Washington (CNN) A race for an open House seat in Montana took a jaw-dropping twist when a reporter alleged that Republican candidate Greg Gianforte "body slammed" him and broke his glasses on the eve of Election Day.

The latest news came just ahead of an already much-anticipated special congressional election in the Big Sky state that pitted a folk-singing Democrat with a spotty financial past against a well-known Republican millionaire and businessman.

Republican Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist face off Thursday to replace former Rep. Ryan Zinke, who President Donald Trump tapped to lead the Department of Interior. Before Wednesday night, Gianforte was viewed as the favorite in a fairly red state, where a Democrat hasn't held the congressional seat in two decades -- but the race is closer than many would have anticipated months ago, and the alleged physical encounter had many wondering if Gianforte might have changed the course of the race overnight.

In Montana, any eligible voter can vote absentee. That means that a large number of votes in the Montana special election have already been cast. Any impact that Gianforte's alleged actions would have now would only impact the narrow slice of Montana voters who were planning to actually vote at the polls Thursday.

"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," campaign spokesman Shane Scanlon 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 spokesman said in a released statement.

A Quist victory would be a major shock across the state and the country, but after a tumultuous few weeks for Trump, national Democrats are looking at Montana for any hint of Republican vulnerability. In the final weeks of the campaign, polls have tightened and even short of a surprise upset, a close call might indicate that Democrats -- with a retooled populist message -- are finding their footing again after stunning losses in 2016.

"I think Democrats have been pointing to a lot of special elections so far and arguing their turnout problems during Obama years are showing improvement now that Trump is president," said Kyle Kondik, a congressional campaign expert out of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "If Quist loses by 5 points, that is a pretty good showing."

Special elections are notorious for lower voter participation. Add in the fact that the election is happening on a Thursday in May before Memorial Day and all signs point to a depressed electorate. Most would say a lower turnout would likely benefit Republicans, who tend to have a more reliable voting base, but the Democratic base across the country is fired up and you can't underestimate the fact that this is left-leaning Montanans first opportunity to register their frustration with Trump since he was elected. It's also impossible to predict how the latest alleged events might affect the race.

For Democrats, driving up turn out in Missoula County -- a Democratic stronghold -- and in areas where Native Americans make up a major chunk of the population including Big Horn, Glacier and Roosevelt County, will be key. Races in Montana can be won or lost for Democrats depending on how strong the turnout is on the state's seven reservations.

It's been called the Ohio of Montana. If you want to win in Montana, Yellowstone County -- the home of the state's largest city, Billings -- is an important place for Republicans to run up the score. On election night, Yellowstone County will give a strong indication of where the night is headed. Trailing far behind your opponent in the swing county is a bad sign.

In November, Trump won the county by roughly 27 points and went on to win the state by 20. Meanwhile, Gianforte won the county on election night in his race for governor, but only by roughly a point, a sign he was struggling to make up the margins he needed to beat incumbent Democrat Steve Bullock.

Any attempt to cast the Montana special election as a referendum on one piece of legislation passed hundreds of miles away should be taken with a grain of salt, but there is no denying Obamacare and the Republican attempt to repeal former President Barack Obama's signature law have been front and center in the Montana special.

Democrats have accused Gianforte of being dishonest about how he really feels about the AHCA after The New York Times revealed that on a fundraising call, Gianforte said that "the votes in the House are going to determine whether we get tax reform done, sounds like we just passed a health care thing, which I'm thankful for, sounds like we're starting to repeal and replace."</s>The Republican candidate in the nationally-watched election Thursday for Montana's sole congressional seat has been charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly grabbing a reporter by the neck and throwing him to the ground.

Voters are deciding in the special election whether Republican Greg Gianforte or Democrat Rob Quist will fill the U.S. House seat left vacant when Ryan Zinke resigned to join President Donald Trump's Cabinet as secretary of the Interior Department.

Gianforte, who has tried to align himself with Trump, defended himself as the criminal charge was announced Wednesday, saying the reporter was being aggressive and grabbed him by the wrist in their exchange at his campaign office.

