Three major Montana newspapers all pulled their endorsements of Greg Gianforte after the Republican candidate was cited for assaulting a reporter Wednesday night.
The Billings Gazette, the Missoulian, and the Independent Record had all endorsed Gianforte in his race against Democrat Rob Quist. Following Wednesday night’s incident at a campaign event, all three newspapers decided to retract their endorsements of the Republican.
“If what we heard on tape and described by eyewitnesses is accurate, the incident in Bozeman is nothing short of assault,” the Billings Gazette wrote Wednesday night. “We wouldn’t condone it if it happened on the street. We wouldn’t condone it if it happened in a home or even a late-night bar fight. And we wouldn’t accept it from a man who is running to become Montana’s lone congressional representative. We will not stand by that kind of violence, period.”
“There is no doubt that Gianforte committed an act of terrible judgment that, if it doesn’t land him in jail, also shouldn’t land him in the U.S. House of Representatives,” the Missoulian wrote. “He showed Wednesday night that he lacks the experience, brains and abilities to effectively represent Montana in any elected office.”
Ben Jacobs, a reporter for the Guardian, approached Gianforte during an event at his campaign headquarters in Bozeman, Mont., and asked him to comment on the CBO’s newly released score of the House GOP’s healthcare bill.
Jacobs said Gianforte then bodyslammed him to the ground and broke his glasses.
Several other reporters, including a team from Fox News, witnessed the incident and corroborated Jacobs’ account.
Gianforte was cited by police for misdemeanor assault.
The Republican is running to replace Ryan Zinke, the new secretary of the interior, in Montana’s special election Thursday.
