NM Libertarian removed from ballot

Libertarian fails to make it onto ballot in District 42 | Roswell Daily Record - Alex Ross

March 27, 2020 "A Hobbs woman who had filed to run as a Libertarian for a local state Senate seat has failed to qualify to get on the June primary ballot. Mayna Myers, who was making a bid for the New Mexico Senate District 42 seat made the announcement Sunday in a message posted on her campaign Facebook page....

"In a text message conversation, Myers said she was disqualified from getting on the June primary ballot because she forgot to include her middle name — Erika — on the header of her primary nominating petition. She explained her middle name is on her voter registration card. New Mexico law requires a candidate use the full name that they have on their voter registration card on the header of the nominating petition.

"A person who fails to meet the eligibility requirements to get on the ballot in the primary cannot get on the ballot in the general election, according to Alex Costas, director of communications for the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office.

'Myers ran as a Libertarian in 2018 for the Division II Chaves County Magistrate Judge position against incumbent E.J. Fouratt. Fouratt, a Republican, defeated Myers.

Senate District 42 ... has been represented since 2002 by state Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs.... Kernan is the only other person to run for the seat, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office."

Read more: https://www.rdrnews.com/2020/03/27/libertarian-fails-to-make-it-onto-ballot-in-district-42/

New Mexico Libertarians retain major party status

New Mexico Libertarians keep major party status » Albuquerque Journal - Dan Boyd:

January 27, 2020 - "For the second consecutive statewide election cycle, New Mexico will have three major political parties. That’s because the state Libertarian Party was determined to have met the minimum requirements – by the narrowest of margins – to retain its major party status, along with the Democratic and Republican parties.

"Although the Libertarian Party did not run a candidate in the 2018 gubernatorial race – the race at the top of that year’s general election ballot – its candidates for land commissioner and secretary of state got slightly more than 5% of the total votes cast in those races. Those performances, along with the total number of registered Libertarian Party voters, were sufficient for the party to keep major party status for the 2020 election cycle, Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver wrote in a Monday letter to the party’s chairman, Chris Luchini....

"Major party status gives a party an easier path to get its candidates on the ballot, as minor parties face daunting signature requirements to land on the ballot.... 'Like most states, New Mexico does its best to disadvantage anyone who’s not on Team Red or Team Blue,' Luchini told the Journal.

"He also said the Libertarian Party already has a candidate lined up for this year’s race for the open U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Tom Udall, who is not seeking reelection, and has two possible candidates for the state Supreme Court seats. The party is also trying to line up candidates for legislative and county-level races, Luchini said.

"In addition, the Libertarian Party will hold its pre-primary convention March 6-7, and will host a debate for Libertarian presidential candidates on April 26 in Albuquerque, Luchini said.

"Despite retaining major party status, the party still faces a daunting challenge in this year’s election cycle, as there were only 11,296 registered Libertarians statewide as of Monday – or roughly 1% of the state’s total registered voters.

"Libertarians won major party status after the 2016 general election, due to the performance of former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson in that year’s presidential election. Johnson, a Republican-turned-Libertarian, ... got 9.3% of the vote ... in his home state."

Read more: https://www.abqjournal.com/1414044/new-mexico-libertarians-keep-major-party-status.html
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Midterm results disappointing for Libertarians

The Libertarian Party Future, Perennially Out of Reach - Reason.com - Matt Welch:

January 2019: ""He's going to finish certainly no worse than second, and maybe first,' Libertarian Party (L.P.) 2016 vice presidential nominee Bill Weld enthused about Massachusetts state auditor candidate Dan Fishman in mid-October.... It looked like Weld might be onto something two weeks later when The Boston Globe took the highly unusual step of endorsing the L.P. candidate....

"Massachusetts voters declined the advice. When the smoke cleared on November 6, the would-be Libertarian auditor for the government of Taxachusetts finished not first, not second, but a distant third place, with a desultory 4.2 percent of the vote. The effort was enough to give the party automatic statewide ballot access for 2020 ... but not enough to stave off the national wave of nausea that afflicted many libertarians on election day.....

