Three Montana newspapers rescinded their endorsements of Greg Gianforte in the special election to fill Montana’s at-large seat in Congress, hours after the Republican was accused of body slamming a reporter and charged with misdemeanor assault.
The Billings Gazette, Missoulian and the Independent Record announced they pulled their support.
“We’re at a loss for words,” the editorial board at the Billings Gazette newspaper wrote. “We will not stand for that kind of violence, period.”
“While there are still questions left unanswered about GOP House hopeful Greg Gianforte’s altercation with Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs, eyewitness accounts, law enforcement investigations and records are all shocking, disturbing and without precedent,” the editorial board wrote.
“That’s why The Billings Gazette editorial board is also doing something without precedent: We’re rescinding our editorial endorsement of Greg Gianforte,” they said.
The Independent Record said it was “sick and tired” of Mr. Gianforte’s “incessant attacks on the free press.”
“In the past, he has encouraged his supporters to boycott certain newspapers, singled out a reporter in a room to point out that he was outnumbered, and even made a joke out of the notion of choking a news writer, and these are not things we can continue to brush off,” they said.
Voters in Montana, meanwhile, were set to head to the polls Thursday to cast their votes in what has turned into a tighter than anticipated contest between Mr. Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist.
The votes will be the first cast in a congressional race since House Republicans passed their plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, which has fueled a backlash from progressive activists. The Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday the plan will leave 23 million fewer people with health coverage.
In audio released by the Guardian, Mr. Jacobs asked Mr. Gianforte about the latest CBO score before the scuffle broke out.
“Gianforte just body slammed me and broke my glasses,” Mr. Jacobs wrote on Twitter.
It is unclear how much of an impact the episode will have on the election, as a large number of Montana voters had already voted via absentee ballot.
“To those who have voted: Unfortunately, Montana does not allow those who voted early to reconsider and vote again,” the Billings Gazette editorial board said. “We’re one of the few states that does not. This would seem to be the best reason we should urge our state leaders to change that law.”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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