Quist has declined to comment on the charge.

The assault charge is a last-minute curveball in Thursday's race, which was partly seen as a referendum on Trump's presidency. The majority of voters were expected to have already cast ballots through early voting, and it was unclear how much of an effect the assault charge would have on the election results.

Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin made the announcement shortly before midnight Wednesday in a written statement, about six hours after the attack on reporter Ben Jacobs of The Guardian. Gianforte would face a maximum $500 fine or 6 months in jail if convicted. The statement added that Jacobs' injuries did not meet the legal definition of felony assault.

Gianforte was in a private office preparing for an interview with Fox News when Jacobs came in without permission, campaign spokesman Shane Scanlon said.

The Fox News crew watched in astonishment as, after Jacobs pressed him on the GOP health care bill, "Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him," Fox News reporter Alicia Acuna wrote in an article . She added that Gianforte then began to punch Jacobs.

In an audio recording posted by The Guardian, the reporter asks the congressional candidate about the GOP's health care bill, which was just evaluated hours earlier by the Congressional Budget Office.

"We'll talk to you about that later," Gianforte says on the recording, referring Jacobs to a spokesman.

When Jacobs says that there won't be time, Gianforte says "Just--" and there is a crashing sound. Gianforte yells, "The last guy who came here did the same thing," and a shaken-sounded Jacobs tells the candidate he just body-slammed him.

"Get the hell out of here," Gianforte says.

The Gianforte campaign Wednesday night released a statement blaming the incident on Jacobs. It contends he "aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg's face and began asking badgering questions" before being asked to leave.

Gianforte asked Jacobs to lower a phone that was being used as an audio recorder, then tried to grab it, the campaign said in a statement. Jacobs then grabbed Gianforte's wrist and both fell to the ground, Scanlon said.

The 45-second recording does not contain a request from Gianforte that Jacobs lower his phone. Acuna, the Fox News reporter, wrote that "at no point did any of us who witnessed this assault see Jacobs show any form of physical aggression toward Gianforte."

The sheriff's office said Gianforte has until June 7 to appear in court on the charge.

Jacobs told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Thursday that he never touched Gianforte. He said of the politician's account "The only thing that is factually correct ... is my name and place of employment."

Three of Montana's biggest newspapers pulled their endorsements of Gianforte but did not endorse an opponent.

"We are also sick and tired — of Gianforte's incessant attacks on the free press," the Helena Independent Record wrote.

Gianforte, a wealthy businessman, lost a race against Montana's Democratic governor in November while Trump won the state by 20 points. In the congressional race, Gianforte has been boosted by visits from Vice President Mike Pence and Donald Trump, Jr.

Hours before Wednesday's assault, the Gianforte campaign sent out a last-minute fundraising appeal to its supporters, saying the outcome "will determine whether we pass Donald Trump's America First agenda or if the fake news media and the national Democrats will win, keeping Obama's reckless policies in place."

Democrats were hoping an upset would send a message to the GOP that Trump's souring approval ratings could damage their political fortunes even in deep red states.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that it would launch as many Facebook ads as possible about the assault, targeting Montana Democrats who might not otherwise vote Thursday. The Committee called for Gianforte to quit the race and for the Republican Party to denounce him publicly.

Requests for comment went unanswered Wednesday night from House Speaker Paul Ryan and the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Scott Sales, the Republican president of Montana's state senate, unsuccessfully vied against Gianforte for his party's congressional nomination. On Wednesday evening, he said he could not understand why the scuffle took place.

"There's always two sides to a story, but this doesn't look good," Sales said. "It's not what you want to see happen on the eve of an election."</s>Washington (CNN) A race for an open House seat in Montana took a jaw-dropping twist when a reporter alleged that Republican candidate Greg Gianforte "body slammed" him and broke his glasses on the eve of Election Day.

The latest news came just ahead of an already much-anticipated special congressional election in the Big Sky state that pitted a folk-singing Democrat with a spotty financial past against a well-known Republican millionaire and businessman.

