MONTANA DEM 'PAPA' JON TESTER BESTS CORRUPT ABRAMOFF CRONY CONRAD BURNS

HELENA - Democratic challenger Jon Tester has defeated Republican U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns in the bitterly contested Montana Senate race, the Associated Press declared this morning.

As of 10:38 a.m., these are the unofficial tallies:

• Tester, 198,032 votes for 49.19 percent.

• Burns, 194,904 votes for 48.39 percent.