Montana U.S. House candidate and former Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke, left, speaks with patrons at Metals Sports Bar and Grill, May 13, 2022, in Butte, Mont. Zinke is seeking election to a newly created U.S. House district and has been criticized by some fellow Republicans in the GOP primary for not being conservative enough. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
BUTTE, Mont. (AP) — When Republican Ryan Zinke first ran for Congress, the former Navy SEAL faced false accusations amplified by Democrats that his military career had ended in disgrace.