After Attending A Superspreader Concert, Montana GOP Candidate Greg Gianforte Refuses To Take COVID-19 Test

Montana GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte, who has railed against mask mandates and science-based policies during the pandemic, attended a concert on October 3rd that local health officials are warning could become a super-spreader event. Gianforte appeared maskless at the event, which violated local health guidelines. Several cases of coronavirus have already been linked to the concert and health officials are warning all concert attendees to closely monitor themselves for symptoms.

Last week, a group of more than 100 health professionals wrote an open letter to Gianforte urging him to stop his reckless behavior and “start taking this pandemic seriously.” It’s clear he doesn’t plan to heed their advice.

Democratic candidate Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney has called on Gianforte to cancel all in-person campaign events until he tests negative for COVID-19 – so far, Gianforte has refused. Since Gianforte arrived at last week’s gubernatorial debate without a mask, Cooney had suspended his own campaign events while he awaited his own test results which came back negative. 

Gianforte’s pseudoscience beliefs would put Montanans at risk if he were governor. Gianforte has touted “herd immunity” as an effective approach for combating the COVID-19 pandemic – a strategy which could cost at least one million American lives and has been debunked by public health experts. He has also voiced opposition to mask mandates and refuses to wear one in public. Recently, Gianforte went maskless during a campaign event in Helena and hugged his supporters.

“Greg Gianforte is a public health hazard, and his reckless behavior is endangering Montanans,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “If Gianforte cared at all about potentially exposing others, he would cancel his in-person events until he tests negative for the virus.”