GOP holds onto Montana seat, yet both parties optimistic

Greg Gianforte celebrates his win over Rob Quist for the open congressional seat at the Hilton Garden Inn, Thursday night, May 25, 2017, in Bozeman, Mont. The Republican multimillionaire Gianforte won Montana’s only U.S. House seat on Thursday despite being charged a day earlier with assault after witnesses said he grabbed a reporter by the neck and threw him to the ground. After being declared the winner, Gianforte apologized both to Jacobs and to the Fox News crew for having to witness the attack. (Rachel Leathe/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Both political parties are finding cause for optimism in a House race in Montana won by a Republican who faced last-minute assault charges.

Looking ahead to next year’s midterm elections, Democratic strategists said Friday that forcing Republicans to spend millions for a narrow win in a conservative state amounted to a victory itself.

The final unofficial tally in Thursday’s election showed wealthy Republican businessman Greg Gianforte with 50.2 percent of the vote, compared to Democratic musician Rob Quist with 44.1 percent.

Republicans say they employed a successful strategy in defining the Democratic candidate early and following through until Election Day.

They argued that gives them renewed cause for optimism approaching two other special elections next month in Georgia and South Carolina.