WASHINGTON—In response to Greg Gianforte’s win in Montana’s special election for the state’s at-large congressional seat, People For the American Way President Michael Keegan released the following statement:

“Greg Gianforte may have pulled out a win, but these results are very bad news for the GOP. In addition to winning the race by a much narrower margin than most observers anticipated a few weeks ago, House Republicans need to decide whether they’ll welcome a politician who assaulted a reporter on the eve of his election after thousands of early votes had already been cast.

“And every Republican in support of Trumpcare should now honestly answer the question that this Republican candidate avoided by attacking the reporter who posed it: What about the 23 million people who are going to lose their health insurance under this bill?

“A figure with so little respect for the Constitution and our fundamental rights has no place in the House of Representatives. Members of Congress of both parties should make clear that physically assaulting a reporter is never acceptable and should tell him to resign. At a time when President Trump threatens our constitutional values on an almost regular basis, it is important to stand firm against that kind of extremism no matter where it comes from.”

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

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