GOP Civil War: Gianforte Used Opponent’s Cancer Diagnosis to Poach Supporters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 4, 2020

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GOP Civil War: Gianforte Used Opponent’s Cancer Diagnosis to Poach Supporters 

Gianforte supports stripping protections for Montanans with pre-existing conditions

Helena, MT – Facing increasing pressure after blowing off previous debates, Greg Gianforte finally faced his opponents in a fiery gubernatorial debate hosted by the Montana Broadcasters Association. The Montana GOP’s internal fractures were on full display throughout the night – and Gianforte found himself consistently playing defense against relentless attacks on his credibility as an out-of-touch millionaire from New Jersey who doesn’t share Montana values.

Attorney General Tim Fox attacked Gianforte for “social distancing long before the pandemic,” noting “[Gianforte] ducked debates and forums, refused interviews with the press, avoided open public meetings and tough questions, and instead used [his] considerable wealth to try to buy this election instead of earning those votes.”

But the most heated moment of the debate came during Attorney General Tim Fox’s closing statement, when he revealed that Greg Gianforte called one of Fox’s supporters, and encouraged him to stop supporting Fox because he has cancer. 

According to an op-ed written by the Tim Fox supporter in question, “Tim has been open about the fact that he is a cancer survivor… but, to have it thrown up as an issue to change my mind about who I was going to support seemed as a very ‘Eastern Politics’ approach and certainly not the Montana way.”

“Greg Gianforte has a long record of discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions – last night was just the latest example,” said MDP Executive Director Sandi Luckey. “Gianforte clearly hasn’t lived here long enough to understand Montana values.” 

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