"About the only federal candidate prioritizing the budget calamity was Gary Johnson.... Running in the state he governed twice, and where he earned 9.3 percent of the presidential vote in 2016, ... Johnson was able to participate in debates and generate extensive media coverage. The first independent three-way poll in late August hinted at a shockingly competitive race: 39 percent for Heinrich, 21 percent for Johnson, and just 11 percent for Rich. And yet Election Day 2018 brought another Libertarian bummer:... Rich doubled up on Johnson, 31 percent to 15 percent....

"Political fear and loathing, it turns out, is no friend to independent and third-party candidates.... As we learned in 2016, when voters feel revulsion toward a candidate or party, they are likely to go for the alternative with the best chance to defeat the bad guy. In a high-turnout midterm like 2018, minor parties undershoot their polling projections by massive amounts.

"The most anticipated of the 22 Libertarian races for governor, for example, was rising party star Larry Sharpe in New York. An energetic, fast-talking campaigner with a preternatural talent for fundraising, Sharpe brought in an impressive $450,000.... He pulled just 1.6 percent, behind even Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins' 1.7. Yes, the L.P.  achieved state ballot access for the first time in history, but that low showing came as a demoralizing shock.

"'WTF is going on?' Wisconsin Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Phil Anderson messaged me on election night..... Anderson's pre-election polling average of 4.2 percent had collapsed to a barely visible 0.8 percent. Eight Libertarian candidates for governor were polling higher than the Democratic-Republican point spread on election eve; zero repeated the trick once the votes were counted....

"The three state legislators who had previously switched from Republican to Libertarian once in office — Nebraska state Sen. Laura Ebke and New Hampshire state Reps. Brandon Phinney and Caleb Dyer — all faced their first election wearing the L, and all lost badly.... Insurgent Wyoming state House candidate Bethany Baldes came so close to unseating incumbent Republican Majority Leader David Miller that she was erroneously reported as winner on election night, only to eventually lose by 53 votes....

"Libertarians are accustomed to being outnumbered and excel at playing long-game strategies, often far outside the cyclical sugar highs of electoral politics.... As disappointing as November 2018 felt for the L.P., the party did emerge in a stronger position for 2020, when it will be the only minor party with a spot on all 50 state ballots. American politics moves fast, so the next two years may yet feature more political libertarianism than we can currently fathom. As hard as that may be to believe after Election Day."

Read more: https://reason.com/archives/2018/12/08/the-libertarian-party-future-p

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Also read: Libertarians see progress in midterm elections

CNN: Johnson campaign "could change America"

2018 election: 14 midterm races that could change America (opinion) - CNN:

October 2, 2018 - "The midterm elections, a little more than a month away, are a national drama -- with voters deciding whether Republican control of the House and Senate will give way to Democrats, who have been hankering for a chance to challenge the priorities and actions of President Donald Trump. But they are also an intensely local story as voters get ready to make their choices in 435 House and 35 Senate races and in 36 gubernatorial contests. We asked commentators to tell us which race they are watching most closely and why. The views expressed are solely their own....

"Robby Soave: New Mexico Senate race:

"Those who aren't on board with President Donald Trump's agenda but just can't bring themselves to support the Democrats have a sliver of hope in New Mexico, where former Gov. Gary Johnson, a libertarian, has entered a three-way race for a US Senate seat.

"As the Libertarian Party's candidate for president in the 2016 election, Johnson earned 3% of the vote, the best finish for a national third-party candidate in 20 years. Still, the outcome was something of a disappointment for Johnson, who had hoped to capitalize on historic levels of dissatisfaction with the two main party candidates, but instead became a punchline after a series of gaffes. (Remember, "what is Aleppo?") Afterward, he swore he was done with politics.

"But now Johnson is mounting an unlikely but far from impossible challenge to incumbent Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich. A former Republican governor of the typically blue state, Johnson is still popular in New Mexico: A recent poll showed Heinrich leading the race at 39%, with 21% for Johnson and 11% for Republican Mike Rich. Some 30% are still undecided.

