Michael Charles Fellows (December 8, 1957 – September 19, 2016) was an American political activist and 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 made political history in 2012 by becoming the first Libertarian candidate ever to gather more than 40% of the vote in a partisan statewide race.[5]
Mike Fellows | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Charles Fellows December 8, 1957 Lewiston, Idaho, U.S. |
| Died | September 19, 2016 (aged 58) Missoula County, Montana, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Traffic collision |
| Political party | Libertarian |
| Occupation | Activist, politician |
Political
editFellows was the state chair of the Montana Libertarian Party.[6] He had an involvement with the party that went back to 1988.[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 secured a place for himself in political history by becoming the first Libertarian Party candidate to achieve passing the 40 percent vote mark in a partisan statewide race. He actually got 43 percent which amounted to 185,419 votes. This carried 27 of Montana's 56 counties in a two-way race for the Supreme Court clerk.[11][12] The race was against incumbent Democrat Ed Smith, who narrowly won.[13]
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.[14] 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.[15] He pulled 10,654 votes but Republican Zinke won.[16]
He was referred to in the Choteau Acantha by Dylan Chaffin as the real-life political version of the Energizer Bunny.[17] He was also referred to in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle as "Montana's 'godfather of third-party politics'".[18]
Political views and stances
editFellows 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.[19] In an article in the Sidney Herald, he was said to be about is all about the expansion of civil liberties the minimization of government. He was about allowing people to do what they wanted as long as they didn't infringe on the rights of others.[20]
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."[21]
On abortion, Fellows stated that while he was personally opposed to it, libertarians do not believe the government should be involved in such matters.[22][23]
About 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.[24]
Other organizations
editIn 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.[15]
Accident and death
editFellows 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.[25][26] Fellows was involved in a head-on automobile accident on Highway 200. He died at the accident scene. According to an investigation, Fellows had been traveling west while returning from Seeley Lake where he had attended a campaign function.[27] Apparently the Lexus that Fellows was driving had crossed the center line.[28]
References
edit- ^ "Michael Charles Fellows". Missoulian.com. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ Bureau, Charles S. Johnson Standard State. "Zinke, Lewis have final debate". Montana Standard.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Missoulian, October 1, 2014 U.S. House candidate Fellows seeks to balance budget, cut debt, protect gun rights By Charles S. Johnson
- ^ "The Associated Press – Hill, Deschamps Gearing Up for Final Two Months of Campaign The Associated Press September 8, 1998; Montana Democrats.org". MontanaDemocrats.org. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
- ^ NBC Montana, September 20, 2016 – Local Elections, Libertarian candidate Mike Fellows killed in car crash By: The Associated Press
- ^ The Montana Standard, November 04, 2014 Zinke tops Lewis, Fellows in race for open Montana seat in U.S. House Charles S. Johnson
- ^ The Washington Times, Tuesday September 20, 2016 – Libertarian candidate Mike Fellows killed in car crash by Matt Volz
- ^ Montana Democrats The Associated Press – Hill, Deschamps Gearing Up for Final Two Months of Campaign The Associated Press September 8, 1998
- ^ Roundup Record Trubune & Winnett Times, November 11, 1998 Republicans Win In County General Election Results
- ^ Roundup Record Tribune & Winnett Times, Wednesday, November 1, 2006 Page 1 Many Races Listed On The Election Ballot This Year
- ^ Lp.org, January 22, 2013 – Mike Fellows sets national LP record in MT, mulls another run for office
- ^ NBC Montana, September 20, 2016 – Local Elections, Libertarian candidate Mike Fellows killed in car crash By: The Associated Press
- ^ The Libertarian Republic, September 20, 2016 – Libertarian & “Godfather of Third-Party Politics” Passes Away at Age 59 – Josh Guckert
- ^ The Washington Times, Sunday, October 26, 2014 by Lisa Baumann Associated Press
- ^ a b Missoulian, October 01, 2014 U.S. House candidate Fellows seeks to balance budget, cut debt, protect gun rights By Charles S. Johnson
- ^ The Montana Standard, November 05, 2014 Southwest Montana 2014 Election Scorecard
- ^ Choteau Acantha, Oct 8, 2014 – U.S. House – Mike Fellows By Dylan Chaffin
- ^ Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Sep 20, 2016 – Montana’s ‘godfather of third-party politics’ dead at 59 by Troy Carter
- ^ Billings Gazette, October 04, 2010 House Race, House candidate critical of health reform Charles S. Johnson Gazette State Bureau
- ^ Sidney Herald, Nov 2, 2008 – Third-party candidates in Montana offer a different view By Chris D’Angelo and Matt McLeod
- ^ The Montana Standard, October 21, 2014 Zinke, Lewis have final debate Charles S. Johnson – National Security and Middle East
- ^ The Daily Inter Lake, Wednesday, October 22, 2014 U.S. House candidates meet in final debate
- ^ The Montana Standard, October 21, 2014 Zinke, Lewis have final debate Charles S. Johnson – Abortion
- ^ 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
- ^ Erickson, David; Briggeman, Kim (September 20, 2016). "Highway 200 crash kills Libertarian congressional candidate Mike Fellows". Missoulian. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
- ^ 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.
- ^ ABC Fox Montana, Sep 21, 2016 – Libertarian candidate for congress dies in highway crash By Cassidy Belus
- ^ KRTV, September 20, 2016 – Libertarian candidate killed in Blackfoot Valley crash