It was one year ago that “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day posted its first profile of Greg Gianforte, the man running to challenge Gov. Steve Bullock for the right to become the next Governor of Montana. Democrats in Montana started celebrating back in April when they Gianforte hits “next-level” in his commitment to ignorance, having started Christian ministries that have bankrolled millions of dollars toward the construction of a the 20,000 square foot Dinosaur and Fossil Museum in Glendive, Montana, that asserts to its patrons that the Earth is only 6,000 years old, and there’s no way the skeletal remains of dinosaurs on display are millions of years old, as scientific carbon-dating technology would have you believe. No, the curators assure people passing through that the fossils are but 4,300 years old (which would mean dinosaurs roamed the Earth around the time of the pharoahs) and that there’s no proof of evolution, whatsoever. Okay, maybe trying to willfully spread ignorance of science when you’re motivated by your faith on that subject doesn’t seem like it would be the most harmful thing, even in this day and age… it’s not like Greg Gianforte’s deeply held faiths are motivating him into any stupid policy decisions? Well, actually… he and his wife apparently lobbied the city of Bozeman, Montana to try and pass a city ordinance based on Indiana’s “religious freedom” laws that made it legal for Christians businesses to discriminate against the LGBT community. Gianforte is apparently dedicated enough to opposing LGBT rights that he also bankrolled the legal defense of Colorado baker Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakes, who wanted to refuse service to gay patrons (Phillips lost, of course), and further applauds Phillips for not opening his bakery on Halloween because “Christians should not promote Halloween”. If these bizarre policy calls based on his faith weren’t already troubling, there’s Greg Gianforte’s opinion on Social Security… we shouldn’t have it because he thinks “the concept of retirement is not biblical”, citing the fact that Noah built the Ark at the totally believable age of 600.
Gianforte has been mostly quiet over the past year, but is making a last ditch run at winning over Montana voters, in spite of being fanatically insane. Let’s see… is he trying to gin up fears over Syrian refugees? Yes. (And for the record, you know a Republican’s political ad is full of lies when even the local FOX News affiliate calls it “misleading”.) How about misrepresenting the record of their Democratic opponent on gun rights? Check. (Gov. Bullock has actually EXPANDED gun rights in Montana as governor.)
Gianforte got absolutely trounced by Bullock in their debate, showing little understanding of the law in many instances, and providing only tired and cliche Republican talking points devoid of facts. Bullock is actually quite popular in Montana, and most experts have named him the undeniable favorite to win re-election. And that was before Gianforte’s support of Donald Trump became a further hindrance to any possible victory he might be hoping for, as the Christian computer scientist who hates science decided to stick by Trump, even after he boasted about getting away with sexually assaulting women.
So, suffice to say, the Bullock campaign might want to stock up on champagne for the night of November 8th.