Jim Gray / Larry Sharpe ticket enters LP race

Judge Jim Gray To Seek Libertarian Presidential Nomination | Reason - Matt Welch:

April 13, 2020 - "Judge Jim Gray, the 2012 Libertarian Party (LP) vice presidential nominee and the first sitting jurist to come out against the drug war way back in 1992, announced to his email list Monday that he will seek the party's presidential nomination in tandem with vice presidential candidate Larry Sharpe. The L.P., America's third-place finisher in the previous two presidential elections, is scheduled to determine its 2020 ticket during a national convention on May 21-25.

"Gray, 75, was a Superior Court judge in Orange County, California, from 1989 to 2009, during which time he was best known for his pioneering stance on marijuana prohibition and his unsuccessful Republican primary run against longtime Rep. Bob Dornan in 1998. Gray switched to the LP soon thereafter, finishing in fourth place with 1.8 percent of the vote in a 2004 U.S. Senate race.... After being cultivated by former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson for the vice presidential slot in 2012, Gray became part of what was then the party's second-most successful White House ticket in history, earning 1.0 percent of the national vote.

"The announcement ... was, in Gray's telling, set into motion with the demise of the presidential bid by ex-mayor/senator/governor Lincoln Chafee, who Gray had backed. 'After [Chafee] hung up the phone,' the judge recounted in his email newsletter, 'his staff members asked if I would consider running in his place. My answer was no. But, since they were persistent, I told them that I would take two days to consider that possibility.

"'During those next two days,' Gray continued, 'I spoke to several high-ranking and well-respected Libertarians around the country, and they were all supportive and even enthusiastic. So, also considering the fact that I always thought I would be a good candidate, I called Larry Sharpe, who is a friend in New York who was a great Libertarian candidate for Governor in the 2018 election. During the discussion, I told Larry that if he would be my running mate, I would throw my hat in the ring. On Friday, April 10 he agreed. So that afternoon we had a Zoom meeting of Governor Chafee's staff, along with the campaign manager of Riverside County Board of Supervisor Jeff Hewitt's campaign where we introduced ourselves to each other and then started planning our campaign'....

"Sharpe, one of the party's leading and most ubiquitous figures (he is scheduled to deliver the keynote at the national convention, though the physical status of the gathering is currently in doubt), was certainly not expected to make a second consecutive run at the vice presidential nomination.

"'The two guys that I adore most are the two people I voted for first as Libertarians: Gary Johnson and Judge Gray,' Sharpe told me. 'They are literally the only two people who could have gotten me to run for anything….If Gary Johnson had decided to run and asked me, I would have said yes to him, too.' (Sharpe, a former Marine, had told me back in 2017: 'I will always be loyal to Gary Johnson. Without him I'm not a Libertarian.')

"Until now, the primary and caucus season has been dominated by Future of Freedom Foundation founder Jacob Hornberger, who has received the most results among human candidates in six out of the eight nonbinding state contests.... Team Hornberger is likely to laser in on Gray's presence on the 2012 ticket, his prior support for the Weld-like northeastern party-switcher Chaffee, and his enthusiasm for the ex-Massachusetts governor himself....

"Sharpe will likely be Gray's best asset within the party, though the coming days should indicate whether the party's money and political talent (such as either exist) will come off the sidelines and rally around an old familiar face.... As of now, Sharpe would seem to have much better chances of securing the veep slot than Gray does at besting Hornberger."

Read more: https://reason.com/2020/04/13/judge-jim-gray-to-seek-libertarian-presidential-nomination/

Lincoln Chafee ends his campaign

Lincoln Chafee Ends Campaign for Libertarian Presidential Nomination | Florida Daily - Kevin Derby:

April 6, 2020 - "Former Rhode Island Gov. and U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who held office as a Republican, an independent and a Democrat, ended his bid for the Libertarian presidential nomination over the weekend. Chafee, who started his campaign back in January, bowed out of the race on Sunday.

“I enjoy campaigns. It is rewarding to participate in our electoral process; to exchange ideas with other candidates, to offer to the voters our experiences, visions for the future and open to inspection our past records,' Chafee insisted. 'As a new Libertarian, I entered the race for the nomination for president and have met Libertarians from California to Alabama to New Hampshire. This adventure obviously changed with the frightening coronavirus outbreak even as our campaign made a successful transfer to virtual connections via social media.'

