BILLINGS - Long-time Montana Democrat Sen. Jon Tester delivered his farewell speech on the Senate floor on Monday afternoon.
The third-generation farmer from Big Sandy served three terms in the U.S. Senate after he was first elected in 2006.
Republican Senator-elect Tim Sheehy defeated Tester in the November election.
Tester talked about his accomplishments on the Senate floor on Monday.
RELATED: Tester delivers formal farewell address on U.S. Senate floor
He grew up in Big Sandy and a big part of his speech involved his family, which he says helped shape him as the man who served as a U.S. Senator for 18 years.
“I see my greatest accomplishment as being a United States Senator, as a citizen legislator, having a real full-time job outside this body,” Tester said. “In my case, as a farmer. This is what our forefathers had in mind, trips home every weekend.”
One man on Tester’s staff says he would work on the farm until 3 a.m. in Big Sandy before catching a flight back to Washington DC.
“He would think about problems and solutions and ideas and perspectives while he was sitting in the cab of his combine,” said Aaron Murphy, who served as Tester’s chief of staff in 2017-18. “And he would come up with an idea and call somebody whether it was another senator or, me as his chief of staff.
Murphy also worked for Tester during his first term from 2007 to 2013.
“Hopefully in that speech, you saw his sense of humor as well,” Murphy said. “He is beloved in the Senate. I saw it with my own eyes, not just Democrats but Republicans too. They love the guy because he's authentic.”
Much of Tester’s work focused on defense appropriations and veterans’ affairs, something he carried through for the entirety of his time in office.
“The list goes on,” Tester said about his work in the Senate. “It was an incredible experience, opportunity and something that I will cherish after I leave this body.”
“It's a moment of great pride for people who know him and who have been affected by him,” Murphy said about Tester’s time in Senate. “And I would say that's the entire state of Montana.”
And through it all, Tester kept true to his roots, talking about his grandfather homesteading the land where he grew up near Big Sandy and the impact his family had on him.
“He would be mad as hell at you,” Tester said about his father. “And shortly thereafter, he had forgotten all about it and he was your friend. He enjoyed life and always said life ain't worth living if you can't have fun. He was a hard-working free spirit.”
Murphy, who is also the co-author of Tester's memoir says it's Tester's wife of 47 years who has the biggest influence on him, always standing by no matter the circumstances.
“Sharla is a rock for Senator Tester and the two of them are a force to be reckoned with,” Murphy said. “They do everything together.”
“God bless you all and tally ho,” Tester said in his final words of his farewell address.
