Author Archive | Bob Johnston

Libertarians Jon Stewart, Kash Jackson, and Matthew Scaro participate in a gubernatorial candidates’ debate on Dec. 6 at the University of Illinois. Three Libertarian Party candidates for Illinois governor participated in an election debate held on Dec. 6 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The declared candidates, Jon Stewart, Matthew Scaro, and Kash Jackson, […]

2016 Libertarian Party presidential candidate Steve Kerbel is spearheading efforts to qualify a ballot initiative to redirect monies collected from traffic tickets and fines to charity instead of to the issuing government agencies. From an article in Colorado Politics (“‘Stop the shakedown’: Colorado ballot measure would go beyond halting collections of speed trap fines,” by […]

Jennifer Harper of the Washington Times discusses a recent poll on millennials’ desire for a third party, and the 2018 Libertarian Party convention, in her December 7 “Inside the Beltway” column: “A recent NBC News poll revealed that 71 percent of millennials — now considered to be the nation’s largest potential voting bloc — pine for a […]

The Red Dirt Report, an independent online newspaper in Oklahoma, featured interviews of three prospective 2018 Libertarian Party candidates for governor on November 27. As the only three recognized parties in Oklahoma, the Libertarian, Democratic, and Republican Parties will be holding primary elections in 2018. The Libertarian candidates are Rex Lawhorn, Joe Maldonado, and Chris Powell. […]

From a Nov. 27 article in the San Francisco Chronicle (via the Associated Press): “A Madison sports announcer will challenge Democratic Secretary of State Doug LaFollette next year. “Richard Kalafut Jr., who goes by the professional name of Rich Reynolds, announced Monday he plans to run as a Libertarian. “Reynolds, who hails from Columbus, is […]

Bryan Zemina, who is running in a special election for the 58th state representative seat in the Florida state legislature, participated in a candidate forum on WMNF radio 88.5 FM on November 27. The candidates discussed fracking, transportation, and local political corruption. The election will be held on December 19.   Click here to listen to […]

Libertarian National Committee Executive Director Wes Benedict was interviewed live on RT TV (formerly Russia Today) on November 15, on the issue of the news outlet’s being required by the U.S. government to register as a “foreign agent.” When their Moscow-based news anchor asked for Benedict’s reaction to RT’s being characterized this way, Benedict observed that many […]

A statewide officeholder is considering running in 2018 as a Libertarian for governor of New Mexico, where 2016 Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson served as a popular two-term governor. As reported by AP via U.S. News and World Report on November 13 (“New Mexico Land Commissioner May Go Libertarian”): A family member and political spokesman […]

Typically, an odd-numbered year following a Presidential election cycle would be “exhale” time, but in Florida 2017 has been anything but for Libertarian candidates. Former LNC Chair Jim Turney (1985–88) filed and qualified for a non-partisan race for Altamonte Springs City Commission, and his incumbent competitor dropped out literally hours later on the final day […]

Following two campaigns for Congress, Libertarian John Ordille is now applying his experience and his explicitly Libertarian platform to a run for local office. He is seeking a four-year, at-large seat on the Northfield, N.J. city council. Shore News Today has been featuring Ordille in their election coverage. From their October 30 article on his […]

On Oct. 24, Libertarian activist Kevin Shaw garnered the support of conservative U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in his federal lawsuit against Pierce College over alleged violations of Shaw’s freedom of speech on campus. Sessions’s issuing of a statement of interest in the case was covered that day by KPCC-FM Southern California Public Radio. From the […]

Ballot laws are usually designed to keep most political choices unavailable to the voting public. In a recent NPR affiliate interview at Illinois State University, the chair and vice chair of the McLean County affiliate of the Libertarian Party of Illinois, Bennett Morris and Christopher Howick, explained the injustice of the restrictive ballot access laws […]