"'However after a tremendous amount of thought, I am no longer going to be a candidate for our Party’s nomination. I look forward to helping other Libertarians seeking office,' Chafee added. 'I share with Libertarians many views but especially our aversion to foreign entanglements. In the eighteen years since I voted against the Iraq war, I have experienced the difficulty of having intelligent discussions on American foreign policy and the use of our military overseas. It is almost a forbidden subject. Others who have tried, such as Ron Paul and recently, Tulsi Gabbard I’m sure would agree. The invasion of Iraq was based on a falsehood, a falsehood supported by so many in government and the media. The ramification of this mistake is with us today as we face the COVID 19 epidemic trillions in unnecessary debt.

“I am still motivated by my personal experiences as an anti-war candidate but accept that the timing is difficult for me as a Libertarian in 2020. Thank you to supporters and volunteers, your energy, passion and smarts added to the joy of campaigning,” he concluded. “Stay safe, best wishes'....

"In 2016, former Gov. Gary Johnson, R-NM, won almost 4.5 million votes and took almost 3.25 percent as the Libertarian presidential candidate. With Chafee now out of the race, the current pack of Libertarian candidates does not include any prominent politicians who won a major elected office though buzz continues that U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, I-Mich., could seek the party’s nomination."

https://www.floridadaily.com/lincoln-chafee-ends-campaign-for-libertarian-presidential-nomination/

Hornberger wins CA Libertarian primary with 18%

Libertarian Super Tuesday: Big Night for Jacob Hornberger, NOTA; John McAfee Drops Out and Backs Vermin Supreme | Reason.com - Matt Welch:

March 4, 2020 - "Libertarian Party primaries and caucuses are nonbinding, which means that no delegates are awarded.... Still, the election results provide a snapshot of what party members are thinking less than three months out.

"So far, the trend line is unmistakable — the Libertarian front-runner at this point is ... Future of Freedom Foundation founder Jacob Hornberger. After previously winning the Iowa and Minnesota caucuses, and getting the second-most first-place votes in the New Hampshire primary as a write-in, Hornberger was the biggest human vote-getter in two of the three Super Tuesday primaries that have posted results so far.

"In California, with 99.9 percent of precincts reporting, Hornberger led a field of 13 candidates with 17.5 percent of the vote. Tied for second with 11.6 percent were former military officer and Honolulu County Neighborhood Board member Ken Armstrong, and political satirist Vermin Supreme, the latter of whom previously won the New Hampshire primary. Lagging just behind at 11.4 percent was 1996 L.P. vice presidential nominee and academic Jo Jorgensen.

""Massachusetts officials don't expect to have an official statewide count until next week. According to unofficial numbers ... comprising roughly three-quarters of ballots, ... 'None of the Above' (NOTA) was leading with around 19 percent of the vote, followed by Vermin Supreme with 11.5 percent and Hornberger with 9.4 percent. Write-ins, which have not yet been broken down, amounted to a combined 29.3 percent....

"And in North Carolina, ... Hornberger again paced the biped field with 8.7 percent, though NOTA stomped with 29.8 percent. (NOTA wasn't on the ballot in California.) Just behind Hornberger with 8.2 percent was antivirus pioneer and international man of mystery John McAfee, who promptly dropped out, threw his support behind Vermin Supreme, and announced his candidacy for vice president....

"Not on any of the three Super Tuesday Libertarian ballots were recent entrants Lincoln Chafee (the former U.S. senator and Rhode Island governor, who finished second in the Iowa L.P. caucus and tied for fourth in Minnesota); entrepreneur/ex-convict Mark Whitney (11th and fourth, respectively, in same), and former million-vote-getting Georgia gubernatorial candidate John Monds (15th and fourth).

"Meanwhile, the leading fundraiser in the race, activist and veteran Adam Kokesh, finished sixth in California with 7.9 percent, tied for eighth in Massachusetts with 4.4 percent, and ninth in North Carolina with 3.5 percent."

Read more: https://reason.com/2020/03/04/libertarian-super-tuesday-big-night-for-jacob-hornberger-nota-john-mcafee-drops-out-and-backs-vermin-supreme/

Libertarians want to keep the borders open

Libertarian Presidential Candidates Champion 'Open Borders' | Reason.com - Matt Welch:

February 26, 2020 - "Donald Trump, the most anti-immigrant president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, is running against a Democratic presidential field that almost unanimously favors providing government-run health insurance to illegal immigrants. Surely there is some middle ground....

"The Libertarian Party, still the country's number-three political grouping (however distantly), has a platform very copacetic toward immigrants.... 'Libertarians believe that people should be able to travel freely as long as they are peaceful,' the party's immigration plank reads. 'A truly free market requires the free movement of people, not just products and ideas.... Of course, if someone has a record of violence, credible plans for violence, or acts violently, then Libertarians support blocking their entry, deporting, and/or prosecuting and imprisoning them'....

