UPDATE — Decision Desk HQ has called Montana's Governor race for incumbent Republican Governor Greg Gianforte.
As of 9:25 p.m., Gianforte leads Democratic challenger Ryan Busse 22,188 votes to 12,777 with an estimated 6.2% of votes in. Libertarian candidate Kaiser Leib is in third place with 757 votes.
The Republican Governors Association issued the following statement congratulating Gianforte:
“Governor Greg Gianforte has delivered win after win to the people of Montana, from lower taxes and record job creation to safe streets and neighborhoods. Governor Gianforte’s experience as a businessman and entrepreneur allows him to lead Montana into the future while protecting the Montana way of life.
"The RGA is proud to congratulate Governor Gianforte on his re-election victory and looks forward to supporting his continued efforts to keep Montana on the path of prosperity.”
After Gianforte declared victory earlier Tuesday night, Busse was critical of the decision to call the race so early with voters still waiting in line in a number of large counties. At his election night gathering in Helena, he thanked his supporters.
“I feel a heavy weight because they care so much about this state that they’ll give their hard-earned money to us, they’ll show up at an event like this, so I’d give them a great big collective hug, thanks for caring about this place,” said Busse.
Gianforte will serve his second term with his running mate and current Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras.
(First report)
The polls closed at 8 p.m. in Montana, and MTN News will be bringing you live updates in the race for Montana governor between Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Gianforte and Democratic challenger Ryan Busse.
Gianforte and Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras fended off a primary challenge from first-term State Rep. Tanner Smith, R-Lakeside, in the June Republican primary. Busse prevailed over Helena attorney Jim Hunt in the Democratic primary.
Busse is a former firearms executive, author, and activist. A political newcomer, Busse has sharply criticized the Gianforte administration and ran on the campaign messaging of “Get you Montana Back.” He believes the tax burden has been shifted unfairly on the working class. His running mate is lawyer Raph Graybill.
Watch MTN's Governor Candidate profile on Ryan Busse
In his first term as Governor, Gianforte prioritized making Montana more “business-friendly” and cut back what he believes are unnecessary regulations.
The former tech-industry entrepreneur from Bozeman has touted hundreds of millions of dollars in tax rebates and longer-term tax reductions passed during the 2023 Montana legislative session. Gianforte’s running mate is lawyer Kristen Juras.
Watch MTN's Governor Candidate profile on Greg Gianforte
MTN News will be bringing you updates from each candidate's campaign throughout the night. You can stay updated with the latest election results here.