"Johnson is an economic conservative known for vetoing hundreds of bills during his first term in office. But he's also a social liberal who supports abortion rights, immigration and drug legalization. And he's no fan of the President; in fact, he said Trump's election 'could be the end of the republic as we know it.' A good showing for Johnson would be a win for the Libertarian Party, while also proving that centrist liberals, independents and Never Trump Republicans can find a compromise candidate.

"Robby Soave writes for the libertarian magazine Reason. Follow him on Twitter"

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/02/opinions/2018-midterm-campaign-watch-roundup-opinion/index.html
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Pro-Paul PAC invests $2M in Johnson campaign (video)

Protect Freedom PAC Endorses Gary Johnson for U.S. Senate in New Mexico & Launches Statewide TV & Digital Ad Campaign - Protect Freedom PAC:

October 5, 2018 - "Protect Freedom PAC is announcing its endorsement of Gary Johnson for U.S. Senate in New Mexico. The organization has launched a $2 million statewide campaign on broadcast, cable, and satellite TV, as well as on digital.

"Protect Freedom PAC consultant and spokesman Michael Biundo stated:

Gary Johnson is the independent, conservative voice that Washington needs. Gary has a strong record as New Mexico's Governor of keeping his promise to cut taxes, shrink state government, and reduce spending. He will be an effective ally to Senator Rand Paul in the United States Senate at a time where voters are hungry to defeat the Washington machine, drain the swamp, and take back our country. We are excited to endorse Gary today and look forward to working towards victory in November.

[The Protect Freedom PAC was founded in 2017 to support 'current and future allies' of U.S. Senator Rand Paul. Paul endorsed Johnson in August 2018. - ed.]

Amend constitution because of Gary Johnson, NM Democrat writes

Johnson’s super PAC: The case for campaign finance reform | My View | santafenewmexican.com - Dede Feldman, Santa Fe New Mexican:

September 14, 2018 - "On Aug. 21, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson officially announced his U.S. Senate candidacy at an event hosted by the super PAC that supports him, Elect Liberty.

"Elect Liberty paid for the venue, invited guests, fundraised in support of him, and Johnson promoted their/his event on his social media channels. How can a PAC that is not supposed to coordinate with a candidate throw an announcement party for him? The answer is a United States Supreme Court case, when it ruled in favor of the conservative group Citizens United against the Federal Election Commission.

"How could Elect Liberty hold Gary Johnson’s kickoff event? The Federal Election Commission decided that candidates could appear at PAC events as long as they are labeled 'special guests.' In fact, not only can candidates attend a PAC event, but they can fundraise as long they don’t ask for more than $5,000. Then, as soon as the candidate leaves the room, a super PAC official can ask attendees for a $1 million check....

"Elect Liberty ... PAC was created and is run by Johnson’s former campaign manager and decades-long associate, Ron Nielson. Are we really expected to believe that one of Johnson’s longest-serving advisers, the man he chose to run his 2016 presidential race and is in charge of a PAC that supports him, operates independently of the official campaign?

"Optics aside, everything Johnson is currently doing is legal. But that’s one of the fundamental problems.... While it should come as no surprise that Johnson — who supports the Citizens United ruling and unlimited campaign contributions — would use these loopholes, it’s a system that encourages candidates to skate around the edges of the law.

"Gary Johnson and the Elect Liberty PAC are a textbook case for why we need a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. Both of New Mexico’s U.S. senators support the effort, including Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., who is running against Johnson. New Mexicans should be mindful of this when deciding which candidate shares their beliefs on the role of money in politics."

Read more: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_view/johnson-s-super-pac-the-case-for-campaign-finance-reform/article_dc564bad-ec05-5bf1-8a4a-b7a89cf7038c.html
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PAC backing Gary Johnson polls him at 28%

"Johnson Gaining Ground" - Media Advisory, Elect Liberty PAC:

September 26, 2018 - "Former Gov. Gary Johnson is closing the gap in the [New Mexico 2018 U.S.] Senate race, according to a recent poll. A survey conducted September 20-24 by NSON Opinion Strategy, places Johnson ahead of the Republican by 18 percentage points – and 7 points behind the incumbent. The NSON poll of 932 likely voters has Heinrich at 35%, Johnson at 28%, and Rich at 10%, with 20% undecided....