"To a notable degree, the L.P.'s top 2020 presidential candidates are hewing to the party's radical-for-American-politics immigration platform. 'One of the proudest positions that we have in this party is our open-border plank,' Future of Freedom Foundation founder Jacob Hornberger, who won the party's non-binding presidential caucuses in Iowa and Minnesota this month, said during a California debate that I moderated Feb. 16.... Adam Kokesh, whose big campaign idea is signing an executive order on day one that dissolves the federal government, posited that 'Government borders are not legitimate,' and that 'only private property borders' deserve respect....

"Vermin Supreme, who won the party's only other early-state contest so far (New Hampshire), quipped that 'You cannot outlaw people. If you outlaw people, only people will be outlaws.' Mark Whitney, an ex-convict comedy enthusiast who founded THELAWNET, said of undocumented immigrants, 'I not only want them to be citizens, I want them working on my campaign'....

"Jo Jorgensen complained that, 'Right now, we've got a system in which we keep everybody out, except we just let a few people in. What we need to do is flip it'.... And ... Lincoln Chafee stressed the political expediency of it all: 'I see this as a political advantage that with our open-border policy and libertarian views on immigration, especially the fastest-growing voting bloc in the United States, the Hispanics, are going to have the opportunity in 2020 to look at our platform and come to our side'....

"At the Massachusetts state Libertarian convention last July, months before he jumped into the race, Hornberger gave a fire-and-brimstone defense of open immigration as essential to a free society.... Part of what makes Hornberger's immigration message saleable to Libertarians is that he couples it with obliterating, not expanding, the welfare state.

"'We live in a society that is based on massive mandatory charity,' he said in Massachusetts. 'With the crown jewels of this system being Social Security and Medicare, along with a host of others. There is no way to reconcile a genuinely free society with mandatory charity. No way at all. Because people have a natural, God-given right to keep everything they earn, and decide for themselves what to do with it'....

"The L.P. presidential race, which will be settled at the national convention in Austin, Texas, May 21-25, has so far been a battle to see who can best represent the libertarian wing of the Libertarian Party. As such it is striking, in this moment of major-party polarization and deep immigration-policy divides, to see a principled Libertarian immigration message emerging: Mr. Trump, tear down this wall."

Read more: https://reason.com/2020/02/26/libertarian-presidential-candidates-champion-open-borders/

Hornberger wins LP Minnesota caucuses

Libertarian Party Results for Caucus Night 2020 | Libertarian Party of Minnesota:

February 25, 2020 - "Though the major parties insist that the 2020 Presidential election will be the most important election of our lifetime, many Minnesotans refuse to accept this repeated lie and showed up to vote at the Libertarian Party caucus on Tuesday, February 25th, 2020. The LPMN does not have a virtual, absentee, or early voting process, therefore every vote was cast in person.

"Each of Minnesota’s eight Congressional districts conducted their own gathering for a ranked choice vote of 17 Libertarian candidates to be the LP Nominee for President (including None Of The Above).....

• CD 1 – Jacob Hornberger
• CD 2 – Jo Jorgensen tie Jacob Hornberger
• CD 3 – Jacob Hornberger
• CD 4 – Jo Jorgensen
• CD 5 – Jacob Hornberger
• CD 6 – Jacob Hornberger
• CD 7 – Vermin Supreme
• CD 8 – Lincoln Chafee

"After tallying all 98 votes accumulated statewide, the winner was Jacob Hornberger in Round 7, followed by Jo Jorgenson, and then Vermin Supreme to round out the top three.

"Political Director for The Libertarian Party of Minnesota Jill Galvan said, 'It’s been a really exciting time for the party. Getting the word out about the unfairness of the ballot access laws here in Minnesota has really brought attention to our cause and spurred people to come out and vote for an alternative here tonight.'

"LPMN Chair Chris Holbrook added, 'Despite the struggles Minnesota now faces to turn people out to caucus due to switching to a super Tuesday primary, we thank all of our conveners and attendees. After seeing empty rooms or none attempted for other political parties in this state, we are proud to be active Libertarians.'"

A look at Lincoln Chafee

University alum, longtime RI politician Chafee enters presidential race - Benjamin Pollard, Brown Daily Herald, Brown University:

January 24, 2020 - "During his four years on College Hill preceding his political career, former governor and senator Lincoln Chafee ... spent his time in a different arena: the wrestling ring.... Today, he is wrestling for a new title: President of the United States. Chafee — Republican-turned-Independent-turned-Democrat — announced his candidacy for president Jan. 5, this time as a libertarian....

