DESPITE ELECTION EVE CONFRONTATION Local voters back Gianforte

Montanans went to the polls Thursday, May 25, and elected Republican Greg Gianforte to the U.S. House. Statewide, Gianforte pulled in 50 percent of the vote, compared to 44 percent by Democrat Rob Quist and six percent by Libertarian Mark Wicks. 

Just over 54 percent of the state’s 700,428 registered voters cast ballots in the special federal election. In Jefferson County Gianforte fared better than statewide, taking 57 percent to Quist’s 38. Of the 5282 votes cast, more than 3000 were absentee voted before an election eve incident. The election gained national attention when Gianforte tussled with a reporter. 

The reporter, following the campaign for the British newspaper The Globe, said Gianforte body-slammed him and broke his glasses when he tried to ask a question about the candidate’s stance on the proposed health care bill.