Is Rand Paul a Libertarian?
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By: Josh Cardosi
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Is Rand Paul a Libertarian? - Video
The North Dakota Libertarian Party achieved a new milestone in Tuesdays general election in garnering enough votes to attain its own column as a recognized party on the 2016 ballot.
According to North Dakota Century Code, a political party must attain at least 5 percent of the total votes cast in order to be a recognized party on the next elections ballot.
On Tuesday, the Libertarian Partys secretary of state candidate, Roland Riemers, took 5.3 percent of the vote according to unofficial results. In nonpresidential elections, parties must attain at least 5 percent for a partys candidate for attorney general or secretary of state to be recognized as a party.
In presidential elections parties must attain at least 5 percent for a partys candidate for president and vice president or governor to be recognized as a party.
Riemers vote total achieves this requirement for the first time in the state partys history.
Weve been working on this for the last 15 to 20 years. It gives us credibility, Riemers said.
In the past, the Libertarian Party has had to get candidates on the ballot by circulating petitions, according to Riemer, who said gaining access as a recognized party will allow the party to save the time and money in building its organization and candidate recruitment.
Well pretty much have to commit ourselves to the statewide races until the party grows enough, Riemers said.
To maintain its status beyond 2016, the Libertarians will need to maintain at least 5 percent of the vote in at least one of the designated races in presidential and nonpresidential election cycles in future elections.
I dont think it changes things too much moving forward, Jason Flohrs, North Dakota Republican Partys executive director, said.
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Libertarians to be recognized on 2016 ballot
Libertarian candidate for governor Keen Umbehr.
By: WIBW News Now
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Libertarian candidate for governor Keen Umbehr. - Video
Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson addresses the 2011 Drug Policy Alliance conference in Los Angeles in this Nov. 3, 2011, file photo. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) more >
Libertarian Partys Gary Johnson said Republicans may take over Capitol Hill, but his eyes are on the White House: Hes running in 2016.
And his party platform is already shaping as the counter to Sen. Rand Paul, whom he described as only half-right on issues of importance to libertarian-minded voters, Reason reported.
On half the issues, hes right, but on the whole social issue thing Look, libertarians are flaming liberals when it comes to social issues, when it comes to civil liberties, Mr. Johnson said, Reason reported. A womans right to choose, drug reform, immigration, marriage equality. Hes not there.
Mr. Johnson, a former New Mexico governor, said in an interview with Newsmax that he has numerous reasons to run for the high executive office.
The whole election is a big yawn, he said in the Newsmax report. Who cares who wins because nothings really going to change. Its like a debate between Coke and Pepsi. Theyre debating over which one tastes better. Wheres the libertarian viewpoint?
Mr. Johnson, who previously ran for the Libertarian Party presidential ticket and pulled in about 1.3 million votes about 1 percent of the overall total made his intent to run again on Election Day, Reason reported.
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Gary Johnson tosses hat in White House ring for 2016
Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Kathie Glass of McDade and Democratic candidate for District 17 state representative Carolyn Banks of Bastrop were each defeated Tuesday night after mounting grassroots campaigns against well-known challengers, but they didnt lose the spirit that led them to run for office.
While watching the votes trickle in on Tuesday, both women said they had wanted to give voters an alternative choice to the status quo, and had done their best to raise awareness with limited resources.
Unofficial voting totals with 54.66 percent of precincts reporting showed Glass with 44,688 votes, or 1.27 percent in an election where headlines were largely dominated by Democrat Wendy Davis and Reublican Greg Abbott, who won the governors race with 2,115,137 votes (60.46 percent).
Glass, who said she visited every county in Texas in an effort to raise awareness about her candidacy and conservative platform, said she believed the lack of media attention to Libertarian and Green candidates contributed to Abbotts landslide win.
That Texas had a Libertarian or Green candidate in nearly every race offered Glass little solace, she said. Running on a platform based on pushing back against what she called a tyrannical federal government, the attorney and business owner said she was disappointed in the returns and had hoped to present more of a challenge to Davis and Abbott.
Its good that there are more candidates here, she explained. But the media makes it look like there are only two people running. How do we break out? People need to know that they have three or four choices, not just two.
Its very frustrating. I went to 254 counties to try to get the word out. Many people who heard me speak agreed with me, but until I visited, didnt know who I was. They thought there were only two candidates.
Banks fared a little better in her bid to unseat incumbent Tim Kleinschmidt. Banks unofficially had 7,709 votes (34 percent) with 47 percent of precincts reporting, according to unofficial totals.
The 73-year-old retiree had hopes but no expectations of winning, she said. She said just wanted to make sure Kleinschmidt didnt run unopposed. She took issue with his voting record, including his support of doing away with the free breakfast program in schools, she explained.
I was hoping to be in a position to offer a different point of view in the House, said Banks, whose resume includes being an erstwhile regular contributor to the Bastrop Advertiser. I said at the outset, Im not a politician. I hope the Democratic party has already begun fielding candidates for 2016.
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Bastrop-area candidates show spirit in gubernatorial, house elections