{{short description|American politician from West Virginia|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Mike Folk |state_delegate = West Virginia |district = 63rd |term_start = January 12, 2013 |term_end = January 9, 2019 |predecessor = District established |successor = John Hardy |birth_name = Michael Craig Folk |birth_date = |birth_place = Martinsburg, West Virginia, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |spouse = Stella Folk |education = Shepherd University (BS)<br/>West Virginia University (MBA) |website = {{URL|folk4wv.com|Campaign website}} }} '''Michael Craig Folk'''<ref name="PVS">{{cite web |url= http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/135453 |title= Michael Folk's Biography |publisher= Project Vote Smart |accessdate= March 24, 2014}}</ref> (born in Martinsburg, West Virginia) is an American politician. A Republican, he was formerly a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing District 63.<ref name="WVL">{{cite web |url= http://www.legis.state.wv.us/House/lawmaker.cfm?member=Delegate%20Folk |title= Michael Folk |publisher= West Virginia Legislature |location= Charleston, West Virginia |accessdate= March 24, 2014}}</ref>
==Education== Folk is a graduate of Hedgesville High School. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Shepherd College (now Shepherd University) and his master of business administration from West Virginia University.<ref name="gov2020">{{cite web | author =Breanna Francis | title =Folk announces run for governor's seat | website =The Journal | date =February 6, 2019 | url =https://www.journal-news.net/journal-news/folk-announces-run-for-governor-s-seat/article_366cb64b-b3c9-5f97-abb5-0df7120c05e3.html | accessdate = February 6, 2019}}</ref>
==Elections== *2012: Folk ran in the May 8, 2012, Republican primary and won by 17 votes with 485 votes (51.4%),<ref>{{cite web |url= http://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/results/results.aspx?year=2012&eid=8&county=Statewide |title= Statewide Results Primary Election May 8, 2012 Official Results |publisher= Secretary of State of West Virginia |location= Charleston, West Virginia |accessdate= March 24, 2014}}</ref> and won the November 6, 2012 general election with 3,096 votes (51.2%) against Democratic nominee Donn Marshall,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://apps.sos.wv.gov/elections/results/results.aspx?year=2012&eid=13&county=Statewide |title= Statewide Results General Election November 6, 2012 Official Results |publisher= Secretary of State of West Virginia |location= Charleston, West Virginia |accessdate= March 24, 2014}}</ref> who had run for a seat in 2010. *2014: Folk won re-election to the 63rd District, defeating Heather Marshall — wife of his 2012 opponent<ref>{{cite web | author =John McVey | title =Heather Marshall named to replace husband in state delegate race | website =The Journal | date =April 24, 2014 | url =http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/608354/Heather-Marshall-named-to-replace-husband-in-state-delegate-race.html | accessdate = February 19, 2015}}</ref> — by receiving 60.99% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web | author =Chelsea DeMello | title =Folk holds off Marshall | website =The Journal | date =November 5, 2014 | url =http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/621456/Folk-holds-off-Marshall.html | accessdate = February 19, 2015}}</ref> *2016: Folk won a third term in the House by defeating Democratic challenger Kenneth Lemaster, receiving 58.5% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web | author =Matt Dellinger | title =Folk wins re-election in 63rd district | website =The Journal | date =November 9, 2016 | url =http://www.journal-news.net/news/local-news/2016/11/folk-wins-re-election-in-63rd-district/ | accessdate = December 15, 2016}}</ref> *2018: Folk sought election to West Virginia's 16th Senate district, but was defeated by incumbent John Unger.<ref>{{cite web | author =Matthew Umstead | title =Unger edges Folk in 16th District senate race | website =The Herald-Mail | date =November 7, 2018 | url =https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/tri_state/west_virginia/unger-edges-folk-in-th-district-senate-race/article_1f2769e0-7599-59da-aa93-e5f1c0a03394.html | accessdate = February 6, 2019}}</ref>
==Candidacy for Governor== On February 5, 2019, Folk announced he would challenge West Virginia Governor Jim Justice in the state's 2020 primary elections.<ref name="gov2020"/>
==Controversy== On July 15, 2016, Folk tweeted that Hillary Clinton should be "hung on the Mall in Washington, DC" in response to her email controversy.<ref>{{cite web | author =Emily Daniels | title =Folk tweet saying Clinton should be hanged draws criticism | website =The Journal | date =July 16, 2016 | url =http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/661451/Folk-tweet-saying-Clinton-should-be-hanged-draws-criticism.html | accessdate =July 17, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title =W.Va. lawmaker: Hillary Clinton should be "hung" on National Mall | website =CBS News | date =July 16, 2016 | url =http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-folk-west-virginia-lawmaker-hillary-clinton-should-be-hung/ | accessdate =July 17, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Lori Kersey| title =WV delegate calls for Clinton to be executed | website =Charleston Gazette-Mail | date =July 16, 2016 | url =http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news-politics/20160716/wv-delegate-calls-for-clinton-to-be-executed | accessdate =July 17, 2016}}</ref> He later stated that he regretted the comment, but reiterated his belief that Clinton should be tried for treason.<ref>{{cite web | author=Eugene Scott | title =GOP lawmaker regrets calling for Clinton to be hanged | website =CNN | date =July 16, 2016 | url =http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/16/politics/hillary-clinton-republican-delegate-hung/ | accessdate =July 17, 2016}}</ref> Two days later, Folk was suspended from his job as a pilot for United Airlines over the comment.<ref>{{cite web | title =United says it removes Folk from flying during investigation into comment | website =The Journal | date =July 17, 2016 | url =http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/661519/United-says-it-removes-Folk-from-flying-during-investigation-into-comment.html | accessdate =July 18, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title =UPDATE: United Airways Suspends Delegate Over Violent Tweet | website =WOWK-TV | date =July 17, 2016 | url =https://www.wowktv.com/archives/update-united-airways-suspends-delegate-over-violent-tweet/839153761 | accessdate =February 6, 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[http://www.legis.state.wv.us/House/lawmaker.cfm?member=Delegate%20Folk Official page] at the West Virginia Legislature *[http://folk4wv.com/ Campaign site] * [http://votesmart.org/candidate/135453/michael-folk#.V5ADLZOANBc] Profile on Project VoteSmart *[http://ballotpedia.org/Michael_Folk Michael Folk] at Ballotpedia *[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/uniquecandidate.phtml?uc=1416944 Michael (Mike) Folk] at the National Institute on Money in State Politics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Folk, Michael}} Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the West Virginia House of Delegates Category:Politicians from Martinsburg, West Virginia Category:Shepherd University alumni Category:West Virginia University alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States elections Category:21st-century members of the West Virginia Legislature Category:People from Hedgesville, West Virginia
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