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  • Libertarian Party

    The Libertarian Party (LP) is a political party in the United States that promotes civil liberties, non-interventionism, laissez-faire capitalism, and limiting the size and scope of government. The party was conceived in August 1971 at meetings in the home of David F. Nolan in Westminster, Colorado, and was officially formed on December 11, 1971, in Colorado Springs. The organizers of the party drew inspiration from the works and ideas of the prominent Austrian school economist Murray Rothbard. The founding of the party was prompted in part due to concerns about the Nixon administration, the Vietnam War, conscription and fiat money.

    The party generally promotes a classical liberal platform1, in contrast to the Democratic Party's modern liberalism and progressivism and the Republican Party's conservatism. Gary Johnson, the party's presidential nominee in 2012 and 2016, claimed that the LP is more culturally liberal than Democrats, and more fiscally conservative than Republicans2. The platform's fiscal policy positions include lowering taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, decreasing the national debt, allowing people to opt out of Social Security and eliminating the welfare state, in part by utilizing private charities. Its cultural policy positions include ending the prohibition of illegal drugs, advocating criminal justice reform, supporting same-sex marriage, ending capital punishment, and supporting gun ownership rights1.

    As of May 2024, the LP is the third-largest political party in the United States by voter registration. In the 2020 election, the Libertarians gained a state legislative seat in the Wyoming House of Representatives, the first such win for the party since 20023 The first and only Libertarian in Congress was Justin Amash, who joined the party during his first term in 2020 and left the U.S. House of Representatives in 2021 after choosing not to seek re-election.

    In 2022, the paleolibertarian Mises Caucus became the dominant faction on the Libertarian National Committee, leading to internal conflicts and significant policy changes, such as regarding immigration and abortion4. Some classical liberalism-minded dissidents split from the Libertarian party to form the Association of Liberty State Parties (later renamed Liberal Party USA)4.

    History

    The first Libertarian National Convention was held in June 1972. In 1978, Dick Randolph of Alaska became the first elected Libertarian state legislator. Following the 1980 federal elections, the Libertarian Party assumed the title of being the third-largest party for the first time after the American Independent Party and the Conservative Party of New York (the other largest minor parties at the time) continued to decline. In 1994, over 40 Libertarians were elected or appointed which was a record for the party at that time. 1995 saw a soaring membership and voter registration for the party. In 1996, the Libertarian Party became the first third party to earn ballot status in all 50 states two presidential elections in a row. By the end of 2009, 146 Libertarians were holding elected offices5.

    Tonie Nathan, running as the Libertarian Party's vice presidential candidate in the 1972 presidential election with John Hospers as the presidential candidate6, was the first female candidate in the United States to receive an electoral vote7.

    The 2012 election Libertarian Party presidential candidate, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and his running mate, former judge Jim Gray, received the highest number of votes—more than 1.2 million—of any Libertarian presidential candidate at the time8. Johnson was renominated for president in 2016, with former Massachusetts Governor William Weld being chosen as vice presidential candidate. Johnson/Weld shattered the Libertarian record for a presidential ticket, getting over 4.4 million votes9. Both Johnson and Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein received significantly more news coverage in 2016 than third-party candidates usually get, with polls showing both candidates potentially increasing their support over the last election, especially among younger voters10.

    The Libertarian Party has had significant electoral success in the context of state legislatures and other local offices. Libertarians won four elections to the Alaska House of Representatives between 1978 and 1984 and another four to the New Hampshire General Court in 199211 Neil Randall, a Libertarian, won the election to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1998 running on both Libertarian and Republican lines12. In 2000, Steve Vaillancourt won election to the New Hampshire House of Representatives while being identified as "Libertarian" on the ballot13. Rhode Island State Representative Daniel P. Gordon was "voted out" of the Republican caucus and joined the Libertarian Party in 201114.

    In July 2016 and June 2017, the Libertarians tied their 1992 peak of four legislators when four state legislators from four different states left the Republican Party to join the Libertarian Party: Nevada Assemblyman John Moore in January15, Nebraska Senator Laura Ebke16 (although officially the Nebraska Legislature is non-partisan) and New Hampshire Representative Max Abramson in May17 and Utah Senator Mark B. Madsen in July18. In the 2016 election cycle, Madsen and Abramson did not run for re-election to their respective offices, while Moore lost his race after the Libertarian Party officially censured him over his support of taxpayer stadium funding19. Ebke was not up for re-election in 2016.