"Chafee comes from a long line of Rhode Island politicians. His great-great grandfather was Henry Lippitt, the 33rd governor of Rhode Island; his great-great uncle Charles Warren Lippitt was the 44th governor. His father, John Chafee, served as the 66th governor and served in the U.S. Senate....

"Lincoln Chafee served as mayor of Warwick as a Republican for seven years following his election in 1992. He was appointed to the U.S. Senate — again, as a Republican — following his father’s death in 1999, before being elected to serve a full term in 2000.... 'I left the Republican party back in 2007 because of the changes the Republicans were making,' Chafee said, criticizing the party for aggressive foreign policy, facilitating an increase in the deficit and 'their obsession with social issues.' He was, for example, the only Republican senator to vote against authorizing the Iraq War in 2002....

"Following Chafee’s tenure in the Senate, he joined the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs ... until his successful election to the office of governor in 2010 as an independent. Navigating the political landscape as an independent was challenging.... So in 2013, Chafee made his third party shift to the Democratic Party, then running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016. He ended his campaign within a few months, after failing to garner significant support. ... characterizing the Democratic nomination process as 'biased against Hillary Clinton’s opponents.'

"Following his Democratic presidential bid, he moved to Wyoming ... and switched his party affiliation a fourth time to libertarian. Stressing the importance of avoiding 'foreign entanglements' and 'endless wars,' the Libertarian Party’s anti-war platform was a big draw for Chafee. He views contemporary public distrust in government as a consequence of the actions of the Bush administration in Iraq.

"Chafee is unlikely to face opposition from libertarians on his anti-war stances, which have remained more or less constant throughout his entire career. But there are other policy areas where members of Chafee’s newly adopted party may push back on his views. One such issue is gun control. 'We are very pro-Second Amendment,' said Pat Ford, Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Rhode Island. Chafee, on the other hand, 'has a history of being very pro-gun control,' Ford added....

"Ford ... is not surprised that the current political climate is prompting people to turn from the two major parties in search of another solution. 'People are looking for answers,' Ford said. 'I welcome Lincoln to the race.' This does not mean that Chafee’s path will be devoid of obstacles, Ford added. 'There is no coronation for our candidates. He will have to travel to every single state convention to convince our delegates that he can give voice to the Libertarian Party.'

"The presidential hopeful is doing just that, said Christopher Thrasher, Chafee’s campaign manager. 'Each weekend, from now until the first weekend in May, Governor Chafee will be traveling to Libertarian Party state conventions (as many as three per weekend),' Thrasher said. Delegates of the U.S. Libertarian Party will choose the party’s nominee at the Libertarian National Convention in Austin, Texas May 21."

Read more: https://www.browndailyherald.com/2020/01/24/university-alum-longtime-ri-politician-chafee-enters-presidential-race/

Chafee: Impeachment trial is a waste of time

Lincoln Chafee is running for president again, and opposes impeachment. Does anyone care? | Salon.com - Matthew Rozsa:

January 21, 2020 - "Lincoln Chafee is a former governor of Rhode Island, and before that was a U.S. senator from that state. He briefly ran for president in 2016 as a Democrat and is now running again, this time as a Libertarian. He told Salon last week that while he opposes most of President Trump's agenda, he also opposes impeaching the president....

[Rozsa]: "There were some reports that Pelosi might choose Justin Amash, the only Republican or former Republican congressman who has supported impeaching Trump, and who may wind up running against you in the Libertarian Party. Do you think Amash should have been selected?
[Chafee] - "No. No. This is such a partisan exercise, and the charges, to me, are so trivial in comparison to what Bush and Cheney did in getting us into Iraq, and the lies they told, blatant lies about weapons of mass destruction and other accusations about Saddam Hussein that were completely false. This is just a partisan exercise, and I think that Nancy Pelosi wanted some partisan managers.

Wait, do you support impeaching President Trump?
"Absolutely not. I don't support 99.9% of what he does, but this is just a partisan political exercise, just as blaming the election on the Russians was. It's just morphed from that two-year insanity to the next insanity. Just compare the charges to what Bush and Cheney did, and the $6 trillion we spent in Iraq, 4,000 dead Americans, a new generation of veterans coming back with post-traumatic stress syndrome, loss of American credibility in the world. There were no weapons of mass destruction....

