A candidate for the Constitution Party’s presidential nomination came home to Montana last week, bringing a message of limited government and Christian values to the Flathead Valley, where his parents reside.

J.R. Myers, 52, is a behavioral health and chemical dependency counselor for the Kenaitze Indian Tribe in Alaska and also is that state’s Constitution Party chairman.

“I consider it to be a centrist party, in that we are based upon the Constitution, which I consider to be the central document for all government here,” he said. “When you follow the Constitution, it gives you a different perspective.”

A fifth-generation Montanan, Myers grew up in Great Falls, where he said he began his political career after graduating early from high school and running for the school board. He said he went on to chair the Montana Libertarian and Reform parties before moving to Alaska.

In 2014 he ran for Alaska governor, receiving 2.5 percent of the vote — more than the margin between the top two vote-getters for the seat. This year, he feels he’s ready for the national stage.

“Whether I’m elected or not, I think I will influence the election and influence the debate,” he said. “You can see, as evidenced by the gubernatorial election in Alaska, that we are moving away from majority victories and we are moving into the era of plurality victories.”

Last year, independent candidate Bill Walker won the state’s governor race with 48.1 percent of the vote, unseating incumbent Republican Sean Parnell, who received 45.9 percent. Libertarian Carolyn Clift received 3.2 percent.

If elected president, Myers said one of his first moves would be to repeal most of President Obama’s executive orders, which he said are “not constitutionally warranted or substantiated.”

Many of his stances reflect his libertarian leanings: He favors repealing the federal income tax, dismantling the Internal Revenue Service, keeping the government out of marriage altogether and ending federal drug prohibition.

“The war on drugs has been an abject failure and has led to encroachment on our civil liberties,” he said of the latter. “It was never authorized by an amendment to the Constitution as alcohol prohibition was.”

However, he says he split with the Libertarian Party over its “pro-abortion and anti-God” positions. And regarding what has emerged as a major issue in the Montana, he said does not believe that unlimited corporate contributions are supported under free speech.

“Our human rights come from God, corporations are creatures of man, and thus they are inferior and do not have the same inherent rights,” he said. “By giving human rights to corporations, you’re diminishing the rights of humanity.”

On foreign policy, Myers believes the United States needs to take a more aggressive stance against Russia, particularly since that country has been bolstering its military and economic presence in the Arctic.

But he objected to Obama’s controversial use of unmanned drone strikes on U.S. citizens suspected of being terrorists.

“I’m not against using drones in military maneuvers, but I don’t want any American citizens to be subject to arbitrary execution by the executive branch without due process,” he said.

Echoing what has become a cornerstone of Republican policy during the run-up to the 2016 primaries, Myers said he would take a tough stance on immigration: stricter border controls, mass deportations and a crackdown on “sanctuary cities.”

Myers said he believes the laws are stacked against opposition parties in the U.S., and he said the system provides built-in “special protections” for the county’s two main political parties.

Despite the obstacles inherent in a third-party candidacy, he considers himself a serious candidate for the presidency.

“No one can predict the future. I believe God chooses who rises and falls as leaders of nations,” he said. “I think anything’s possible. I like to think of David and Goliath.”

Reporter Samuel Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.