Republican Greg Gianforte has won the special election held on Thursday in Montana for the state's one House seat, according to The Associated Press.
BREAKING: Republican Greg Gianforte wins Montana's U.S. House special election after being charged with assaulting reporter.
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 26, 2017
Gianforte will take over the position from Ryan Zinke, who, The Hill reports, vacated his seat in the House to become Interior secretary in Trump's administration.
The victory comes just a day after Gianforte was charged with misdemeanor assault after he reportedly body-slammed Guardian journalist Ben Jacobs, who captured the altercation via a voice recording.
Greg Gianforte just body slammed me and broke my glasses
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) May 24, 2017
Fox News reporter Alicia Acuna, who witnessed the event, wrote that "Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him."
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Though many have condemned Gianforte's actions, some have publicly defended them. Earlier Thursday, GOP Representative Duncan Hunter told reporters that Gianforte's behavior was inappropriate, "unless the reporter deserved it," according to The Hill.
If convicted, Gianforte could face up to six months in jail or be forced to pay a $500 fine, according to AP. It is unclear at this time what will happen now that he's been elected.
After news of the attack broke, eyeglasses brand Warby Parker offered to give Jacobs a new pair of spectacles, free of charge.
Gianforte defeated his opponent, Democrat Rob Quist, with approximately 50 percent of the vote at the time outlets such as AP and The New York Times called the race. Quist received just under 44 percent of the vote, according to The Times' live election polling data.
The state of Montana voted for President Donald Trump in the 2016 election, giving him three electoral votes and upholding the region's long-standing pattern of voting Republican.