Ryan Zinke wins GOP nod in race for new Montana House seat

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has won an unexpectedly tight race to become the Republican nominee in the race for a new U.S. House seat representing western Montana. His victory Thursday comes after one Montana county spent days hand-counting ballots because of a ballot printing error. Zinke was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and was a favorite for the newly created seat since he twice won elections for the state’s other House seat before stepping down in 2017 to serve in Trump’s Cabinet. Attacks painting him as too liberal boosted hardline conservative and former state Sen. Al “Doc” Olszewski.