"Believe me, I disagree with 99.9% of what Donald Trump stands for, but I believe these are trivial charges, and it's no different from the accusation that the Russians changed the election. We spent two years and how many millions of dollars, headlines daily on Russian investigation. It was a big fizzle, and this is no different....

"[T]oo much energy is being spent on whether these facts or so-called facts are accurate or not. We have a $22.6 trillion [debt], we've got a trillion-dollar deficit for this year alone. We're in wars that are escalating in the Middle East. These are what the American people should be thinking about, talking about and debating. The big issues, not whether some military aid in Ukraine was held up because somebody wanted his political opponent investigated. It's an entire waste of time and a waste of priorities, to put it that way. This country has serious issues confronting it."
:
Read more: https://www.salon.com/2020/01/21/lincoln-chafee-is-running-for-president-again-and-opposes-impeachment-does-anyone-care/
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Lincoln Chafee backs drug decriminalization

Presidential Candidate Lincoln Chafee Backs Decriminalizing Drugs | Marijuana Moment- Kyle Jaeger with Justin Strekal:

January 8, 2020 - "Libertarian presidential candidate Lincoln Chafee said on Wednesday that the U.S. should move toward decriminalizing drugs and partner with countries that have implemented such policies to learn from their models. Chafee, who previously served as a senator and as Rhode Island’s governor, made the comments at a press conference to announce his candidacy, where he emphasized the need for the U.S. to end its involvement in military conflicts abroad and also end 'the failed war on drugs.'

“'Internationally, our policies of eradication, substitution and interdiction are an abject failure and have caused vastly more harm than good,' he said. 'At home our prisons are full of non-violent drug offenders. What we need is an active, open-minded discussion in this country that results in real criminal justice reform — and that includes decriminalization. The truth is there is another war that needs to end: the failed war on drugs.'

"Asked by Marijuana Moment whether his plan involves decriminalizing all drugs or only select substances, Chafee didn’t directly respond but said that it 'starts with a broad conversation and getting everybody involved — law enforcement, health officials — and that’s the process.'

“'There are other models around the world, whether it’s Portugal or Uruguay or Holland, and we can learn from them,' the candidate, who has at times been a Republican, a Democrat and an independent, added.

"Chafee’s drug policy platform has evolved over time. During his time as governor, he signed a bill to decriminalize marijuana possession and urged the Drug Enforcement Administration to reschedule cannabis under federal law. In the midst of his run for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, he called state-level legalization efforts 'interesting, positive experiments.'

"On broader drug decriminalization, the candidate shares the perspective of at least two Democratic contenders, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), both of whom have expressed support for the policy change."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/presidential-candidate-lincoln-chafee-backs-decriminalizing-drugs/
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Chafee files with FEC to run for president

Former Rhode Island governor to run for US presidency as Libertarian - The Jerusalem Post- Rachel Wolf:

January 6, 2020 - "Former Rhode Island Governor Lincolon Chafee has filed to run for president as a Libertarian....The Federal Election Commission's online records indicate that Chafee filed his campaign on Sunday and listed Caswell Cooke Jr. as Chafee's campaign treasurer. The document also indicates that Christopher Thrasher is the candidate's 'Designated Agent' and the Providence Journal reported that Thrasher is Chafee's campaign manager.

"Chafee will make his formal announcement at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on Wednesday, Cooke told the Providence Journal. 'I believe in the guy,' Cooke, who also worked on Chafee's 2016 campaign, told the ... Journal. 'I believe in his honesty and integrity. Of all the politicians I’ve known in my life, he’s the most honest and forthright, and I have and will support him.'

"In addition to listing those working on his campaign, the online FEC records link to LincolnForLiberty.com, which appears to be the beginning of Chafee's campaign website. On the website's home page is a list of suggested donation amounts, starting with $20.20, likely representing the 2020 election cycle. Above the list it says 'Protect Our Freedoms. Tell The Truth. No More Wars. No More Reckless Spending.'

"Additionally, the following message appeared on the website, 'Thirty years, zero scandals. Mayor. Governor. Senator. Libertarian. Lincoln leads with TRUTH.'"

Read more: https://www.jpost.com/American-Politics/Former-Rohode-Island-governor-to-run-for-US-presidency-as-Libertarian-613254
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Iowa Libertarians to livestream presidential forum

Libertarian Party of Iowa to host presidential candidate forum - KCRG TV9:

December 27, 2019 - "In February the Libertarian Party of Iowa will host its first ever presidential candidate forum during their annual state convention ... slated for February 28th at the Grand View University Student Center in Des Moines.