    New Hampshire Representatives Caleb Q. Dyer, elected as a Republican, and Joseph Stallcop, elected as a Democrat, changed party affiliation to the Libertarian Party in February and May 2017, respectively20. New Hampshire Representative Brandon Phinney joined the Libertarian Party from the Republican Party in June 2017, the third to do so in 2017 and matching their 1992 and 2016 peaks of sitting Libertarian state legislators21.

    In January 2018, sitting New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Aubrey Dunn Jr. changed party affiliation from Republican to Libertarian, becoming the first Libertarian statewide officeholder in history22.

    In April 2020, Representative Justin Amash of Michigan became the first Libertarian member of Congress after leaving the Republican Party and spending time as an independent. In June 2020, Amash, with Ayanna Pressley of the Democratic Party, introduced the Ending Qualified Immunity Act in response to the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. The bill was the first to gain support of members from the Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties in the history of the United States Congress23.

    Dallas Accord

    The Dallas Accord is an implicit agreement that was made at the 1974 Libertarian National Convention as a compromise between the larger minarchist and smaller anarcho-capitalist factions by adopting a platform that explicitly did not say whether it was desirable for the state to exist24.

    The purpose of this agreement was to make the Libertarian Party a "big tent" that would welcome more ideologically diverse groups of people interested in reducing the size and scope of government. Consequently, the 1974 platform included a "Statement of Principles" which focused on statements arguing for getting government out of various activities, and used phrases such as "where governments exist, they must not violate the rights of any individual ..."25. The previous version of the Statement of Principles adopted at the party's first convention in 1972, in contrast, affirmatively endorsed the minarchist perspective with statements such as "Since government has only one legitimate function, the protection of individual rights ..."26 Some party members believed that the topic of anarchism could not be discussed until a limited government was achieved27, but others disagreed28.

    During the 2006 Libertarian National Convention delegates deleted a large portion of the very detailed platform. The phrase "Government exists to protect the rights of every individual including life, liberty and property" was added29 This development was described as the "Portland Massacre" by its opponents. Some took this as meaning the Dallas Accord was dead30. Whether it remains in effect, and if so whether it should, or what limits it places on the party's public statements or candidates, all remain disputed within the party31.

    Mises Caucus takeover

    At the 2022 Libertarian National Convention members of the Mises Caucus, a paleolibertarian group affiliated to the beliefs of Ron Paul successfully staged a takeover of the Libertarian Party with over two thirds of delegates as members of the Caucus, and shifting the party in a right-ward direction. The caucus got their members elected to leadership positions, including Angela McArdle as Libertarian National Committee chair and Joshua Smith as vice chair. After the takeover, more ardent members of the party started to splinter. In Pennsylvania, Mises Caucus dissidents split to form the Keystone Party of Pennsylvania (later renamed Liberal Party of Pennsylvania)4.

    After the Mises Caucus leadership "adopted 'national divorce' as one of the party's retooled party's core rallying cries", more moderate members began to mutiny with the state parties in New Mexico and Virginia disaffiliating from the national party, and in the latter case, dissolving itself and later forming the Classical Liberal Party of Virginia. In addition, in Massachusetts two groups now claim the "Libertarian" label: the Libertarian Association and the Unified Libertarians32. On 3 December 2022, the Massachusetts, New Mexico and Virginia splinter groups formed the Association of Liberty State Parties, later renamed Liberal Party USA33.

    Structure and composition

    The Libertarian Party is democratically governed by its members, with state affiliate parties each holding annual or biennial conventions at which delegates are elected to attend the party's biennial national convention. National convention delegates vote on changes to the party's national platform and bylaws and elect officers and "at-large" representatives to the party's National Committee. The National Committee also has "Regional Representatives", some of whom are appointed by delegate caucuses at the national convention whereas others are appointed by the chairpersons of LP state affiliate chapters within a region34.

    National committee

    The Libertarian National Committee (LNC) is currently a 25-member body including four officers, five at-large representatives and eight regional representatives (each of these with alternates), or 17 voting members35. Since the 2022 Libertarian National Convention, the chair has been Angela McArdle of California36.

    State chapters

    The Libertarian Party is organized in all states and the District of Columbia. Each state affiliate has a governing committee, usually consisting of statewide officers elected by state party members and regional representation of one kind or another. Similarly, county, town, city and ward committees, where organized, generally consist of members elected at the local level. State and local committees often coordinate campaign activities within their jurisdiction, oversee local conventions and in some cases primaries or caucuses and may have a role in nominating candidates for elected office under state law.

