Gianforte, Busse Set for General Election Face-off

The Associated Press called the GOP race just before 9 p.m. forGianforte and Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras, who had 77% of the early vote. They fended off a challenge from the right in the form of Tanner Smith, a freshman state legislator from the Flathead.

“This fall, Montanans face a clear choice. We can continue with our positive momentum and common sense conservative agenda, or we can turn the reins over to unhinged, unpredictable far-left activism that’s out of touch with Montana and will undermine our way of life,” Gianforte said in a press release. “The choice is clear, and I look forward to continuing to meet with Montanans where they live and work to make our case.”

With 71% of the early vote, AP said Busse and his running mate Raph Graybill beat fellow Democrat Jim Hunt, who did not report raising or spending any money to support his campaign.

“Tonight Republican voters sent a clear message to New Jersey billionaire Greg Gianforte: the last three-and-a-half years have been a trainwreck under his failed leadership. And that’s unfair to trainwrecks. Montanans got stuck with Gianforte’s higher property taxes, his housing crisis, his health care crisis, less access to public land and wildlife, and his attacks on women’s freedoms. It’s time to get your Montana back,” Busse said in a press release.

Gianforte is campaigning on his record in office, where he says he’s lowered taxes and been a solid financial steward for the state. Busse repeatedly has called the governor a “fascist” and is telling voters he’ll wrestle the state back from wealthy extremists.