"The candidate forum will include Kimberly Ruff, a political activist; Jacob Hornberger, the founder of Future of Freedom Foundation; Rep. Max Abramson for the state of New Hampshire; Daniel Behrman, a podcast host and entrepreneur; Ken Armstrong, a former NATO Base Commander; and Jo Jorgenson, [the] 1996 Libertarian Vice Presidential Nominee.

"The forum will be live-streamed by the Libertarian Party.

"The convention will also include party business, electing their 2020 State Central Committee, and keynote speakers. They include former Governor of Rhode Island Lincoln Chafee, Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn and Libertarian National Committee Representative Joshua Smith.

Read more: https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Libertarian-Party-of-Iowa-to-host-presidential-candidate-forum-566514171.html

Colorado Libertarians celebrate Festivus

GoLocalProv | Former Governor Chafee Celebrates Festivus with Colorado Libertarians:

December 16, 2019 - "While many Christians were celebrating Christmas on Wednesday and members of the Jewish faith are enjoying Hanukkah this week, former U.S. Senator and Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee was recently in Colorado at a Festivus celebration with the Libertarian Party.

"'Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23 as an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas season. Originally created by author Daniel O'Keefe, Festivus entered popular culture after it was made the focus of the 1997 Seinfeld episode "The Strike." which O'Keefe's son, Dan O'Keefe, co-wrote,' according to a definition on Wikipedia....

"Chafee ran for President as a Democrat in 2016. Now, he is a Libertarian candidate in 2020 for President."

Read more: https://www.golocalprov.com/politics/former-governor-chafee-celebrates-festivus-with-colorado-libertarians
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Chafee joins Libertarian Party as life member

Lincoln Chafee dances around question of presidential run | WJAR 10, Bill Rappleye:

November 20, 2019 - "Lincoln Chafee took to Rhode Island airwaves Wednesday morning to tout his new political party -- Libertarian -- and dance around the question of whether he will run for president.

"The former mayor, senator and governor registered to vote as a Libertarian in his new home state of Wyoming, and also attended the Libertarian National Committee meeting in Miami last weekend, where he became a lifetime member of the party, according to his posting on a new Facebook page titled "Virginia for Lincoln Chafee 2020."

"Wednesday morning on WPRO, Chafee told host Tara Granahan that the Libertarian Party is a good fit for him, because it is 'anti-war and anti-deficit. The two go together.'

"He would not commit to running for president, noting that there are 43 Libertarians who have said they are running. He said the party’s national convention is not until May, in Austin, Texas."

Read more: https://turnto10.com/politics/lincoln-chafee-dances-around-question-of-presidential-run

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Chafee open to Libertarian POTUS run

Lincoln Chafee: ‘I’d Be Open’ to a Libertarian White House Bid:

August 22, 2019 - "The 2016 presidential election was not kind to Lincoln Chafee: the former Rhode Island governor, U.S. senator, and metric system enthusiast flopped when he mounted a long-shot campaign for the Democratic Party’s nomination.... But ... on Wednesday, the former Republican, former Democrat, and former independent confirmed that he’s open to running again in 2020 — as a Libertarian.

"'I'm very motivated as an anti-war American, and also by the deficit,' said Chafee in an interview. 'Those are two big issues that, if the Libertarian convention next summer thinks that someone with a long record on those issues ... if I fit that, then yes, I'd be open to that.'

"A member of one of New England’s most prominent political families, Chafee recently left his home state and moved to Wyoming, citing his family’s love of the outdoors. Upon arrival, he switched his official party registration to Libertarian, marking his fourth different party affiliation in his political career.

"That news, announced via op-ed column, got Libertarian Party politicos chattering about the possibility that Chafee could carry the party’s banner for 2020.... In conversations with The Daily Beast, several Libertarian Party officials and members mentioned Chafee as a possible candidate-in-the-wings for the party’s nomination in 2020. Larry Sharpe, the 2018 Libertarian candidate for governor in New York, told The Daily Beast he is encouraging Chafee, along with other possible third-party candidates like Howard Schultz, to get in the race.

"Chafee framed his jump to the Libertarian Party as a matter of principle, not opportunism, and explained that he didn’t join the party with dreams of a presidential run. 'People always say, Chafee jumps from party to party, but I’ve always been fiscally conservative and socially liberal,' he said. 'I’ve been very, very consistent… I was surprised how well the Libertarian Party fit when I moved to Wyoming.'

"While Chafee holds some positions that are hallmarks of the Libertarian Party — he advocates a peacenik foreign policy, fashions himself a deficit hawk, and says he’s 'passionate' about the Fourth Amendment — ... [he] received a 'D' grade from the Cato Institute, a libertarian-aligned think tank, for his plan to increase taxes in order to balance the state’s books. He also earned an 'F' rating from the National Rifle Association for his stances on gun control....

