Earlier this month, on June 6th, Montanans sent a loud message to the press and pundits and to the political establishment in Washington, D.C. -- the 2006 election in Montana is not for sale to the highest bidder.

We won on June 6th because of your strong grassroots support -- spending just $11 per vote compared to more than $50 that Senator Burns spent for each of his.

Now is the time to send the message again. As we enter the long 4th of July weekend, we'll pass the end-of-the-quarter fundraising deadline at midnight, this Friday, June 30th.

You did this. Thanks to your dedication, hard work and support, yesterday we surged to victory in the Montana Democratic Primary.

They're still adding up results, but one thing is clear:  Conrad Burns' days in the Senate are numbered.

Conrad Burns tally yesterday was the worst primary election performance by an incumbent Montana U.S. Senator in over two decades.

Nearly 108,000 Montanans voted the Democratic ticket yesterday--more than any other Democratic primary since 1994 and nearly 11,000 more than the Republicans this year.

It's a decisive victory for Democrats, and a clear message to Conrad Burns and his lobbyist cronies that Montanans are tired of his kind of politics.

We're all ready for the Senate to look a little more like Montana.

And we're ready to tackle issues like balancing the budget, and skyrocketing energy and health care costs.

We're ready for honest, ethical leadership that serves middle-class working families.

We're ready to break up the culture of corruption and the pay-to-play mentality that has infected our political process.

And we're ready to send Conrad Burns back to Missouri and into retirement.

We already know Conrad Burns is shaking in his boots.  Even before they were done announcing the preliminary results, he began his campaign of shock politics, attacking our campaign and running away from questions about his record.

From this day forward, Democrats must come together, united for change under this mandate for Montana.  I want to extend my gratitude to John Morrison for a campaign that focused on issues, and I welcome his call for a united front for Democrats to defeat Conrad Burns in November.

And even though Democrats turned out in very strong numbers, some Montanans woke up this morning learning about our cause for the first time.

That's why I'm asking you to do all you can in the next few days to talk to others about our campaign. Ask your friends and family to join us in our efforts. They can join by clicking on this link:

http://www.testerforsenate.com/join

Conrad Burns has a huge fundraising advantage from his special interest money. Help us close the gap by contributing today:

http://www.actblue.com/page/netrootscand idates

We know that Conrad Burns will unload a dump-truck of special interest money in Montana at his first opportunity, to try to buy his way to victory.

But yesterday you showed that the special interests are no match for a people-powered campaign.

Your commitment has gotten us this far. Now the real work begins.

So please, spread the word about our campaign to make Washington, D.C., look a little more like Montana.

Thank you for all your help.  We couldn't have done it without you.

Jon Tester

Contribute to Montanans for Tester

If you've traveled around the state, you may have noticed: sometimes we do things a little differently in Montana. On occasion, we act different, dress different, or look different.

I oughta know.

For the past 15 years I've been going to get my hair cut at the same barber, Bill Graves at Riverview Barbershop. Bill's been running his Great Falls small business for 40 years, and now works with his granddaughter, Megan.

If Conrad Burns hasn't been shaking in his boots yet, he is today. A poll released today says I would beat Burns, 48 to 42 percent.

We've surged ahead of Senator Burns--gaining nearly 10 points in just the last couple of weeks head-to-head against our Republican opponent.

Make no mistake about it: I am the best Democrat to take on Burns in November.

Women deserve the right to full health-care coverage, just like men.

When I saw an opportunity to bring equality and fairness to women, I didn't sit back and wait - I took action. Every family should have the basic right to make decisions about their future, and every woman should have access to the prescriptions she needs. It's that simple.

NARAL-Pro Choice Montana called my request "a courageous stand."

Here in Montana, honesty matters.  It's my firm belief that if you can't keep your word to the people, you can't keep your office.

That's why I called for Conrad Burns to resign from the U.S. Senate today.

From the beginning, his dealings with Jack Abramoff haven't passed the smell test.  It smells like a barnyard that needs a clean up.  

I think it's time to clean up Washington, D.C., and we should start with Conrad Burns.

I believe Democrats are poised to make real gains in November. According to one survey, Conrad Burns is the least popular senator in the nation.

Across the country, Democrats are ahead of Republicans in generic polls. We're beating the Republicans at recruitment.  And the field appears to be in our favor.

But to truly make gains in the House and Senate, I believe we'll need candidates willing to show true leadership. Leaders who will make tough decisions and stand up for what we believe in. Leaders who will work to solve problems and get things done--for Montana and for all of America.

I want to thank you for all your support already. Together, we've helped move the debate forward on Iraq, on our nation's energy policy, and on the Medicare prescription drug plan. And we've sent a strong message to Senator Burns that he needs to protect public access to public lands for all Montanans--and that we Montanans don't want our public lands sold off.