    Membership

    Since the Libertarian Party's inception, individuals have been able to join the party as voting members by agreeing in writing to the organization's membership pledge, which states that the member opposes "the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals"37. Membersare also asked for contributions, with those donating at least $25 per year denominated "sustaining" members.

    Size and influence

    Influence

    The Libertarian Party has attracted influential politicians who attempt to sway the party's voting base. In May 2024, Donald Trump spoke at the Libertarian Party Convention with his speech focusing on libertarian issues such as his stances on anti-war policies, Bitcoin, and First and Second Amendment rights. This is the first time a current or former president has spoken at the Libertarian Party Convention38.

    Presidential candidate performance

    The first Libertarian presidential candidate, John Hospers, received one electoral vote in 1972 when Roger MacBride, a Virginia Republican faithless elector pledged to Richard Nixon, cast his ballot for the Libertarian ticket. His vote for Tonie Nathan as vice president was the first electoral college vote ever to be cast for a woman in a United States presidential election7. MacBride became the Libertarian presidential nominee himself in 1976. This was the last time that the Libertarian Party won an electoral vote until 44 years later, in the 2016 presidential election, when Texas Republican faithless elector Bill Greene, who was pledged to cast his vote for Donald Trump, instead cast his vote for 1988 LP presidential nominee and former Republican representative Ron Paul39.

    During the 2016 presidential election, Gary Johnson received a record 3.3 percentage of the popular vote (4,489,359 votes)9, getting 9.3% in New Mexico, where he had previously been governor (1995-2003). In the 2020 presidential election, Jo Jorgensen received 1,865,641 votes (1.2%)40.


    1. Libertarian Party, "Platform" (LP.org, May 2022), accessed 9 August 2024. ↩︎

    2. Julie Ershadi, "Gary Johnson: I'm More Conservative and More Liberal Than Both Parties" (RollCall.com, 30 April 2013), accessed 9 August 2024. ↩︎

    3. Elinor Aspegren, "Not a Republican, not a Democrat: Wyoming's Marshall Burt wins Libertarian Party's first statehouse seat since 2002 (USAToday.com, 4 November 2020), accessed 12 August 2024. ↩︎

    4. Brian Doherty, "Mises Caucus Takes Control of Libertarian Party" (Reason.com, 29 May 2022), accessed 12 August 2024. ↩︎

    5. Libertarian Party of Kansas, "History" (LPKS.org, ca. 2020), accessed 12 August 2024. ↩︎

    6. Jane O'Grady, "John Hospers obituary" (TheGuardian.com, 13 July 2011), accessed 12 August 2024. ↩︎

    7. David Boaz, "Who Was the First Woman to Receive an Electoral Vote?" (Cato.org, 3 March 2021), accessed 12 August 2024. ↩︎

    8. Gerry Harrington, "Libertarian Party buoyant; Greens hopeful (UPI.com, 8 November 2012), accessed 14 August 2024. ↩︎

    9. "2016 Presidential General Election Results" (USElectionAtlas.org), accessed 14 August 2024. ↩︎

    10. Kevin Drum, "For Hillary Clinton, Gary Johnson Is a Juicier Target Than Jill Stein" (MotherJones.com, 19 September 2016), accessed 14 August 2024. ↩︎

    11. Aaron Bitermans, "The Third Party Myth" (YPA.org, 1 January 2001), accessed 14 August 2024. ↩︎

    12. Eric Dondero, "Vermont's only elected Libertarian State Rep. Neil Randall re-emerges" (LibertarianRepublican.net, 13 June 2009), accessed 14 August 2024. ↩︎

    13. Richard Winger, "Minor Party Victories", Ballot Access News, 16 November 2000. ↩︎

    14. Austin Cassidy, "Our Exclusive Interview with Libertarian State Representative Dan Gordon of Rhode Island (UncoveredPolitics.com, 26 April 2012), accessed 16 August 2024. ↩︎

    15. Andy Craig, "Nevada Assemblyman John Moore joins Libertarian Party (IndependentPoliticalReport.com, 8 January 2016), accessed 16 August 2024. ↩︎

    16. Fred Knapp, "Sen. Laura Ebke switches from Republican to Libertarian" (NebraskaPublicMedia.org, 1 June 2016), accessed 16 August 2024. ↩︎