"Chafee told The Daily Beast that he would be likeliest to jump in the race if there was tangible clamoring among Libertarian activists for him to make a run. The party chooses its presidential nominee at the convention, rather than through a traditional primary process, which could be a way in for an unorthodox candidate."

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/lincoln-chafee-id-be-open-to-a-libertarian-white-house-bid
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Libertarians, the party of peace and freedom

The party of peace: Why I joined the Libertarian Party - The Boston Globe - Lincoln Chafee:

July 19, 2019 - "As an American, I have been saddened and embarrassed by recent failures of American presidents to exercise their global duties responsibly. We have entered into never-ending, illegitimate conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa; bypassed our Constitution and the Fourth Amendment by eavesdropping without warrants on people at home and around the world; shredded free-trade and other international agreements; sanctioned extrajudicial assassinations by drone strikes, which also kill innocent civilians; shredded the Geneva Convention protocols on treatment of prisoners; and worst of all, never apologized to the world for all the lies about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq....

"The sad fact is that the two major political parties are either enthusiastically guilty of these crimes or, at best, negligent of proper American values. I am alarmed about the direction of the two parties, aided and abetted by the pro-war mainstream media. These hawks, many of whom have never seen combat, seem ignorant to the reality that American aggression and arrogance has frightening consequences, particularly in the era of nuclear weapons.

"Thankfully, there is a political party that is willing to fight against irresponsible American global behavior and against the inexorable march to more senseless wars.... I would argue that the Libertarian Party is stronger on many important issues than either the Democrats or Republicans: protection of Fourth Amendment rights, opposition to capital punishment, opposition to crony capitalism, support for balanced budgets, opposition to cruel and unusual torture, support for free trade and, most important to me, 'an America at peace with the world.' The Libertarian Party is also strong on LGBT rights and a woman’s right to make her own reproductive decisions and has an enlightened approach to the corrosive and failed war on drugs.

"I was a Republican in the days when the party had a place for those who stood for fiscal conservatism and social liberalism. Those days are long gone, since Republicans have squandered a surplus by cutting taxes without cutting spending, on top of promoting a $6 trillion unnecessary war in Iraq....

"After I was the only Republican senator to vote against the Iraq war, I was elected governor of Rhode Island as an Independent.... I also dipped my toe into the waters of the Democratic Party, even seeking its nomination for president. What I learned is that the Democratic Party machine is pro-war. By joining with the pro-war mainstream media, they corrupted the process to ensure a war hawk of their liking was nominated....

"Recently my wife and I moved to Wyoming.... Before I registered to vote in the state, I considered the Libertarian Party. With no home for me in either of the two war parties, I decided to read the Libertarian platform on their website. Of the Libertarian Party’s 34 platform principles, I decided that I agree with most of them, disagree with two or three, and a half-dozen I’d need to study up on and think about it. For my children’s sake, my favorites are the planks numbered 3.1 and 3.3, promoting a strong defense but also opposed to foreign entanglements such as the quagmires of Vietnam and Afghanistan....

"If you are a restless Democrat or Republican fatigued by partisan gridlock and the resulting politicization of even the Supreme Court, look up the Libertarian Party’s platform and score yourself. I happily registered as a Libertarian earlier this year. I’m proud to stand with the party of peace and freedom."

Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/rhode-island/2019/07/19/the-party-peace-why-joined-libertarian-party/6syxdoJgnN04qcmJpAFwyH/story.html

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LP POTUS field makes me want to vote NOTA

by George J. Dance

2020 will be a leap year, and like all leap years will witness a new installment of the biggest, longest, most-watched media event of them all. No, not the Summer Olympics; those run for only a few weeks. I'm talking about the U.S. presidential election, which runs from January right through to the inauguration finale a year later.

The Republican and Democratic races for the 2020 nomination are already getting plenty of attention; as usual, the Libertarian race is not. This year, though, that is probably a very good thing, considering the choice of candidates offered so far.

Apparent frontrunner Adam Kokesh is a founder of Iraqi Veterans against the War, who has run for the Senate (and lost) as a Ron Paul Republican. The only Libertarian Party activism I know him for is his disrupton of the LP's 2008 campaign kickoff. He has also conducted a libertarian podcast, on one show of which he advocated killing police (hence my nickname for him, "Kop-Killer Kokesh"). His platform is to abolish the U.S. government by Executive Order, and then resign.

