HELENA, Mont. (AP) - The Latest on certification of Montana’s special election results (all times local):
4:15 p.m.
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan is scheduled to administer the oath of office to Rep.-elect Greg Gianforte next Wednesday.
Gianforte’s campaign said in a statement Thursday that the Bozeman Republican and tech entrepreneur will be joined by his wife and family for the swearing in ceremony in the chamber of the U.S. House.
Earlier Thursday, Secretary of State Corey Stapleton and a state canvassing board certified the results of the May 25 special election. Gianforte won the election with about half of all the ballots cast and defeated Democrat Rob Quist by 6 percentage points.
Gianforte will finish out the term of Ryan Zinke, who resigned to become President Donald Trump’s Interior secretary. Gianforte has already filed to run for the seat again in 2018.
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2:00 p.m.
Republican Greg Gianforte on Thursday was declared the winner of Montana’s special congressional election, allowing the Bozeman entrepreneur to be sworn into his first public office and as the state’s only representative to the U.S. House.
It was not immediately clear when Gianforte would meet with House Speaker Paul Ryan to take his oath of office. A spokesman said details were pending.
Gianforte will finish out the term of Ryan Zinke, who resigned to become President Donald Trump’s Interior secretary. Gianforte has already filed to run for the seat again in 2018.
The formal certification of the May 25 special election results was a required step before Gianforte could be sworn in. Gianforte prevailed over Democrat Rob Quist by 6 percentage points after a nationally watched campaign.
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9:10 a.m.
Greg Gianforte will be set to take his seat in the U.S. House once state canvassers certify the Republican as the winner of last month’s special election.
Thursday’s election certification allows the Bozeman entrepreneur to be sworn in as Montana’s only House member, though it is not immediately clear when the ceremony in Washington, D.C. will happen.
Once he is sworn in, Gianforte will serve the remainder of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s two-year term. Gianforte has already filed for re-election for the seat in 2018.
Gianforte will arrive in the nation’s capital under a cloud after pleading guilty Monday to assaulting a reporter during an election-eve confrontation. A judge sentenced him to 40 hours of community service and 20 hours of anger management counseling.
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