An election in Montana is shaken up as one of the candidates is accused of assaulting a reporter just a day before the election. Now, as voters head to the poll on Thursday, it is unclear how this incident could affect the election.

  • Republican candidate Greg Gianforte is accused of body slamming reporter
  • Audio record is said to capture incident
  • Unknown how this will impact Thursday's election
  • Campaign claims that reporter acted aggressive towards Gianforte first

It's a moment caught on an audio recorder.

Republican candidate Greg Gianforte in Montana's special congressional election has been charged with a misdemeanor assault after the way he allegedly responded to a reporter asking him about the GOP health care bill.

In the audio, a loud noise is heard followed by Gianforte yelling, "I'm sick and tired of you guys."

 

The reporter, Ben Jacobs who works for the Guardian, went to Twitter after the incident posting:

A Fox News crew says they witnessed the encounter. Alicia Acuna said she saw Gianforte grab Jacobs "by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him."

"To be clear, at no point did any of us who witnessed this assault see Jacobs show any form of physical aggression toward Gianforte," Acuna wrote.

However, Gianforte's campaign said that Jacobs was showing "aggressive behavior" and that the candidate attempted to grab the phone that was pushed in his face. 

"Tonight, as Greg was giving a separate interview in a private office, The Guardian's Ben Jacobs entered the office without permission, aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg's face, and began asking badgering questions," the campaign said. "Jacobs was asked to leave. After asking Jacobs to lower the recorder, Jacobs declined. Greg then attempted to grab the phone that was pushed in his face. Jacobs grabbed Greg's wrist, and spun away from Greg, pushing them both to the ground. It's unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ," the campaign stated.

Jacobs did contact authorities and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office stated that it had "completed its investigation and that Gianforte had been issued with a charge of misdemeanour assault," reported the Guardian.

Three local newspapers in that area have since pulled their endorsements of Gianforte.

However, it is unclear what type of impact this could have on the election's outcome on Thursday.

According to CNN, both Republicans and Democrats expect that 7 in 10 voters will have already voted before the polls open today from absentee ballots.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called on Gianforte to "immediately withdraw his candidacy after his alleged violent assault of an innocent journalist."

They also called for House Speaker Paul Ryan and the National Republican Campaign Committee to denounce the candidate and apologize.