Then comes Arvin Vohra, former LP vice-chairman. Originally a pragmatic millennial politician-in-training, he became radicalized after the 2016 Johnson campaign, and began taking extreme positions - some of which, like writing that age of consent laws should be abolished, and calling school board shootings a "good idea," led to attempts to censure him and remove him from office. In the end, LP voters did remove him at the last convention - following which he promptly declared as a POTUS candidate.

Then there is John McAfee, an eccentric (if he's still rich) who plans to campaign "from exile". Plus a bunch of people I know nothing about; this is getting too long, so I'll just give a link. And as always there is Vermin Supreme, the ex-Democrat who campaigns with a boot on his head, and whose signature campaign plank is to give every American a pony.

In short, the real LP candidate hasn't surfaced yet; all we have are possibilities.  Four well-qualified possibilities are:

Mark Sanford, former governor of South Carolina. Sanford has never lost a general election, but was defeated as congressman by a Trump-endorsed candidate in the 2018 GOP primary, so he has no seat to lose. He has always focused on the national debt crisis, which I think will be big news again by 2020 (now that the Democratic-leaning media can blame it on Trump).

William Weld, former governor of Massachusetts. While he ran for the LP as Johnson's running mate, Weld is a divisive figure in the party. Besides, he has rejoined the Republicans to primary Trump. Weld is staking everything on New Hampshire: if he does well there, his campaign could catch fire (at least with the Dem-leaning media), and make him a star; in which case he would be the most prominent candidate we could get. But many members count his reregistering Republican, after declaring that he was in the LP for life, as a betrayal and sell-out, making him more hated than ever by a large faction.

Lincoln Chafee, former governor of Rhode Island. Chafee is a wild card - he registered Libertarian just this month - who isn't telling anyone his plans as yet.

Justin Amash, congressman from Michigan. Amash is the most libertarian guy in the House, today's Ron Paul, and I would prefer that he stay there. However, since he accused Trump of "impeachable" conduct, he too has a Trump-endorsed primary challenger, who is leading him by double digits. If Amash loses the primary, there is no way he could win his seat as an independent (or Libertarian), as Michigan has straight-ticket voting. Meanwhile, there is a sizable movement within the LP to draft him for the Libertarian nomination, including a facebook page I recently joined:

Three of those four (Weld excepted) could have the nomination for the asking. Alas, none of the four is presently a live option: none is even running for the job. Given today's live options - the current field of declared candidates - the only one worth voting for is None of the Above: which, fortunately, will be on the ballot at the LP's 2020 presidential convention.

Former RI governor registers Libertarian

Make that four political parties for Lincoln Chafee - The Boston Globe - Edward Fitzpatrick:

June 4, 2019 - "Lincoln D. Chafee, the Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat who served as Rhode Island’s governor and as a US senator, is now a member of the Libertarian Party.

“'I bought property in Wyoming and registered to vote out there in my fourth party — I’m a Libertarian,' Chafee said Tuesday while in Providence. 'It’s what I’ve always been — fiscally conservative and socially liberal.'

The county clerk’s office in Teton County, Wyo., confirmed that Chafee, who lives in Teton Village, near Jackson, registered as a member of the Libertarian Party on March 11 of this year....

"The Chafee brothers are the sons of the late Republican Senator John H. Chafee, a former Navy secretary and governor.... Lincoln Chafee was appointed to the Senate when his father died in 1999, and he won a full term in 2000. He soon bucked the Republican Party, opposing President George W. Bush’s tax cuts and casting the only Senate Republican vote against authorizing the war in Iraq.

"In 2006, Chafee lost the Senate seat to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, and he left the Republican Party to become an independent in 2007. Chafee endorsed Democrat Barack Obama in 2008, and when Chafee ran for governor as an independent in 2010, President Obama withheld his endorsement from Democrat Frank T. Caprio....

"In 2013, Chafee joined the Democratic Party. But months later, amid low job-approval ratings, he announced he would not seek reelection. In 2015, he ran for president, seeking the Democratic nomination, but he failed to gain traction and withdrew from the race.

"Now, Chafee is a member of the Libertarian Party. 'They are against capital punishment, pro-choice, against war, strongly for the Fourth Amendment, no torture,' he explained. 'All these things that [America] has gotten away from.'

"So will Chafee, now 66, get back into politics at some point? 'I’m still on sabbatical,' he said."

Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/rhode-island/2019/06/04/make-that-four-political-parties-for-lincoln-chafee/JGGdRYjlFo65STHLq1JS7N/story.html
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