Republican Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist face off Thursday to replace former Rep. Ryan Zinke, who President Donald Trump tapped to lead the Department of Interior. Before Wednesday night, Gianforte was viewed as the favorite in a fairly red state, where a Democrat hasn't held the congressional seat in two decades -- but the race is closer than many would have anticipated months ago, and the alleged physical encounter had many wondering if Gianforte might have changed the course of the race overnight.

In Montana, any eligible voter can vote absentee. That means that a large number of votes in the Montana special election have already been cast. Any impact that Gianforte's alleged actions would have now would only impact the narrow slice of Montana voters who were planning to actually vote at the polls Thursday.

"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," campaign spokesman Shane Scanlon 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 spokesman said in a released statement.

A Quist victory would be a major shock across the state and the country, but after a tumultuous few weeks for Trump, national Democrats are looking at Montana for any hint of Republican vulnerability. In the final weeks of the campaign, polls have tightened and even short of a surprise upset, a close call might indicate that Democrats -- with a retooled populist message -- are finding their footing again after stunning losses in 2016.

"I think Democrats have been pointing to a lot of special elections so far and arguing their turnout problems during Obama years are showing improvement now that Trump is president," said Kyle Kondik, a congressional campaign expert out of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "If Quist loses by 5 points, that is a pretty good showing."

Special elections are notorious for lower voter participation. Add in the fact that the election is happening on a Thursday in May before Memorial Day and all signs point to a depressed electorate. Most would say a lower turnout would likely benefit Republicans, who tend to have a more reliable voting base, but the Democratic base across the country is fired up and you can't underestimate the fact that this is left-leaning Montanans first opportunity to register their frustration with Trump since he was elected. It's also impossible to predict how the latest alleged events might affect the race.

For Democrats, driving up turn out in Missoula County -- a Democratic stronghold -- and in areas where Native Americans make up a major chunk of the population including Big Horn, Glacier and Roosevelt County, will be key. Races in Montana can be won or lost for Democrats depending on how strong the turnout is on the state's seven reservations.

It's been called the Ohio of Montana. If you want to win in Montana, Yellowstone County -- the home of the state's largest city, Billings -- is an important place for Republicans to run up the score. On election night, Yellowstone County will give a strong indication of where the night is headed. Trailing far behind your opponent in the swing county is a bad sign.

In November, Trump won the county by roughly 27 points and went on to win the state by 20. Meanwhile, Gianforte won the county on election night in his race for governor, but only by roughly a point, a sign he was struggling to make up the margins he needed to beat incumbent Democrat Steve Bullock.

Any attempt to cast the Montana special election as a referendum on one piece of legislation passed hundreds of miles away should be taken with a grain of salt, but there is no denying Obamacare and the Republican attempt to repeal former President Barack Obama's signature law have been front and center in the Montana special.

Democrats have accused Gianforte of being dishonest about how he really feels about the AHCA after The New York Times revealed that on a fundraising call, Gianforte said that "the votes in the House are going to determine whether we get tax reform done, sounds like we just passed a health care thing, which I'm thankful for, sounds like we're starting to repeal and replace."</s>Montana voters are at the polls as the aftermath of an altercation between the Republican congressional candidate and a reporter unfolds.

Nominee Greg Gianforte was charged Wednesday evening with misdemeanor assault against Ben Jacobs, a reporter for The Guardian. The incident has drawn extra attention to the race to replace Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, considered a bellwether, in its final hours.

It's unclear how much the turn of events will impact the outcome of the contest between Gianforte and Democratic nominee Rob Quist, especially after many voters had cast their ballots early. House Speaker Paul Ryan has said Gianforte should apologize, while other Republican lawmakers have called the incident "out of character."

Health care has been a key topic in the race — and was in fact the subject of Jacobs' question when his exchange with Gianforte turned violence. According to audio provided by Jacobs, he asks Gianforte for his reaction to the Congressional Budget Office's report on the American Health Care Act. Gianforte had said previously he didn't want to weigh in on the Republican health care bill until he saw the CBO score.

