NewsPolitics

Actions

Western MT Congressional District Republican race too close to call 

Ballot Counting
Posted

The polls closed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday in Montana's Primary Election and hours later, one marquee statewide race was too close to call.

Five Republicans were on the primary ballot in Montana’s western congressional district with much of the attention focused on Ryan Zinke, a former Montana congressman and U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

He’s being challenged by orthopedic surgeon and former state senator Al Olszewski, pastor and small business owner Mary Todd, businessman Mitch Heuer, and government teacher and professor Matt Jette.

Results from the Montana Secretary of State's Office as of 11:25 p.m. on Tuesday showed Zinke with a slight lead over Olszewski. With 9% of Montana's precincts reporting, Zinke was leading 41% to 39% — by a vote count of 21,406 to 20,378.