Right-to-life group drops endorsement of Nazi candidate in Butte House race

By Roberta Forsell Stauffer of the Montana Standard - 06/27/2006

Up until Monday afternoon, Right to Life of Montana had been endorsing Shawn Stuart, who’s running on the Republican ticket in Butte’s House District 76, but is also the Montana contact for the National Socialist Movement, described as “America’s Nazi Party” on its Web site.

Within hours after being questioned about the endorsement, the pro-life group deleted Stuart’s name from its on-line list of candidates whose views align with theirs.

“He should have never been endorsed,” said Gregg Trude, the Helena-based group’s executive director. “He slipped through the cracks.” Trude explained that endorsements are based on questionnaires the candidates fill out. In Stuart’s case, Trude said he had made a note to himself to call Stuart with follow-up questions before deciding on the endorsement, but he never did speak to him and somehow his name made it on to the list.

“His responses were questionable,” Trude said after taking a second look at Stuart’s questionnaire on Monday. “I will ask them to remove his name.” The Montana Human Rights Network alerted The Montana Standard to the endorsement in a press release calling for the group to withdraw its support.

“With all the media coverage, how could Right to Life of Montana not know that Stuart is a Nazi?” asked research director Travis McAdam. “By endorsing him, Right to Life facilitates Stuart’s attempt to tap into the political mainstream and present himself as a conservative Republican.” Stuart captured 151 votes in the June primary. He faces incumbent Democrat Jon Sesso who won his race against challenger Kevin Lowney by a vote of 991 to 362.

— Roberta Forsell Stauffer, The Montana Standard