But Gianforte brushed Jacobs off and then suddenly "body-slammed" him onto the ground, breaking his glasses, Jacobs says. According to three Fox News reporters who were in the room preparing for an interview with the GOP nominee, Gianforte "grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground ... then began punching the man as he moved on top the reporter and began yelling something to the effect of 'I'm sick and tired of this!' "

The tape backs up that account, but Gianforte's campaign claimed it was Jacobs who was the aggressor, pushing a tape recorder in Gianforte's face and then "grabbed Greg's wrist, and spun away from Greg, pushing them both to the ground."

The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office announced late Wednesday it was charging Gianforte with misdemeanor assault, which carries a possible maximum fine of $500 or up to six months in jail if convicted. Gianforte has been ordered to appear in court by June 7.

At a news conference on Thursday, Sheriff Brian Gootkin said Gianforte cooperated by giving an initial statement at the scene. Reporters asked why Gianforte had not been detained, and the sheriff said his deputies "got busy with the witnesses and the victim," and Gianforte left. He was not in custody or under arrest at the time. The sheriff says the department has been contacted by attorneys on the candidate's behalf, and law enforcement has not had a followup interview with him.

Gootkin also disclosed that he had contributed to Gianforte's campaign, but said it "has nothing to do" with the investigation or his role as sheriff. He would not answer questions about why he contributed or whether he regularly donates to campaigns, saying that "doesn't have anything to do with the incident."

House Speaker Ryan said at his weekly press conference that Gianforte should apologize.

"I do not think this is acceptable behavior, but the choice will be made by the people of Montana," Ryan said Thursday.

A statement from National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Steve Stivers, who oversees the House GOP's campaign arm, didn't go as far as Ryan.

"From what I know of Greg Gianforte, this was totally out of character, but we all make mistakes. We need to let the facts surrounding this incident unfold," the Ohio congressman said. "Today's special election is bigger than any one person; it's about the views of all Montanans. They deserve to have their voices heard in Washington."

Montana GOP Sen. Steve Daines, who used to work for Gianforte's software company, told NBC News's Peter Alexander, "I've known Greg for 20 years. I was very surprised last night. I don't condone violence of any kind. I've got confidence in my local law enforcement back home to investigate the matter."

"I think Greg should apologize," Daines continued. "That's warranted. And we'll let the people of Montana decide what happens tonight."

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, who's up for re-election in 2018 in what's expected to be a highly competitive race, said in a statement that the incident was now "in the hands of law enforcement. But part of the job representing the people of Montana is answering basic questions on important topics, topics such as how a dangerous healthcare plan could impact the very people you are trying to represent. It's part of the job."

Gianforte, a wealthy software executive, lost to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock last year by about 4 points, even as President Trump rolled to a 20 point win in the state.

And while Gianforte was hesitant to embrace then-candidate Trump during that contest, he's been closely embracing the president this go-around, co-opting his familiar "drain the swamp" phrase and pledging to go to Washington to work with the president. The president's son, Donald Trump Jr., has hit the trail twice for Gianforte, and Vice President Pence also made a recent campaign stop on his behalf.

Quist, a Stetson-wearing folk singer who's well known across the state for his music, has tried to ride the rising opposition to Trump to an upset. He hasn't made the president his central campaign pitch, and hasn't tried to capitalize on the scandals engulfing his administration in recent days, but has made his opposition to the health care bill a key point in the campaign's final stretch.

Republicans have hammered Quist with almost $5 million in ads, hitting him for property tax liens and unpaid debts. But Quist has shot back that his financial struggles stemmed from a botched gallbladder surgery over two decades ago, giving him a way to sympathize with people also struggling to afford health insurance and pay their medical bills.

