After losing his bid for a fourth term in the U.S. Senate last November, Jon Tester has returned to his roots on the family farm near Big Sandy, Montana.
But the former senator isn't completely disconnected from politics — he's found a new platform to engage with current events through his weekly podcast.
Tester, who served Montana for 18 years in the Senate, is embracing the change of pace on his farm.
"I'm looking forward to being able to go out in the tractor and work normal 14-hour days instead of 36-hour days," Tester said.
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Despite the isolation of rural Montana — where Tester notes "the cell phones don't work too good out there" — he remains connected to Washington politics through his new venture.
Alongside award-winning journalist Maritsa Georgiou, Tester co-hosts "Grounded," a weekly current events podcast featuring conversations with experts across the political spectrum.
"Every week we have somebody on it is what I consider an expert in the field and understands the issues better than either Maritsa or I do, and get them on to talk about what it is from their perspective," Tester explained.
The show features diverse guests including senators, journalists, ambassadors, and governors. Tester emphasizes the podcast's bipartisan approach, saying, "We've had a bunch of folks on. We've had a mix of Democrats and Republicans. Today our show had a Republican that turned Democrat."
Holding both political parties accountable remains a priority for Tester, who expressed concern about the shifting balance of power in Washington.
"In the end, who ends up suffering is, the legislative branch is no longer a co-equal branch of government as our forefathers had set up," Tester said. "They've ceded their power to the executive branch. I think that is not only bad, but I think it's also very, very dangerous."
Watch related coverage: 'Grounded,' a new political podcast, seeks to cut through noise in Washington
While Tester won't completely rule out future political opportunities, he believes his days of running for office are likely behind him.
"I think it's better to really focus on some other things," he said.
For now, he's dividing his time between podcasting, consulting work, and farming – following advice from the late Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson, a longtime friend who counseled Tester after his November election loss.
"Alan said, you know, don't get in a hurry, Jon. Things will come along. And so I haven't gotten in a hurry, and things are coming along, and, you know, I happen to have the best job in the world being a farmer in north central Montana," Tester shared.
At 68, Tester may have slowed down, but he remains committed to being engaged in national issues.
"The truth is there's still a lot of things going on that I'm going to try to add my voice to moving forward," Tester said. "You know, this country's too important to me and to my kids and grandkids to say, you know, it's good enough."
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