Billionaire Alleged Body-Slamming Republican Greg Gianforte Projected Winner in Montana Special Election

A Democrat Hasn’t Held Montana’s Sole Congressional Seat in 20 Years

Republican Greg Gianforte is the projected winner in the race to fill Montana’s open seat in the U.S House of Representatives. The AP called the race at 12:35 AM EDT.

Earlier:

Descision Desk:

Cook Political Report:

Just past midnight, with 65% of the vote counted, The New York Times reported Gianforte had nearly 50% of the vote:

  

The quiet special election to replace a GOP congressman became a breaking news story overnight, when GOP candidate Greg Gianforte late Wednesday allegedly “body-slammed” a reporter asking a question about health care policy.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke was picked from obscurity by President Donald Trump to become Secretary of the Interior. Billionaire businessman Greg Gianforte, a far right wing anti-gay Christian extremist billionaire known to have a problem with his temper allegedly knocked a reporter for The Guardian off his feet, grabbed him by the neck, and repeatedly punched him, according to a Fox News reporter who was in the room late Wednesday afternoon. 

Gianforte had several thing going for him: timing. Before his alleged assault (for which he was cited hours later, after massive public outrage that he was allowed to leave the scene and drive away despite the local sheriff being on hand) about 65 to 70 percent of votes had already been cast.  

He also had another thing going for him: Montana conservatives.

Thursday night CNN reported people in Montana they talked to delivered a “groundswell” of support for Gianforte, and called his (alleged) assault, which sent the reporter, Ben Jacobs, to the hospital, “Montana justice.”

That support translated into dollars:

Speaking of dollars, Republicans poured millions into this race, Democrats, once again, didn’t bother:

Not much was known nationally about either candidate.

The Democrat, Rob Quist, describes himself as a “small businessman, award-winning songwriter, and entrepreneur.” Known as the cowboy poet, he’s spent a lot of time traveling across Montana. And beyond. He even performed at a nudist resort in what his communications director called “a naked attempt to distract voters from Greg Gianforte’s shady Russian investments,” USA Today reported last month.

Gianforte has a far different background. He is a young earth creationist, or at least his foundation has funded a museum that is. Along with some very anti-gay groups.

“In 2006, he established the Gianforte Family Foundation with his wife ‘in response to God’s great goodness to them,'” HuffPost reported in 2015, before his failed gubernatorial attempt.

The foundation focuses on “improving education, lifting people out of poverty, protecting the unborn, and Christian outreach.” According to its website, last year’s grantees included groups against gay marriage, such as the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, as well as the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys, which aims to show “the adventure of receiving [Jesus Christ] as Savior and Lord.”  

Gianforte has indicated in the past that he doesn’t see the need to separate his faith from his professional life. According to National Journal, last year he personally lobbied against a local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender nondiscrimination ordinance. In a February talk at the Montana Bible College, he said, “there’s nothing in the Bible that talks about retirement.” 

Both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence endorsed Gianforte. Trump, who won the state by 21 points, recorded a robocall for the Montana Republican. Pence traveled to the state to campaign with him (photo, above).

Sadly, few national Republicans denounced Gianforte, while many more offered varying degrees of support. 

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