Private GOP polls showed a close race earlier this week, with Gianforte believed to have a slim single-digit lead. But with the heavy volume of absentee ballots already returned, it's unclear how — or if — the recent charges against Gianforte will alter an already close race. And, given conservative opposition to the media, Gianforte's actions might actually win him some supporters, too.</s>BOZEMAN, Mont. - Thursday's nationally-watched election for Montana's sole congressional seat got a last-minute twist when the Republican candidate, Greg Gianforte, was charged with misdemeanour assault for grabbing a reporter by the neck and throwing him to the ground.

Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin made the announcement shortly before midnight Wednesday in a written statement, about six hours after the attack on reporter Ben Jacobs of The Guardian. Gianforte would face a maximum $500 fine or 6 months in jail if convicted. The statement added that Jacobs' injuries did not meet the legal definition of felony assault.

Gianforte was in a private office preparing for an interview with Fox News when Jacobs came in without permission, campaign spokesman Shane Scanlon said.

The Fox News crew watched in astonishment as, after Jacobs pressed him on the GOP health care bill, "Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him," Fox News reporter Alicia Acuna wrote in an article . She added that Gianforte then began to punch Jacobs.

In an audio recording posted by the Guardian, the reporter asks the congressional candidate about the GOP's health care bill, which was just evaluated hours earlier by the Congressional Budget Office.

"We'll talk to you about that later," Gianforte says on the recording, referring Jacobs to a spokesman.

When Jacobs says that there won't be time, Gianforte says "Just--" and there is a crashing sound. Gianforte yells, "The last guy who came here did the same thing," and a shaken-sounded Jacobs tells the candidate he just body-slammed him.

"Get the hell out of here," Gianforte says.

The incident is a last-minute curveball in Thursday's race, which was partly seen as a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency. The majority of voters were expected to have already cast ballots through early voting, and it was unclear how much of an effect the assault charge would have on the election results.

Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist, who declined to comment, are seeking to fill the state's seat in the U.S. House left vacant when Ryan Zinke resigned to join Trump's Cabinet as secretary of the Interior Department.

Gianforte, a wealthy businessman, lost a race against Montana's Democratic governor in November while Trump won the state by 20 points. In the congressional race, Gianforte has tried to tie himself to the president and been boosted by visits from Vice-President Mike Pence and Donald Trump, Jr.

Hours before Wednesday's assault, the Gianforte campaign sent out a last-minute fundraising appeal to its supporters, saying the outcome "will determine whether we pass Donald Trump's America First agenda or if the fake news media and the national Democrats will win, keeping Obama's reckless policies in place."

Democrats were hoping an upset would send a message to the GOP that Trump's souring approval ratings could damage their political fortunes even in deep red states.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced that it would launch as many Facebook ads as possible about the assault, targeting Montana Democrats who might not otherwise vote Thursday. The Committee called for Gianforte to quit the race and for the Republican Party to denounce him publicly.

Requests for comment went unanswered Wednesday night from House Speaker Paul Ryan and the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Scott Sales, the Republican president of Montana's state senate, unsuccessfully vied against Gianforte for his party's congressional nomination. On Wednesday evening, he said he could not understand why the scuffle took place.

"There's always two sides to a story, but this doesn't look good," Sales said. "It's not what you want to see happen on the eve of an election."

The Gianforte campaign Wednesday night released a statement blaming the incident on Jacobs. It contends he "aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg's face and began asking badgering questions" before being asked to leave.

Gianforte asked Jacobs to lower a phone that was being used as an audio recorder, then tried to grab it, the campaign said in a statement. Jacobs then grabbed Gianforte's wrist and both fell to the ground, Scanlon said.

The 45-second recording does not contain a request from Gianforte that Jacobs lower his phone. Acuna, the Fox News reporter, wrote that "at no point did any of us who witnessed this assault see Jacobs show any form of physical aggression toward Gianforte."

The sheriff's office said Gianforte has until June 7 to appear in court on the charge.

Federal records show that the sheriff donated $250 to Gianforte's congressional campaign in March. In his statement, Gootkin confirmed the donation but said, "This contribution has nothing to do with our investigation, which is now complete."

