Mike Fellows (politician)

For other people with the same name, see Mike Fellows.
Mike Fellows
Personal details
Born Michael Charles Fellows
(1957-12-08)December 8, 1957
Lewiston, Idaho
Died September 19, 2016(2016-09-19) (aged 58)
Missoula County, Montana
Cause of death Car Crash
Nationality American
Political party Libertarian
Occupation Activist, politician

Michael Charles "'Mike" Fellows (December 8, 1957 – September 19, 2016) was a politician and former Army reservist.[1] He was also a state coordinator for the Montana Fully Informed Jury Association.[2][3] In the 1990s he issued a press release calling for the impeachment of Bill Clinton.[4]

Fellows died at the age of 58 in a car crash near Potomac in Missoula County, Montana on September 19, 2016, following a campaign event in Seeley Lake.[5][6]

Political

Fellows was the state chair of the Montana Libertarian Party.[7] In 1998 he was in the race for Montana's lone U.S. house seat with Democrat Robert "Dusty" Deschamps, Reform Party candidate Webb Sullivan and Republican freshman Rick Hill with Hill ending up the winner.[8][9] In 2006 he was in the race, running against Republican Denny Rehberg and Democrat Monica Lindeen.[10]

In 2012, he became the first Libertarian Party candidate in the party's history to achieve 40 percent in a partisan statewide race.[11]

In November 2014 he was in the race for Montana’s U.S. House seat. He ran against Democrat John Lewis and Republican Ryan Zinke.[12] The three reasons he gave for running were to try to protect Second Amendment gun rights, balance the federal budget and reduction of the federal debt.[13] He pulled 10,654 votes but Republican Zinke won.[14]

Political views and stances

Privacy and liberties

In 2010, Fellows advocated for the repeal of the 2001 Patriot Act, which was passed by the government in the wake of 9/11. He was critical of the law for violating constitutional provisions, pointing out unreasonable searches and seizures.[15]

Iraq and Middle East

Fellows was opposed to sending more ground troops to the Middle East. He once commented, ... "We’re just going to keep at this thing, losing lives and spending money." [16]

Abortion

On the topic of abortion, Fellows stated that while he was personally opposed to it, libertarians do not believe the government should be involved in such matters.[17][18]

Ballot access

In relation to a bill that would banish third parties from the ballot, Fellows suggested that Republicans didn't believe in free market as they were trying to use the forces of government to their ends.[19]

Other organizations

In addition to the Montana Fully Informed Jury Association, Fellows was a trustee for American Legion Post 27 and on the board of Missoula Community Access Television.[20]

References

  1. ↑ http://missoulian.com/news/local/obituaries/michael-charles-fellows/article_e12dcdbc-9dba-5d2c-9757-784e31fa4c11.html
  2. ↑ The Montana Standard October 21, 2014 Zinke, Lewis have final debate Charles S. Johnson
  3. ↑ Missoulian October 01, 2014 U.S. House candidate Fellows seeks to balance budget, cut debt, protect gun rights By Charles S. Johnson
  4. ↑ Montana Democrats The Associated Press - Hill, Deschamps Gearing Up for Final Two Months of Campaign The Associated Press September 8, 1998
  5. ↑ Erickson, David; Briggeman, Kim (September 20, 2016). "Highway 200 crash kills Libertarian congressional candidate Mike Fellows". Missoulian. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  6. ↑ Welch, Matt (September 20, 2016). "Montana Libertarian Party Chair and Congressional Candidate Mike Fellows Dies in a Car Crash at Age 59". Reason.com. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  7. ↑ The Montana Standard November 04, 2014 Zinke tops Lewis, Fellows in race for open Montana seat in U.S. House Charles S. Johnson
  8. ↑ Montana Democrats The Associated Press - Hill, Deschamps Gearing Up for Final Two Months of Campaign The Associated Press September 8, 1998
  9. ↑ Roundup Record Trubune & Winnett Times November 11, 1998 Republicans Win In County General Election Results
  10. ↑ Roundup Record Tribune & Winnett Times Wednesday November 1, 2006 Page 1 Many Races Listed On The Election Ballot This Year
  11. ↑ The Libertarian Party Staffs Blog Jan 22, 2013 Blogs Mike Fellows sets national LP record in MT, mulls another run for office
  12. ↑ The Washington Times Sunday, October 26, 2014 by Lisa Baumann Associated Press
  13. ↑ Missoulian October 01, 2014 U.S. House candidate Fellows seeks to balance budget, cut debt, protect gun rights By Charles S. Johnson
  14. ↑ The Montana Standard November 05, 2014 Southwest Montana 2014 Election Scorecard
  15. ↑ Billings Gazette October 04, 2010 House Race, House candidate critical of health reform Charles S. Johnson Gazette State Bureau
  16. ↑ The Montana Standard October 21, 2014 Zinke, Lewis have final debate Charles S. Johnson - National Security and Middle East
  17. ↑ The Daily Inter Lake Wednesday, October 22, 2014 U.S. House candidates meet in final debate
  18. ↑ The Montana Standard October 21, 2014 Zinke, Lewis have final debate Charles S. Johnson - Abortion
  19. ↑ High Country News Feb. 17, 2014 How political extremism and primary reforms limit choices for Western voters 'Top-two' primary systems banish third parties from the ballot. Sarah Jane Keller
  20. ↑ Missoulian October 01, 2014 U.S. House candidate Fellows seeks to balance budget, cut debt, protect gun rights By Charles S. Johnson
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