Dozens of elected Democrats and Republicans switching to Libertarian Party.
The toxic tribal warfare between Democrats and Republicans is benefiting the Libertarian Party in two ways. First, candidates for office who actually want to fix the problems caused by government are running as Libertarians — and winning.
Two county commissioners, Joshua Beal and Erika Ebel, and Mayor Stephen Chambers were all Libertarian Party candidates elected in Tennessee on Aug. 2. They join the 174 Libertarians holding elected office nationwide.
Meanwhile, serious public servants who were originally elected as Republicans or Democrats, are switching to the Libertarian Party in increasing numbers.
If the thorough drubbing suffered by @AP4Liberty in the recent Missouri election is any indication, leaving the Libertarian Party to get elected doesn’t work so well.
Although Petersen had placed second in the nomination for the @LPNational presidential candidate in 2016, after @GovGaryJohnson, he later switched to the @GOP in order to run for a U.S. Senate seat in Missouri. He placed third in the R primary, with only 8.3% of the vote.
Following is a partial list of sitting officeholders who have recently switch from the Republican or Democratic parties to the Libertarian Party.
New Mexico Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, Jr. switched from Republican to Libertarian last January, becoming the first statewide Libertarian Party officeholder. Dunn’s father served as a senator in the New Mexico legislature as a Democrat from 1965–1980.
Dunn considered running for U.S. Senate as a Libertarian this year, but stepped aside to make way for former Libertarian Party presidential candidate and former two-term New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson to make that run instead.
Nebraska state @SenLauraEbke was elected as an R in 14. In 16, she switched to @LPNational. “I got frustrated with some of my colleagues who don’t recognize civil liberties and don’t seem to agree with getting government out of people’s business,” she told the Omaha World-Herald.
As an L legislator, Ebke was able to pass tri-partisan reform of the state’s onerous occupational licensing laws & bring new opportunity to Nebraskans. In June’s top-two primary, she advanced to the general in Nov despite the concerted opposition of the vengeful @GOP.
Three New Hampshire state representatives, a Democrat and two Republican, all made the switch to the Libertarian Party.
@JosephStallcop elected in 16 after running unopposed as a D the NH HD4. In 17, he announced his switch to @LPNational in a speech @ the NH State House. He said that his views as a classical liberal & civil libertarian meshed more closely with @LPNational than with @TheDemocrats.
@RepBPhinneyNH did not run unopposed. Campaigning in 16 as an R in the NH House 24th District, he beat his D opponent by only 116 votes. In 17, he switched to @LPNational, "I was not elected to do the bidding of a political party at the expense of my principles,” he said.
“Establishment partisan politics do nothing to protect the rights of people, but instead only serve to prop up and expand government with arcane plans to irresponsibly spend our money and enact burdensome regulations on businesses, small and large alike.” - @RepBPhinneyNH
@cqdyer was elected in 16 as a R to the NH HD37. In 17, he switched to @LPNational. When D @JosephStallcop later announced his own switch to @LPNational a few months later, Dyer announced that he & Stallcop would create the House Libertarian Caucus.
They invited as potential members “any and all legislators who find themselves in a similar situation to where we had found ourselves. The Libertarian Party welcomes all who have the courage and conviction to think and live freely.”
Mark Madsen was elected as an R to three consecutive terms in the Utah State Senate. In his last campaign, he ran unopposed. Before retiring in 16, he announced his switch to @LPNational and his support for @LPNational's presidential ticket of @GovGaryJohnson and @GovBillWeld.
"Both parties use the government to pick winners and losers, in business, in health care, in the environment, in education, in every aspect of life.” - Mark Madsen
@ZakkMaher was elected in 16 in Maine as an Androscoggin County commissioner, running as a Republican. In 2017, he switched to @LPNational. ”In an effort to reaffirm my own principles, as well as my passion for community service, I am enrolling in the Libertarian Party of Maine."
Ed Zielinski was elected in 15 to the nonpartisan Town Council of Elsmere, Del. and switched in 16. He said, “I had received no support for liberty legislation. The council has continually pushed for spending and tax increases.” He was reelected in 17 with 74% of the vote.
Jeremy Rodman was elected as a Republican in 2015 to the Glenwood City Council in Iowa. He switched to the Libertarian Party in 2017. “The values I grew up with are no longer the values of the Republican Party,” he said.
Mike Becallo was elected as a Republican in 2014 to the Town Council of Cicero, N.Y., where he is known as the “Taxpayer’s Watchdog.” He switched to the Libertarian Party in 2017.
"In my time in office, I have met many disenfranchised voters who are fed up with the political system. I want to give them another option. I hope this motivates additional elected officials with similar views to join the growing liberty movement.” - Mike Becallo
Austin Gravely was elected in 17 to the Frostproof City Council in FL. The day before the election, he switched his party registration from R to L & still won with nearly 62% of the vote. He joins Martin Sullivan, also with the LP, who was elected to the Frostproof CC in 15.