As a candidate, he has already had to apologize for his treatment of the press after an incident last month at a meeting of a Christian group where a man complained about reporters and said he wanted to "wring their necks."

Gianforte pointed out a reporter covering the meeting and said, "It seems like there is more of us than there is of him," according to the Helena Independent Record newspaper. He later said it was a joke and the reporter in the room laughed with everyone else.

The Guardian is a British liberal newspaper that opened a U.S. edition 10 years ago. Its U.S. editor, Lee Glendenning, said in a statement: "The Guardian is deeply appalled by how our reporter, Ben Jacobs, was treated in the course of doing his job as a journalist while reporting on the Montana special election. We are committed to holding power to account and we stand by Ben and our team of reporters for the questions they ask and the reporting that is produced."</s>The Republican candidate in Montana’s special congressional election allegedly body slammed a reporter and broke his glasses on Wednesday night, according to an audio recording of the event and eyewitness accounts.

The altercation, which took place at Greg Gianforte’s campaign headquarters in Bozeman, Montana, took place the night before the state’s special election.

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office said it was conducting an ongoing investigation into “allegations of an assault involving Greg Gianforte,” but didn’t provide further details.

Ben Jacobs, a political reporter for the Guardian, said he had been asking Gianforte about the Republican healthcare plan when the candidate “body slammed” him and began shouting, “Get the hell out of here.”

“He took me to the ground,” Jacobs told his paper. “This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me in reporting on politics.”

The audio file provided by Jacobs backs up his account of the incident.

However, Gianforte’s campaign blamed the altercation on Jacobs’ “aggressive behavior,” and offered a version of events at odds with the audio recording.

“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.”

Jacobs was transferred to the Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital where he underwent x-rays on his elbow, according to his account of the story.

Supporters of Democratic candidate Rob Quist outside an event at a brewery in Missoula were in disagreement about how much effect the Gianforte incident would have on the race.

“It’s close, I think, and this could definitely make a difference,” said Charley Carpenter, a Missoula resident. “It should make a difference.”

Todd Mowbrey, 67, interjected that it wouldn’t make any difference for diehard Republican voters.

In Montana, any resident can vote absentee leading to questions about how much of an impact the late incident will have on the results.

Quist himself said it was not his place to comment, and that he was just focused on the issues that are facing the people of Montana.

Gianforte, an engineer and businessman, is running against Quist for the state’s lone congressional seat, which was vacated by Republican Ryan Zinke upon his appointment to United States Secretary of the Interior.

Late last month, Jacobs reported that Gianforte had nearly $250,000 in shares in two index funds that had investments in Russian companies which were under U.S. sanctions.</s>Democrats wasted no time using Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte's alleged takedown of a journalist.

On Thursday morning, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee turned out targeted at Montana voters using a recording of Gianforte allegedly assaulting a political reporter the night before.

The ad dropped about 9 a.m., just hours after Gianforte was cited for misdemeanor assault for his reported "body slam" of Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs.

The ad starts with a banner headline of, "Must listen: Greg Gianforte violently assaults reporter," along with the onscreen instruction to "turn up your volume."

Under the graphics plays the sound of Gianforte allegedly roughing up Jacobs at a campaign volunteer BBQ. Jacobs claims Gianforte "body slammed" him and broke his glasses.

"This is the sound of Republican Congressional candidate Greg Gianforte violently assaulting a journalist," reads the text. "He body slammed him. The election is right now. Go. Vote. Against. Him. Vote for Rob Quist."

News of the altercation spread nationwide Wednesday night, casting more light on a Montana special election seen as an early test of Democratic efforts to unseat Republicans in the 2018 midterm elections. Polls show Gianforte has a single-digit lead over Democratic challenger Rob Quist in the Thursday contest. The winner fills the seat vacated by Ryan Zinke, now the Interior secretary.

Overnight, Gianforte lost two newspaper endorsements because of the incident, which was condemned by The Guardian.