"NSON's R.T. Nielson said, 'These results, more than six weeks before the election, show the New Mexico senate race to be very much in play.... Gary Johnson now has a realistic possibility of winning this election.

"'The favorable / unfavorable results for Johnson and Heinrich are almost identical. The Republican candidate's name [recognition] is dismal, with 80% of voters having never heard of him or having no opinion.

"'Across the country, primary elections have shown voters to be very engaged and motivated, a factor some polls have failed to capture. Millenials and independent voters tend to be "under-counted," and those are both groups with whom Governor Johnson appears to be doing very well.'

"Data collection was conducted by Lux Research of registered voters.... Data was balanced according to age, gender, ethnicity, congressional district, and party."

Read more: https://electliberty.com/frequencies-sept-26/
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NM Supreme Court KO's one-punch voting option

Court Rejects Johnson-Blocking Straight-Ticket Ballot Change in New Mexico - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Matt Welch:

September 12, 2018 - "In a 5-0 decision that removes a late-breaking obstacle from Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson's insurgent Senate bid, the New Mexico Supreme Court today struck down a unilateral move two weeks ago by Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver to reinstate the Land of Enchantment's 'straight ticket' ballot option, whereby voters can select a political party's entire slate of candidates by filling out just one oval.

"The New Mexico state legislature — with the signature of then-Gov. Gary Johnson — had in ... 2001 repealed the part of the election code specifying that ballots had to 'permit each voter…to vote a straight party ticket in one operation.' It took the 2010 election of a Republican Secretary of State, Dianna Duran, to finally remove the one-punch option from the state's ballots, after which Democratic lawmakers have periodically tried and failed to legislate the option back....

"Oliver ... provoked widespread claims of partisan skullduggery with her Aug. 29 decision, which came without so much as a single public hearing.

"'Until the legislature makes a decision one way or the other, the Secretary of State cannot,' Chief Justice Judith Nakamura said when handing down the decision. 'This power is theirs alone, and the Legislature has indicated its intent to thoroughly regulate how ballots appear.'

"The successful court challenge was filed by the state Libertarian and Republican parties, as well as Democratic write-in candidate Heather Nordquist, and the independent-supporting Unite New Mexico....

"The state Supreme Court decision comes just a week after the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals reinstated Michigan's 2015 legislative ban on the straight-ballot option, and seems to cement the notion that courts aren't fond of either bureaucrats or judges usurping the will of state legislators when it comes to this type of voting mechanism. Combined with the recent trend of states dropping the device, one-punch will now only appear in eight states this November: Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas (which is ending the practice in 2020), and Utah."

Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2018/09/12/court-rejects-johnson-blocking-straight
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NM Libertarians replace SoS candidate

NM Libertarians nominate new secretary of state candidate | LAMonitor.com - Tris DeRoma, Los Alamos Monitor:

September 5, 2018 - "The Libertarian Party of New Mexico replaced its secretary of state candidate Sandra Jeff with Ginger Grider, of Portales, a known Libertarian Party activist and an advocate for medical marijuana and voting-rights issues. According to LPNM’s chairman, Chris Luchini, Jeff left to pursue a position with the Navajo Nation.

"Luchini said Grider was chosen because of her familiarity with the straight-party ticket voting issue.  Last week, the LPNM, the Republican Party of New Mexico, a state Democratic write-in candidate for the 46th District and others challenged New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver in New Mexico Supreme Court to prevent her from creating ballots to allow for straight-ticket voting....

"Luchini also said Grider is knowledgeable about New Mexico party status law. According to Luchini, Toulouse Oliver is threatening to take New Mexico Libertarian’s major party status away because the party no longer has a gubernatorial candidate on the ticket for this election. Luchini claims Toulouse Oliver’s interpretation of the state statutes governing state party status is incorrect, along with the legal opinion of former Democratic Attorney General Tom Udall. Luchini and Libertarians have interpreted the law to say a party loses major party status if a party fails to run statewide or federal candidates for office.

