BILLINGS – The first poll in Montana’s U.S. House race showed incumbent Republican Greg Gianforte trailing Democratic challenger Kathleen Williams by 6 points.
Gravis Marketing, a nonpartisan research firm, conducted a random survey of 469 likely voters across Montana from June 11 through June 13.
In the House race, 49 percent polled favored Williams, a state lawmaker from Bozeman, while tech entrepreneur Gianforte was favored by 43 percent of those polled.
Eight percent were uncertain.
Gianforte is running in his first re-election campaign after winning a special election last May for the seat vacated by U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.
The Gravis poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percent.
Pollsters also asked voters whom they would favor if the election for U.S. Senate were held today.
For that race, incumbent Democrat Jon Tester was favored by 51 percent, while GOP challenger Matt Rosendale was favored by 44 percent of those polled.
Five percent were uncertain.
Of those polled, 51 percent were female, compared to 49 percent male.
The poll did not include Green Party of Libertarian candidates.