The DCCC, the campaign arm for House Democrats, paid for the ad. The group also called on Gianforte to drop out of the race.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, a political committee for House Republicans, didn't immediately offer a response to the incident. Quist's campaign also chose not to comment.

In a statement, the Gianforte campaign said Jacobs first laid hands on the candidate after he "aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg's face, and began asking badgering questions."

"Greg then attempted to grab the phone that was pushed in his face," the statement said. "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."

Gianforte had agreed to an interview Thursday evening on MSNBC's Meet the Press Daily. He has since canceled the appearance.</s>Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate in a special election for Montana's seat in the House of Representatives, has been charged with assaulting a journalist.

And I'm Rachel Martin with more details about this tense moment last night at a campaign rally in Montana that turned violent. And now a candidate for Congress has been charged with assault. With us in the studio now, NPR congressional correspondent Geoff Bennett. Hi, Geoff.

MARTIN: So this is a special election happening in Montana today for this congressional seat, and it's the Republican candidate in this race who's been charged with assaulting a reporter. What more can you tell us about what happened?

BENNETT: So last night, Greg Gianforte, he's the Republican candidate in the Montana special congressional election, he allegedly body-slammed a reporter for The Guardian, a guy named Ben Jacobs. It happened at a campaign event. Jacobs posted audio of the incident. And as you listen, you can hear Gianforte just erupt as Jacobs tries to ask him for his reaction to the new Congressional Budget Office analysis of the Republican health care bill.

GREG GIANFORTE: He'll talk to you about that later.

BEN JACOBS: Yeah, but there's not going to be time. I'm just curious (unintelligible).

GIANFORTE: OK, speak with Shane, please.

GIANFORTE: Just - I'm sick and tired of you guys. The last guy that came in here, you did the same thing. Get the hell out of here.

MARTIN: Wow. That - that changed real quick, got very intense very quickly. Has Gianforte's campaign responded in any way to this? Have they given an explanation for their candidate's behavior?

BENNETT: Well, almost immediately after it happened, Gianforte's campaign put out a statement blaming Jacobs, accusing Jacobs of assaulting Gianforte. The campaign spokesman said that Jacobs grabbed Gianforte's wrist and spun away and that was how they both ended up on the ground. But the campaign's account is contradicted by the audio recording and by a statement provided by a Fox News TV crew that was in the room and saw this whole thing unfold firsthand. A Fox News reporter says she witnessed Gianforte grab Jacobs by the neck with both hands, slam him to the ground and after that, punch him.

MARTIN: Wow. So now Gianforte has been charged with assault. This happened on the eve of the vote. So the election's happening today. Is it likely to swing it in any direction?

BENNETT: Probably not. It certainly complicates things for Gianforte. Three - at least three major papers have rescinded their endorsements. But Montana has an early voting tradition, and most of the ballots, some two-thirds of the ballots, have already been submitted. But the reason, we should say, this race is getting so much attention, so much outside money, such, you know, high-profile surrogates on both sides, is that this is the first race with national implications since the House passed its health care bill. It's also in some ways viewed as a referendum on President Trump. So Republicans see a win in Montana as a way to push back against the prospect of a 2018 wave for Democrats.

MARTIN: And - which is why Ben Jacobs, a reporter for The Guardian newspaper, a British paper, was there in the first place.

BENNETT: That's right, and our own Don Gonyea. We've had reporters there as well covering this race because it is important, as we've said.

MARTIN: NPR's Geoff Bennett. He covers Congress for us. Thanks so much for being here, Geoff.</s>The Republican candidate in Montana's special congressional election allegedly body slammed a reporter and broke his glasses on Wednesday night, according to an audio recording of the event and eyewitness accounts.

The altercation, which took place at Greg Gianforte's campaign headquarters in Bozeman, Montana, took place the night before the state's special election.

The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office said it was conducting an ongoing investigation into "allegations of an assault involving Greg Gianforte," but didn't provide further details.

Ben Jacobs, a political reporter for the Guardian, said he had been asking Gianforte about the Republican healthcare plan when the candidate "body slammed" him and began shouting, "Get the hell out of here."

