A Republican in a Montana congressional race is reportedly pulling some dirty tricks to try and win against his Bernie-backed Democrat opponent.
According to the firsthand experience of Wonkette owner and editor Rebecca Schoenkopf, Montana congressional candidate Greg Gianforte appears to be employing a particularly dishonest tactic in a last-ditch effort to regain the lead – misleading Democratic voters about the date of the very election.
Schoenkopf wrote about her experience in a satirical article published in the delightful Wonkette, explaining that her boyfriend and Montana resident received a phone call on Monday which asked who he was supporting for the congressional seat. When Schoenkopf’s significant other said he was voting for Democratic opponent Rob Quist, the friendly voice informed him that, “Early voting would start at 8 p.m. on May 25, she said, ever so helpfully!”
The only problem, as Schoenkopf noted, is the election was on May 25, and early voting had already begun!
“Please do not listen to that young lady, fellow Montanans. May 25 (Thursday, which is fucked up) is election day; early voting is NOW.”
The writer said that she and her boyfriend attempted to contact several legal offices to report the deception, but none took the claim seriously. One suggested that it might have been an innocent mistake. Either way, Gianforte’s campaign offered no defense or comment.
Quist isn’t your typical Democratic candidate; he’s pro-gun, wears a cowboy hat, and is a well-known folk musician. That’s exactly the sort of credentials it takes to hold your own in a congressional race in conservative Montana. Quist is also backed by Senator Bernie Sanders who has spent a good deal of time cheering for the insurgent candidate.
This is in addition to the fact that Quist has been able to easily pull off a real switcharoo concerning the race, painting himself as the hometown hero and his Republican opponent as an overpaid city boy from out of town.
With that winning combination, it’s hard to see how Gianforte can come out ahead – and why he might be willing to engage in a bit of outright deception in order to keep a few voters away from the polls.
The election commission and the state attorney may not be willing to do anything, but at least those who hear this story of Gianforte’s deception will know more than ever that he is unfit to serve the good people of Montana.
