Shane Hedges in the death of Montana House Majority Leader Paul Sliter, suspected Giacometto, who had been drinking and dining with Hedges and Sliter, of tampering with evidence and attempting to conceal Hedges involvement in the accident. Giacometto was also vice-president of Martz' controversial " Montana Majority Fund" and accused of threatening a former Martz' press secretary after a negative article.

November 2005
Tester started off the month will a little noticed request for an official AG opinion on contraception. Within five months this move paid off, resulting in contraception being covered by insurance. Tester also urged seniors to sign up for Big Sky Rx, the prescription drug plan Tester sponsored to cover 30,000 Montana seniors. And Tester took bold action with a a call for a scheduled withdrawal from Iraq:

"It is out of loyalty to those troops and those families that I believe the time has come for the administration and the U.S. Congress to articulate a well-defined exit strategy and to set a specific timetable for the departure of American troops from Iraq,''

The sons and daughters of Montana "have borne a disproportionate share of the casualties in this war, and their families have shouldered a great share of its emotional and financial burden,'' he said.

The war's heavy reliance on National Guard and Reserve units have depleted the states' ranks of first responders, he said.

Moreover, Tester said the costs and resources of the war in Iraq have distracted the nation from its missions in Afghanistan and from the larger war on terror.

December 2005
Tester presided over the state senate during a successful special session that added $88 million to K-12 funding while defining a quality system for education. Meanwhile, Morrison got caught being afraid to tell voters he is a Democrat. Tester closed out the year with a Daily Kos diary on the message he wants to send to DC:

This has been an exciting year. Last January, Democrats walked into Helena following our most successful election in a generation. And we walked out after one of the most effective legislative sessions - and special sessions - in memory.

We embraced renewable energy ... historically high levels of funding for education ... new programs to extend health insurance and prescription drug coverage to more Montanans ... and economic development programs that will move Montana forward.

Montanans have responded to our leadership. They gave the Legislature its highest marks in recent memory. Recent polls show most Montanans feel better about the direction of our state than they do about the direction of our country. And every new poll that comes out shows an increasing level of faith in Montana Democrats.

What we proved here in Montana is that it is possible, even in a so-called red state, to put forward an aggressive, principled agenda, get it passed, and win the trust of voters. [...]

For too long, our party has been scared of its own shadow, unwilling to do anything for fear of facing political consequences. As a result, we've now got a President who thinks he can do anything without facing any consequences.
We need more Senators who will stand up to this administration.

January 2006
Tester started out the new year focused on the issues. First it was the "moral necessity" of passing a minimum wage increase. Next it was ethics, saying the current reform plans were "not enough". This was followed by his call to reject Judge Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court. The Tester campaign closed out the month with a web ad against Conrad Burns. Also, Grist Magazine described Montana Democrats like Governor Brian Schweitzer and Tester as "transgressive":

Tester, who has served as president of the state Senate, would have to defeat fellow Democrat John Morrison -- who, like Burns, boasts superior financing -- in the primary this June to face Burns. Despite those odds, hopes are riding on him. Interestingly, despite the green credibility garnered by the conversion of his family's farm to an organic operation, the energy surrounding his campaign is not environmentally driven. Instead, it seems fueled by general idealism, the desire for a certain cleanness and integrity.

The high-dollar organic grains are about as wild and crazy, as progressive, as Tester gets, which seems to be just about the amount Montanans are pining for these days: not the regressive howlings of Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America" politics, and not the old-school progressivism of politicians like Williams, yet. Like Schweitzer, Tester is homegrown; he knows that guns in Montana are not the same as guns in the inner city. Maybe a word for these new Montana Democrats might be transgressive -- easing, edging, into the future, and moving, finally, out of the past, even as they carry certain useful and beloved elements of it with them.

February 2006
Tester kept up his issues focus with a push for Burns to extend the Medicare drug benefit sign up. The campaign also launch a 99 Days to Victory plan for winning the June 6th primary election. Tester also kept up his conversation with the netroots, answering a questionaire from the local blog Intelligent Discontent. And Tester has a long interview with Jonathan Singer of Mydd where they talk about Jack Abramoff, ethics, Medicare Part D, ag subsidies, multinational corporations,  wind, biofuels, global warming, port security, and Iraq:

I think any time you're dealing with issues of ethics and honesty, that's a big issue in the state of Montana. It's an issue that most people just take for granted, that the people they elect to office are honest and ethical and represent everybody's needs - or at least try to represent everybody's needs.

So the ethics question is something that is going to play a role in this election because of what's happened back in Washington, DC, and the pay-to-play and culture of corruption back there. But what I'm going to do with it is talk about me, and talk about honesty, integrity, being an ethical person, being an ethical business person, legislator. And I've said from the beginning on this stuff with Abramoff that somebody who's been bought and paid for by a lobbyist shouldn't be back there, regardless of party. They should be replaced. [...]

I think that if you look at myself as a farmer from North Central Montana, third generation, my wife's forth generation, a guy that's been on the farm with my wife for the last - well, since 1978 - 27 years, been married 28 years, we have a couple kids, they're both in Montana. I mean we're tied to the state. You combine that with the fact that I've been in the Montana Senate since I was elected in '98, been in leadership in the '01 session as Democratic Whip, '03 session as Democratic floor leader, and '05 session as Senate President. I think that kind of leadership shows that I can get things done. And I think that profile of the farmer, the small businessperson in Montana is something that gives me an advantage in the election over John Morrison. I think that's what the people really have to decide on is who's got the best chance of beating Conrad Burns come November and what kind of Democrat do they want to send to Washington, DC after that general election.

March 2006
More issues, with Tester unveiling his Energy Plan. The next day, Tester said it was Time for Conrad Burns to Resign. Then back to the issues, including Made in Montana goods, Open Government reform to stop backroom deals, and bulk negotiations for prescription drugs. Tester was a big hit at the annual Mansfield-Metcalf fundraising dinner and inspired students at the University of Montana:

Education problems on Montana's reservations need to be addressed through stronger communication and inclusiveness with the tribal communities, Tester said. He wants to make sure education is both available and more applicable for Native American students.

The reservations are also an extreme example of Montana's poverty problem, said Tester. To meet this challenge, he supports raising the federal minimum wage and improving health care by promoting competition in between drug companies, as well as programs that guarantee health insurance for minors.

Tester's roots as a humble organic farmer, evidenced by the worn and cracking leather boots poking from beneath his slacks, seemed to play well with the college crowd. He spent time discussing alternative energies, sustainable living and even dishing out some organic shopping tips (buy bulk and save!). He said that if America made a serious effort to develope bio-diesel, ethanol and other renewable fuels, it could become independent from overseas oil supplies in five to six years.

"If I wasn't doing this (running for senate) I'd be growing oil seeds and be pressing my own oil, because energy independence is a personal goal for me as well," Tester said.

Now
Tester has spent the last year inspiring people instead of saying he'll have enough money to tell people he isn't the other guy. Sure, people will vote against Burns. But Tester is giving them something to vote for.

Poll Should Democrats give voters something to vote for? Yes, we are right and should be proud of our brand No, the consultants know that cowering is best Who Cares, As long as Dems aren't caught in affairs like Morrison it doesn't matter Votes: 26 Results : Vote Link : Polls