Three weeks ago, Montana state Senate President Jon Tester began testing the waters for a challenge to incumbent Republican Senator Conrad Burns. The DSCC began polling the race and found Burns to be quite vulnerable. Now, as the Helana Independent Record's Charles S. Johnson reports, Tester is making his candidacy official, greatly strengthening the Democrats' chances in the state.

Driving his tractor-trailer rig to various campaign stops on Tuesday, Democrat Jon Tester, a Big Sandy farmer and state Senate president, launched his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Conrad Burns.

Joined by his family and Sen. Ken ''Kim'' Hanson, D-Harlem, who helped with the driving, Tester drove to Havre and then to Billings on Tuesday. He plans stops in Bozeman, Butte and Missoula today and in Helena and Great Falls on Thursday.

Tester, 48, said in a cell phone interview from his truck that he is seeking the U.S. Senate seat because he believes many Montanans have been overlooked by the federal government.

''I just feel small business, family farmers, agriculture, working people have been kind of under attack for the last 15 to 20 years,'' Tester said. ''I think the federal government needs top make these people a priority. The middle class has built this country, and we need to make them whole.''

By making this race about state issues, rather than major national trends, Tester could give Burns quite a bit of trouble. And considering Burns' connections to embattled conservative lobbyist Jack Abramoff, this race is quickly turning into one of the few Senate races that's actually competitive.