"A party can also lose major status if it fails to capture [at least] 5 percent of the vote statewide in a race for president or governor and that one percent of New Mexican voters register as Libertarian. In 2016, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, who is now on the ballot as the LPNM’s choice for U.S. senator garnered more than 9 percent of the vote in New Mexico when he ran for president in 2016. More than 1 percent of New Mexico voters also registered as Libertarians."

Read more: https://www.lamonitor.com/content/nm-libertarians-nominate-new-secretary-state-candidate
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NM LP & GOP sue to stop straight-ticket voting

Justin Amash: 'Straight-Ticket Voting Makes it Prohibitive to Run Outside of the Major Parties' - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Matt Welch:

August 30, 2018 - "The Libertarian Party of New Mexico has joined the state Republican Party's lawsuit to block yesterday's decision to reinstate the 'straight ticket' ballot option. With straight-ticket voting, [registered party voters] can choose a political party's entire slate of candidates by filling in just one blank.

"Critics have derided the move as a brazen attempt by an elected Democrat in a heavily Democratic state to blunt a historic challenge by the Libertarian Party's U.S. Senate candidate, Gary Johnson.... New Mexico L.P. Chair Chris Luchini called the change an 'abuse of power via executive fiat'....

"The move was also criticized by Michigan Rep. Justin Amash, a libertarian Republican, who serves in one of the nine straight-party states in the country. 'Straight-ticket voting makes it prohibitive to run outside of the major parties,' Amash told me....

"Libertarians, independents, and other third-party candidates face a blizzard of obstacles in getting on ballots, into polls, and onto debate stages. Straight-ticket states add the wrinkle of simplifying the voting process for their major-party competitors, particularly in down-ballot races. Registered Libertarians in New Mexico are outnumbered 66 to 44 to 1 by Democrats and Republicans, respectively, while the 22 percent of registered voters there without a party affiliation have to go through the trouble of selecting each candidate rather than voting just once for their entire team....

"New Mexico Secretary of State Toulouse Oliver, who made the decision to reinstate straight-ticket voting, is running for re-election against Republican nominee Gavin Clarkson. In a statement today, Clarkson pointed out that [Oliver is] reversing a legislated repeal of the practice that was signed into law by none other than Gary Johnson....

"'Maggie Toulouse Oliver's unilateral and likely illegal straight-party ballot decree is an attack on our democracy and the rule of law. Sadly this act of voter suppression is just another cynical example of the abuse of power in the service of extreme partisanship....

"'Straight-party voting was repealed in 2001 by a Democratic legislature and a Republican governor, Gary Johnson. Specifically, House Bill 931 repealed Section 1-9-4 of the Election Code, which permitted each voter 'to vote a straight party ticket in one operation.' That was the only law authorizing straight party voting in New Mexico, and it has been gone for nearly two decades.

"Since then, the people's elected representatives in the legislature have refused to reinstate it..... Legally speaking, the Secretary of State simply doesn't have the authority to unilaterally make laws, especially against the expressed will of the legislative branch as she is now attempting to do.'"

Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2018/08/30/justin-amash-straight-ticket-voting-make
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Gary Johnson places second in Senate poll

Poll finds Libertarian Senate candidate running ahead of GOP in New Mexico | TheHill - Megan Keller:

August 20, 2018 - "Libertarian Party Senate candidate Gary Johnson is polling at 21 percent in New Mexico, behind Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) but with nearly twice the support shown for GOP candidate Mick Rich in the poll.

"An Emerson College poll released Monday showed Heinrich winning 39 percent on the sample ballot while Rich only took 11 percent. Thirty percent of those polled were undecided.

"Johnson has high name recognition in the state. He's a former governor and won attention for his presidential run in 2016....

"A 21 percent showing would mark the second-highest vote total a Libertarian Senatorial candidate has ever received, Reason reports. Joe Miller garnered 29 percent of the vote in 2016 while running for the Senate in Alaska.

