Candidate withdraws from statewide race

Chuck Baldwin announced Monday that he has withdrawn as Montana Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Fanning's running mate because "it is more than obvious to me that this campaign has no chance of being successful in the primary elections."

Baldwin, an author, radio host and Baptist minister who lives in the Flathead Valley, said he entered the race as a lieutenant governor candidate last November with certain expectations.

He said in a press release that "in order to be competitive, there were certain criteria that had to be met. I knew our campaign had to raise a sizable sum of money; and I knew that we had to put together a quality campaign organization. Since making our announcement back in November, this campaign has accomplished neither task."

Recent finance reports show the campaign has just $1,000 in the bank.

On Jan. 25, Flathead resident Ed Berry resigned as the Fanning-Baldwin campaign manager because he could "no longer support Bob Fanning although I strongly support Chuck Baldwin."

Fanning, a businessman who lives in the Paradise Valley, responded to only one of several questions that were sent to him by e-mail: "Of course I plan to stay in the gubernatorial race."

However, Fanning has yet to officially file as a candidate with the Secretary of State's Office.

Four Republican gubernatorial candidates with running mates have filed so far - Rick Hill and Jon Sonju; Neil Livingstone and Ryan Zinke; Ken Miller and Bill Gallagher; and Corey Stapleton and Bob Keenan.

Sonju, Zinke and Keenan all are from the Flathead Valley.

In his withdrawal announcement, Baldwin went on to say that he did not want to disappoint his supporters.

"People who believe in a political campaign enough to invest their time and hard-earned money in it have a right to expect that the candidates they support can deliver a successful campaign," he wrote.

Baldwin in 2008 was the Constitution Party's candidate for president, except in Montana where the state party nominated Ron Paul. The Baptist minister moved to the Flathead Valley in 2010 and soon after announced an interest in state politics.