    17. Richard Winger, "New Hampshire Legislator Changes Registration from 'Republican' to 'Libertarian'" (Ballot-Access.org, 27 July 2016), accessed 16 August 2024. ↩︎

    18. Brian Doherty, "Utah State Sen. Mark Madsen Switching Parties from Republican to Libertarian, Endorsing Gary Johnson for President" (Reason.com, 25 July 2016), accessed 16 August 2024. ↩︎

    19. Brian Doherty, "Libertarian Assemblyman John Moore of Nevada Censured by the Libertarian National Committee" (Reason.com, 4 November 2016), accessed 16 August 2024. ↩︎

    20. Brian Doherty, "Libertarian Party Now Has Two Sitting Legislators in New Hampshire", (Reason.com, 26 May 2017), accessed 19 August 2024. ↩︎

    21. Brian Doherty, "New Hampshire Now Has Third Sitting Libertarian Party Legislator", (Reason.com, 29 June 2017), accessed 19 August 2024. ↩︎

    22. Andrew Oxford, "Dunn switches to Libertarian Party" (SantaFeNewMexican.com, 27 January 2018), accessed 19 August 2024. ↩︎

    23. Billy Binion, "With 1 Republican Cosponsor, Rep. Justin Amash Gains Tripartisan Support To End Qualified Immunity" (Reason.com, 11 June 2020), accessed 19 August 2024. ↩︎

    24. Paul Gottfried, The Conservative Movement: Revised Editition (New York: Twayne Publishers, 1993), 46. ↩︎

    25. "Statement of Principles: Present Wording" (LPedia.org, adopted June 1974), accessed 20 August 2024. ↩︎

    26. "Statement of Principles: Original Wording" (LPedia.org, adopted 17 June 1972), accessed 20 August 2024. ↩︎

    27. Less Antman, "The Dallas Accord Is Dead" (LewRockwell.com, 12 May 2008), accessed 21 August 2024. See also Carl Watner and Paul Bilzi, "What's Next in the Pursuit of Liberty?", The Voluntaryist 2, no. 5 (November 1984): 2-3. ↩︎

    28. George H. Smith and Wendy McElroy, "Let My People Go", The Voluntaryist 1, no. 2 (December 1982): 2-3. See also Murray N. Rothbard to "Wendy McElroy, Editor" (9 January 1983, WendyMcElroy.com), accessed 20 August 2024. ↩︎

    29. "National Platform of the Libertarian Party" (LPedia.org, adopted 2 July 2006), accessed 21 August 2024. ↩︎

    30. Antman, "The Dallas Accord Is Dead". ↩︎

    31. George Phillies, "Libertarian Party debate: Asymmetry and the Dallas Accord" (IndependentPoliticalReport.com, 1 August 2009), accessed 21 August 2024. ↩︎

    32. Brian Doherty, "Libertarian Party Faces State Rebellions" (Reason.com, 15 September 2022), accessed 22 August 2024. ↩︎

    33. Don Graham, Stephanie Duel and Chris Luchini, "Introducing the Association of Liberty State Parties" (LPNM.us, 3 December 2022), accessed 23 August 2024. ↩︎

    34. Scott H. Ainsworth and Brian M. Harward, eds., Political Groups, Parties, and Organizations That Shaped America: An Encyclopedia and Document Collection (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2019), vol. 2, 498. ↩︎

    35. "Libertarian National Committee" (LPedia.org), accessed 26 August 2024. See also "Libertarian Party Bylaws and Convention Rules: Article 7: National Committee" (LP.org, May 2024), accessed 26 August 2024. ↩︎

    36. "Angela McArdle" (LPedia.org), accessed 26 August 2024. ↩︎

    37. "Libertarian Party Bylaws and Convention Rules: Article 3: Membership" (LP.org, May 2024), accessed 28 August 2024. ↩︎

    38. "Former President Trump Speaks at Libertarian Party Convention (C-SPAN.org, 25 May 2024), accessed 28 August 2024. ↩︎

    39. Patrick Svitek, Bobby Blanchard and Aliyya Swaby, "Texas electors cast 36 votes for Trump, 1 for Kasich and 1 for Ron Paul" (TexasTribune.org, 19 December 2016), accessed 29 August 2024. ↩︎

    40. "2020 Presidential General Election Results" (USElectionAtlas.org), accessed 30 August 2024. ↩︎


    This article is derived from the English Wikipedia article "Libertarian Party (United States)" as of 7 Aug 2024, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.