The Libertarian Party of Texas nominated Mark Tippetts as its candidate for governor of Texas on April 14, after a four-way race. Tippetts, a successful businessman living just outside Austin, most recently served on the Lago Vista City Council. He ran for Travis County judge in 2010. The Tippets for governor campaign website is Mark4Gov.com.
As a bilingual and bicultural man who was born in Mexico, Tippetts has made immigration one of his signature issues as a gubernatorial candidate. He opposes “the embarrassing behavior of Donald Trump and his absurd attacks on immigrants and building of walls. Making enemies with our neighbors and erecting walls between us is foolish.” The Tippetts campaign is also focused on legalizing marijuana and free-market sustainability, as well as the other planks of LP Texas state platform.
Tippetts has selected a distinguished panel of advisors. Dr. Mary Ruwart, chair of the International Society for Individual Liberty, will advise Tippetts on health issues. On energy, he will receive counsel from Dr. Mark Miller, a former LP Texas candidate for railroad commissioner who had a long career as a petroleum engineer and faculty member for the University of Texas at Austin. James Werner, the LP Texas gubernatorial candidate in 2006, will advise Tippetts on business policy. On drug policy, his advisors are DFW NORML Secretary Eric Espinoza and Marijuana Leadership Campaign founder Rob Kampia. His campaign manager is Pat Dixon, former LP Texas chair and Lago Vista City Council member.
Tippetts has a background in law, business, project development, and project management. He has a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s in administration from Universidad Abierta in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. During the past 30 years, he has established, developed, and operated several companies, including a hydroelectric plant in Belize and a law firm in Monterrey, Mexico, both of which are operational today. Throughout his career, Tippetts has effectively communicated and successfully partnered with many private and government entities, including legal, engineering, environmental, electric and water commissions; natural resource and lands departments; road and bridge departments; and many different municipalities and villages. In the legal field, he successfully negotiated contracts dealing with international grants, concessions, land leases, and water rights, as well as litigating numerous cases.
The Libertarian Party of Texas has also nominated these other statewide candidates:
- Neal Dikeman for U.S. Senate
- Kerry McKennon for lieutenant governor
- Michael Ray Harris for attorney general
- Ben Sanders for comptroller
- Richard Carpenter for agriculture commissioner
- Matt Piña for land commissioner
- Mike Wright for railroad commissioner
- William Bryan Strange III for the Court of Criminal Appeals, place 1
- Mark Ash for the Court of Criminal Appeals, place 8
For a complete list of Texas Libertarian candidates visit: LPTexas.org/2018_candidates
For additional information about the Mark Tippets for governor campaign, email campaign@mark4gov.com or call (361) 236-5599.
