Republican Wins Montana Gubernatorial Race for the First Time in 16 Years
Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte defeated Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney in Montana’s tight gubernatorial race on Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.
Greg Gianforte, who had been Montana’s sole congressman, defeated Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney late Tuesday evening, according to The Associated Press.
Gianforte is the first Republican to win a Montana gubernatorial race in 16 years, the Great Falls Tribune reported.
BREAKING: Republican Greg Gianforte wins election for governor in Montana. #APracecall at 10:41 p.m. MST. #Election2020 #MTelection https://t.co/lGfinjTqT4
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) November 4, 2020
“I just want to say when I’m your next governor, we are going to adopt public policy to keep people safe — the vulnerable — and we’re going to rely on personal responsibility, not government mandates,” Gianforte said at an October campaign event, according to the Tribune.
“We’re going to get government out of the way,” he added.
The two candidates ran very different campaigns, the Tribune reported.
While Gianforte promised to cut regulations and reduce government spending, Cooney vowed to expand education and veterans’ mental health programs.
Cook Political Report rated the race as a toss-up.
Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits. Bullock challenged incumbent Republican Sen. Steve Daines for one of Montana’s Senate seats.
Gianforte, a former tech entrepreneur, was among the wealthiest congressmen, according to The New York Times.
Gianforte made headlines in 2017 when he was charged for assaulting a Guardian reporter.
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