Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte Wins Montana Governor鈥檚 Race on Record of Supporting School Choice; Public Education Advocates Worry About Support for Private Schools
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2020鈥檚 KEY EDUCATION VOTES:聽See our full coverage of聽the 46 races that could reshape America鈥檚 schools聽following Election聽Day 鈥� and get the latest updates on state policies and students鈥� challenges during the pandemic by signing up for聽The 74 Newsletter.
Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte defeated Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney in the bid for Montana governor Tuesday night 鈥斅燼 win many advocates fear threatens public schools due to Gianforte鈥檚 past record promoting private education.
Gianforte, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, had of the vote as of Wednesday morning, with most precincts reporting. Cooney had 43.1 percent.
Pre-Election Day, Montana鈥檚 governor鈥檚 race was considered of 11 state races. Gianforte will be the state鈥檚 first Republican governor in 16 years, giving Republicans control in both branches of the state legislature along with the governor鈥檚 mansion.
鈥淚t鈥檚 time for Helena [the state capital] to change the way they do business,鈥� Gianforte said Tuesday night.
Cooney appeared the public schools candidate during the campaign, the education system the 鈥渂ackbone of our economy鈥� and promoting ideas like publicly funded pre-kindergarten. Gianfortehas said his focus would also be on public schools because that鈥檚 where the 鈥渧ast majority鈥� of the state鈥檚 students are 鈥斅燼bout .
Public school teachers, , 鈥渘eed to be paid more, particularly our starting teachers.鈥� Montana has offered among the lowest starting salaries nationwide.
But many advocates are wary that Gianforte鈥檚 past statements and actions prove he鈥檚 intent on expanding school choice.
One of the wealthiest members in Congress, Gianforte has private school scholarships and into a Montana group that promotes conservative values, religious freedom and school choice. His campaign platform also included property taxes, which help fund Montana鈥檚 public schools.
The Montana Federation of Public Employees, which represents the state鈥檚 public school educators, to condemn his candidacy 鈥斅爏omething newly instated president Amanda Curtis was never done before.
鈥淗e, I believe, will eliminate this union and privatize Montana education,鈥� she said.
Gianforte鈥檚 campaign called the claim 鈥渁 conspiracy theory.鈥�
2020’s KEY EDUCATION VOTES:聽See our full coverage of聽the 46 races that could reshape America’s schools聽following Election聽Day 鈥� and get the latest updates on state policies and students’ challenges during the pandemic by signing up for聽The 74 Newsletter.听
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Taylor Swaak is a correspondent at The 74, focused on the coronavirus pandemic, its impact on student learning, and how the Washington, D.C. region is approaching the many urgent challenges caused by the public health emergency.
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