Mike Cooney has been on the grassy trail only a few minutes, his face partly obscured by an “I ♥ public lands” pandemic mask, when a couple approaches to tell him they’ve donated to his campaign and need him to win the race for governor.
“I swear I didn’t set that up,” he says with a laugh.
It’s a typical moment in Montana politics: people randomly recognizing a candidate and walking up to wish him or her well. But this race, perhaps the clearest case in decades of ideological opposites running for the top job, is anything but typical.
Gianforte was defeated in his initial run four years ago. The next year, he attracted national attention when he assaulted a reporter while campaigning for a special House election and initially denied the incident before apologizing.
Gianforte’s campaign declined multiple requests for an interview with the candidate. “As a general rule,” it responded via email, “our campaign has chosen to dedicate our time and attention exclusively to Montana press.”
By Kathleen McLaughlin
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