Sen. Jon Tester’s 2018 race is widely expected to be one of the most competitive in the country. | AP Photo Tester raises $2 million for 2018 reelection campaign The Montana Democrat has $3.2 million on hand ahead of his red-state reelection run.

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester raised $2 million in the first three months of 2017 — the first quarter of a campaign in which he is a top target of national Republicans — according to figures provided by his campaign to POLITICO.

The second-term senator entered the second quarter with $3.2 million on hand, continuing the trend of Senate Democratic incumbents piling up large cash hauls to start the President Donald Trump era.


Much of that money has come in small increments as grass-roots Democrats contribute in far larger-than-usual numbers: 85 percent of Tester’s contributions were of $100 or less.

Tester’s 2018 race is widely expected to be one of the most competitive in the country because Trump won Montana by 21 points in November, forcing the senator to walk a tightrope in courting voters. He is one of five Senate Democrats facing reelection next year in states that Trump won by double digits last year.

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It is not yet clear which Republican will face Tester in the general election, though state Sen. Albert Olszewski recently said he would run, and state Attorney General Tim Fox has been courted for a bid, as well.

Ryan Zinke had been considered a strong potential candidate, but the former congressman instead took a role as Trump's secretary of the interior earlier this year.

Still, Montana does have a recent history of electing Democrats: in addition to Tester, Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock is in his second term.