"The Emerson poll also found that New Mexico Republicans slightly favor Johnson above Rich, at 27 percent to 25 percent respectively. However, Johnson's advantage is within the poll's margin of error.

"The numbers are especially difficult for Rich as Johnson only announced his candidacy on Tuesday....

"'What a crazy, wacky world we live in,' Rich told the Santa Fe New Mexican last week, arguing that Johnson is 'more in sync with [Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders] than he is with Republicans.'

"Emerson College's poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points and was conducted ... Aug. 17-18 with a sample of 500 registered voters."

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/402715-poll-gary-johnson-at-21-in-senate-race-nearly-twice-as-much-as-gop-nominee
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Gary Johnson declares for U.S. Senate

Former Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson running for U.S. Senate - CBS News:

August 14, 2018 - "Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson began his campaign Tuesday to unseat New Mexico's junior Democratic senator, seeking political opportunity in the space between Democrats and voters loyal to President Donald Trump.

"Johnson, a former two-term governor of New Mexico, was added to the state's list of Senate candidates as final paperwork was being filed with election officials. His campaign manager said a formal announcement would come soon.

"Johnson remains popular in New Mexico.... [His] 2016 presidential bid as a Libertarian sputtered after a live-television gaff on foreign policy. Democrats saw the presidential run, with currents of social liberalism, as a bane to their party, even as Johnson criticized Trump for his treatment of women and border-wall proposal.

"Elected and re-elected governor of New Mexico as a Republican, Johnson stayed true to a small-government philosophy while vetoing more than 700 bills. His open advocacy for legalized marijuana broke mainstream 1990s political taboos and made him a national curiosity....

"Rod Adair, a Republican political strategist and former state senator, said Johnson's reputation for disciplined, business-savvy governance and as an independent thinker ... 'seems to be right in the wheelhouse of measurable disgust with both the left and the right. He may be the perfect third-party option right now.'

"Johnson, a 65-year-old fitness enthusiast who has summited Mount Everest and this summer completed a grueling 2,700 mile (4,350 kilometer) bicycle race along the Continental Divide, says Democrats and Republicans alike are guilty of deficit spending and military overreach that he says limits economic freedom.

"A campaign ad rolled out Monday by the Elect Liberty PAC touts Johnson's image as a self-made businessman who is disciplined and competitive....

"Registered Libertarians make up a tiny sliver of the New Mexico electorate — less than 1 percent of registered voters..... Democrats dominate voter registration rolls, but the state has swung back and forth between Republican and Democratic governors for decades."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-libertarian-candidate-gary-johnson-running-for-u-s-senate/
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Dunn quits Senate race in NM; Johnson may run

The Latest: Libertarian US Senate Hopeful in New Mexico Out | New Mexico News | US News:

July 30, 2018 - "Aubrey Dunn, the Libertarian Party U.S senatorial candidate in New Mexico, has announced he is quitting the race, opening the door for former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson to jump in.

"Dunn said in a statement Monday that he wanted to focus on his current job as New Mexico land commissioner and that a water crisis in southeastern New Mexico demanded his 'full attention.'

"Dunn called upon former New Mexico governor and Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson to take his place as the Libertarian candidate for the New Mexico seat. Dunn says Johnson is willing to replace him if the Libertarian Party State Central Committee nominates Johnson as his replacement.

"Johnson consultant Ron Nielson told The Associated Press on Friday the former governor is 'strongly considering' running if Dunn quits the race."

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-mexico/articles/2018-07-30/the-latest-libertarian-us-senate-hopeful-in-new-mexico-out
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NM Libertarian candidate for governor off ballot

Libertarian recount fails to qualify governor hopeful | Elections | santafenewmexican.com - Tripp Stelnicki, Santa Fe New Mexican:

July 13, 2018 - "A recount of Libertarian primary results from eight counties did not produce enough additional write-in votes for Bob Walsh, the Libertarians’ would-be governor candidate, according to unofficial results.... Walsh, a retired mathematician, and the would-be lieutenant governor candidate, Robin Dunn, each needed 230 Libertarians to write in their names in the June primary to win the Libertarian nomination and ensure a place on the ballot.

