'I think he lost his damn mind': CNN commentator blasts GOP candidate after 'body-slamming' incident

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(Ana NavarroCNN)

CNN political commentator Ana Navarro reacted with disbelief Wednesday evening after a reporter said he had been "body-slammed" by Montana Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte.

"I think he lost his damn mind," Navarro said of Gianforte on CNN. "I think voters need to pay attention."

"I've heard about closing a campaign with a bang, but this was crazy," she added. "And his statement post-facto was even crazier."

The altercation between Gianforte and Ben Jacobs, a reporter with The Guardian, took place at Gianforte's campaign headquarters in Bozeman, Montana, one day before residents head to the polls for the special election.

According to accounts of the incident, including a detailed retelling from three Fox News reporters who witnessed it, Jacobs had asked Gianforte a question on the recent Congressional Budget Office report on the American Health Care Act before he was slammed to the ground. An audio recording of the incident also revealed what appeared to be Gianforte's voice saying, "Get the hell out of here" after the scuffle.

"There is an audio tape that is very damning evidence, there are also eyewitnesses that were there," Navarro said. "There is no cover-up that's possible."

Navarro continued: "You see in this country, we believe in freedom of expression, we believe in freedom of the press and we ask questions of our elected officials. Constituents are going to get into his face and ask pointed aggressive questions and demand answers — that is what we do in a free country with our elected officials."

Navarro concluded her segment with a terse statement: "I don't know if he's going to end up going to Congress — I do think he should end up going to anger management at the very least."

Watch Navarro's comments below:

.@ananavarro on GOP candidate who allegedly body slammed reporter: He needs "anger management at the very least" https://t.co/sUVexmpIAo

— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) May 25, 2017

NOW WATCH: Listen to audio of a GOP candidate from Montana allegedly 'body slamming' a reporter

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