Montana officials offer reactions to Biden-Harris win
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines spoke to Lincoln County residents during a Nov. 1 rally. Republican candidates up and down the ballot converged on Libby in a final effort to raise support before Election Day.
Will Langhorne/The Western News
Montana’s U.S. senators offered starkly different reactions to announcements Saturday that former Vice President Joe Biden had won the presidential election.
On Twitter, Democratic Sen. Jon Tester congratulated Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris on their “momentous victory” and said he looks forward to “working with them to move this country forward.”
“We must come together and focus on what connects us, not what divides us,” Tester wrote.
Republican Sen. Steve Daines, whose campaign on Thursday sent a text to supporters alleging that the “Dems are stealing the election,” did not immediately recognize Biden as the president- elect.
“There’s still ballots being counted, and there are still legal challenges being considered. It’s not settled yet,” Katie Schoettler, a spokeswoman for Daines’ campaign, said in an email Saturday afternoon. “If we want [the]
public to be confident in the outcome we need to make sure the process is completed and all legal votes counted.”
Montana’s Republican Secretary of State Corey Stapleton posted on Twitter a statement of support for Trump, but said Biden had won the election.
“I have supported you, Mr. President, we (Montana) have supported you — and [President Trump] accomplished some incredible things during your time in office,” Stapleton posted. “But that time is now over. Tip your hat, bite your lip, and congratulate [Joe Biden].”
Meanwhile, Montana’s Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock, who lost his bid for Daines’ Senate seat, also congratulated Biden and Harris, and called for unity.
“At a time when our country is deeply divided, we must remember all we have in common as Americans, and that together, we
can work toward a future of healing and of prosperity,” Bullock said in a tweet.
There was no immediate response from Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, who defeated Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney in Montana’s gubernatorial race, or from Republican Montana Auditor Matt Rosendale, who beat Democrat Kathleen Williams to win Gianforte’s seat in the House.