"Both fell short, and the party requested a recount earlier this month, arguing that some of its voters’ choices might not have been counted because they had not filled in a scannable bubble next to the line for write-in candidates....

"Both needed roughly 50 additional votes; unofficial results show Walsh picked up 11 votes, Dunn 13.

"Walsh said Friday he was evaluating a possible challenge to the 230-vote write-in rule. He explained various arguments he said he could explore.... 'Obviously we are disappointed this didn’t prevail,” said Chris Luchini, chair of the state Libertarian Party and himself a Libertarian candidate for sheriff of Los Alamos County....

"The June contest was the Libertarian Party’s first primary as a major party in New Mexico, a result of former Gov. Gary Johnson earning 9 percent of the state’s vote in the 2016 presidential contest.... Whether the Libertarians will retain that status ... without a candidate for governor remains to be seen.

"According to state law, a party must earn more than 5 percent of the total number of votes cast in a race for either governor or president to keep its major-party status. But some Libertarians contend the party could also retain the status with 5 percent of the vote in any statewide race. 'That will be litigated,' Luchini said.

"There are Libertarians who qualified in several statewide races this year. State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, who switched from the Republican Party, is challenging U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.... Sandra Jeff, a former state House representative, is the party’s nominee for secretary of state. A. Blair Dunn, an attorney and the son of Aubrey and Robin Dunn, is running for attorney general. There is a Libertarian candidate, Michael Lucero, seeking the open state land commissioner’s post."

Read more: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/elections/libertarian-recount-fails-to-qualify-governor-hopeful/article_c0c52e03-9b5e-5297-bbc5-6b3daf8b9a80.html
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NM Libertarians want hand count of primary votes

Libertarian candidate for governor fails to make ballot | Local News | santafenewmexican.com Andrew Oxford, Santa Fe New Mexican:

June 26, 2018 - "The Libertarian candidates for governor and lieutenant governor received so few votes in the primary election that they did not qualify for spots on the general election ballot in November, state election officials said Tuesday. In response, the Libertarians will ask officials to hand-tally ballots in several counties in hopes of making the ballot....

"Under New Mexico law, gubernatorial hopeful Bob Walsh and his prospective running mate, Robin Dunn, could have each collected 230 signatures from registered Libertarian voters to get their names on the primary election ballot.

"They didn’t. Instead, they aimed to get 230 Libertarian voters to write in their names on the primary election ballot to obtain the party’s nomination.

"A total of 850 Libertarian voters cast ballots in the primary election. Walsh, a mathematician in Santa Fe, received 175 votes. Dunn, who is in the ranching business in Mountainair, got 177 votes, according to results made official Tuesday....

"Libertarian Party leaders say they suspect the machines that tabulate the ballots did not count some of their votes. The party’s primary election ballot included lines for writing in the candidates for governor and lieutenant governor. But there is also a bubble next to that line. For the machines to count the write-in vote, a voter must fill in that bubble.

"A. Blair Dunn, the Libertarian candidate for attorney general and Robin Dunn’s son, said he believes many more voters wrote in the candidates' names but did not fill in that bubble, meaning their votes have not been counted.

"The party will ask for a tally by hand in 13 counties where the party’s turnout was highest, he said.. 'We’re confident enough we’re going to cross the 230 threshold,' he said."

Unclear is exactly how much money it would cost the party. Dunn said it would likely amount to thousands of dollars, though the state would pay if the candidates are found to have enough votes to get on the general election ballot."

Read more: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/libertarian-candidate-for-governor-fails-to-make-ballot/article_c2378ba0-82d8-596f-83ff-5115758e6ac4.html
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3rd Dunn enters New Mexico state elections

Three Dunns running: For New Mexico’s Libertarian Party, it’s a family affair | Local News | santafenewmexican.com - Andrew Oxford, Santa Fe New Mexican:

March 20, 2018 - "Plenty of families talk about politics around the dinner table. But a mom, dad and one of their sons do not usually end up all running for office together in the same election. That will be the case this year with the Dunn family, however.