"He took me to the ground," Jacobs told his paper. "This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me in reporting on politics."

The audio file provided by Jacobs backs up his account of the incident.

However, Gianforte's campaign blamed the altercation on Jacobs' "aggressive behavior," and offered a version of events at odds with the audio recording.

"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."

Jacobs was transferred to the Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital where he underwent x-rays on his elbow, according to his account of the story.

Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin said four witnesses are being interviewed, in addition to Jacobs, in relation to the incident.

Gootkin said he wasn't sure of Gianforte's whereabouts. He said authorities are not releasing the identities of the other witnesses at this time.

The sheriff said detectives has been called in to investigate.

Gianforte's attorney, though not Gianforte himself, has been in contact with the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office, Gootkin said. The sheriff declined to elaborate on the conversation.

"If there is an assault then, yes, of course [bodyslamming] is a crime," Gootkin said. However, the sheriff said an investigation has to take place to get a clear picture of the incident.

"You can run into a million different type of situations where there's two sides to every story and if someone may have pushed someone or something like that, that is why law enforcement has to have as much evidence as possible before deciding to pull the county attorney in and request charges," Gootkin said.

Supporters of Democratic candidate Rob Quist outside an event at a brewery in Missoula were in disagreement about how much effect the Gianforte incident would have on the race.

"It's close, I think, and this could definitely make a difference," said Charley Carpenter, a Missoula resident. "It should make a difference."

Todd Mowbrey, 67, interjected that it wouldn't make any difference for diehard Republican voters.

In Montana, any resident can vote absentee leading to questions about how much of an impact the late incident will have on the results. Both Republicans and Democrats expect that 7 in 10 voters will have already voted before the polls open tomorrow.

Quist himself said it was not his place to comment, and that he was just focused on the issues that are facing the people of Montana.

Kate Gadbow, who supports Quist, said that she was alarmed by the alleged events, noting that it is "an indication of how he would act under pressure."

She said "the last thing we need is one more guy who flies off the handle."

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said in a statement following the incident that Gianforte should "immediately withdraw his candidacy after his alleged violent assault of an innocent journalist." It also called for House Speaker Paul Ryan to National Republican Campaign Committee to denounce the candidate and apologize.

Gianforte, an engineer and businessman, is running against Quist for the state's lone congressional seat, which was vacated by Republican Ryan Zinke upon his appointment to United States Secretary of the Interior.

Late last month, Jacobs reported that Gianforte had nearly $250,000 in shares in two index funds that had investments in Russian companies which were under U.S. sanctions.

- Lauren Fox and David Chalian contributed to this report</s>A reporter for The Guardian claims Greg Gianforte, the GOP congressional candidate in Montana's special election Thursday "body slammed" him so hard at a meet-and-greet in Bozeman, Montana, Wednesday that the candidate broke his glasses.

Guardian political reporter Ben Jacobs tweeted about the incident, which took place on the eve of Montana's special election to replace congressman-turned Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Montana has only one U.S. representative.

Audio of the alteracation reveals Jacobs asking a question about health care and the recently released Congressional Budget Office score, which Gianforte refuses to answer, saying, "Speak with Shane, please," likely a reference to his spokesperson, Shane Scanlon. Next, the sound is muffled by the ensuing altercation.

"I'm sick and tired of you guys!" a voice, seemingly belonging to Gianforte, yells. "The last guy that came here, you did the same thing. Get the hell out of here! Get the hell out of here!"



 Jacobs, who was treated by an ambulance, has filed a police report.



 Other reporters not in the room but on the scene, such as Buzzfeed's Alexis Levinson, also heard Gianforte's apparent outburst.

The Gianforte campaign released this statement on the incident:

"Tonight, as Greg (Gianforte) 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," Scanlon said in a statement. "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."
Voters in Montana pick between Republican Greg Gianforte and Democrat Rob Quist in the special congressional election to replace Ryan Zinke, who is now President Trump's Secretary of the Interior.