A US Republican candidate accused of assaulting a reporter was declared the projected winner of Thursday’s Montana special congressional election.
Greg Gianforte emerged the projected victor, despite the clash on Wednesday, taking 50.4 percent of the votes against his Democratic opponent’s 43.8 percent, CNN said, with 84 percent of the votes tallied.
He faces up to six months in county jail and a US$500 fine if convicted of misdemeanor assault against a journalist from the Guardian.
In his victory speech, Gianforte apologized to the reporter.
“Last night I made a mistake, and I took an action that I can’t take back,” he said.
“I should not have treated that reporter that way and for that I am sorry,” he said.
The election was to replace a Republican who vacated the seat to join the Cabinet of US President Donald Trump.
Republicans now find themselves with an incoming member of Congress forced to appear in county court.
Following the incident, the state’s three main newspapers rescinded their endorsements of Gianforte, but most voters had already cast absentee ballots before the altercation, local media reported.
The altercation took place after Jacobs asked Gianforte about the Republican healthcare bill.
“Greg Gianforte just body-slammed me and broke my glasses,” Jacobs tweeted before news of the incident went viral on social media.
The reporter posted an audio clip in which a loud crash is heard, and Gianforte then appears to say: “The last time you came in here you did the same thing. Get the hell out of here!”
Gianforte’s campaign issued a statement saying Jacobs entered the office uninvited, and “aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg’s face and began asking badgering questions.”
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