Local Gianforte Supporter Says 'Too Early' To Judge Assault Allegation

UPDATE: Gianforte won the Montana special election, even with the assault charge. During his victory speech, he apologized directly to the reporter he allegedly assaulted, Ben Jacobs.

GIG HARBOR, WA - The special election for Montana's sole seat in Congress was rocked Wednesday night after the Republican candidate, Greg Gianforte, allegedly assaulted a reporter from the Guardian newspaper. Gianforte allegedly attacked reporter Ben Jacobs, according to accounts by Jacobs and reporters from Fox News who witnessed the event. Gianforte in his own statement accused Jacobs of wrongdoing, saying that the reporter caused the scuffle by sticking a recorder in Gianforte's face.

Gianforte, who unsuccessfully ran for governor of Montana in 2016, has received monetary support from Puget Sound residents. One supporter, Marlyn Jensen, a Gig Harbor resident and well known member of the Pierce County GOP, gave $1,000 to Gianforte's gubernatorial campaign last year.

Jensen said that she would reserve judgement about the incident until all sides have come out. She highlighted that campaigning is an extremely tiring "full-time job," although specified that she was not linking exhaustion to the alleged assault.

"Not everyone knows for sure what happened," Jensen told Patch.com. "I just know that he has created tons of jobs in Montana. He's been extremely, extremely generous to charities, and he's a very popular candidate."

Other local donors to Gianforte's gubernatorial campaign, according to Montana records, include Richard Gianforte of Renton, who gave over $1,000 to Gianforte during the 2016 primary and general elections; Larry Stefonic of Woodway, who gave $1,300 between the general and primary elections; William Price of Bothell who gave $1000; and Kyle Pickers of Seattle, who gave $650 during the general election.

Patch.com has reached out to other donors to gather their opinions of the assault.

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It's unclear if the alleged assault will impact the election, which is happening Thursday. The Democratic challenger, Rob Quist, was slightly behind Gianforte in polling, but Montana's three largest newspapers rescinded their endorsements of Gianforte after the alleged assault.

According to accounts of the assault from Fox News and the Guardian, Jacobs was asking Gianforte about whether he supported the House Republicans' recent replacement for Obamacare. Gianforte allegedly then snapped and attacked Jacobs, according to accounts from the scene.

Gianforte was cited - but not arrested - for assault by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office. Whether he wins the election Thursday or not, he will appear in court on June 7 to face the assault charge.

The special election is being held to replace Ryan Zinke, who recently joined the administration of Donald Trump as U.S. Interior Secretary.

Image via Greg Gianforte