The New Mexico Libertarian Party’s slate continued to take shape on Tuesday with Robin Dunn filing for lieutenant governor. She is in the ranching business in Mountainair with her husband, Aubrey Dunn Jr., the state land commissioner who recently switched from the Republican Party to make a bid for the U.S. Senate.

"In addition to the husband-and-wife pair, one of their sons, lawyer A. Blair Dunn of Albuquerque, is already running for attorney general as a Libertarian. He told The New Mexican that his brother is not in politics and his sister is resolved to keep out. So it is not quite the whole family.

"But A. Blair Dunn said his mother is the one who taught him most of his libertarian values. And she would be campaigning for her son and husband anyway, so running for office herself was more way to help the Libertarian Party as it heads into its first election as a major party in New Mexico....

"Bob Walsh, an 81-year-old retired mathematician from Santa Fe, [also] filed Tuesday to run as a write-in during the primary election for governor.... Walsh describes himself as having been a Libertarian since around the time the party began to take shape decades ago. He recounts seeing a short piece in a newspaper about it and thought 'that’s for me.' Walsh has since run unsuccessfully for the Legislature and touts an agenda that fits with the party’s reputation as socially liberal and fiscally conservative....

"Though he votes Libertarian, Walsh has worked with politicians on both sides of the aisle.... But he says: 'A lot of people are disgusted with the Republicans and Democrats. We’re offering people a choice.'

"The party won easier ballot access this year after Libertarian presidential candidate and former Gov. Gary Johnson got about 9 percent of the vote in New Mexico during the 2016 election. As long as the party can get more than 5 percent of the vote in a race for governor or president, it can keep its status as a major party and, with that, easier access to the ballot."

Read more: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/dunns-running-for-new-mexico-s-libertarian-party-it-s/article_195f3f5f-c0bc-5cbe-b6fa-d548ec1de329.html
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Dunn runs for Senate as Libertarian in NM

Libertarian Aubrey Dunn joins Senate race | Legislature | New Mexico Legislative Session | santafenewmexican.com - Steve Terell, Santa Fe New Mexican:

February 6, 2018 - "State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn Jr., who recently changed his voting registration from Republican to Libertarian, filed to run for U.S. Senate on Tuesday against incumbent Democrat Martin Heinrich and Republican building contractor Mick Rich.

"Dunn, who won the land commissioner race four years ago, is one of an entire slate of Libertarians who filed for congressional and state offices on Tuesday. Dunn’s son, A. Blair Dunn, is running for attorney general, while other Libertarians are running for secretary of state, land commissioner and two of New Mexico’s three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

"The Secretary of State’s Office last week designated the Libertarian Party as a major party in New Mexico. The party won that [status] after former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson’s relatively strong showing in the 2016 presidential election in this state. Johnson, who was a Republican when he was governor between 1995 and 2002, got about 9.3 percent of the vote in the state, which is the best a third party has done here since independent presidential candidate Ross Perot won 16 percent of the state’s vote in 1992.

"Although Libertarians appeal to some on the left because of the party’s liberal views on social issues such as marijuana, abortion rights and gay rights, they tend to hurt Republicans because of their strong views on easing regulations, lowering taxes and shrinking government. The emergence of an active Libertarian Party in the state raises the question of whether GOP candidates will suffer.

"'I think I’ll pull equally from both my opponents,' Dunn said Tuesday. "Progressives in this state have made strides in taking over the Democratic Party, leaving many conservative Democrats behind'.... 'This is a winnable race for Libertarians,' he said, pointing to a recent poll that showed Heinrich with an approval rate of less than 50 percent....

"Besides Dunn, the best-known Libertarian candidate to file Tuesday was former state Rep. Sandra Jeff, who is running for secretary of state.... Jeff is a former Democrat from Crownpoint. She often sided with Republicans during her three terms in the state House....

Read more: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/libertarian-aubrey-dunn-joins-senate-race/article_781091a1-54ca-5b7f-b0c0-2abb91987b97.html
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NM Land Commissioner switches to Libertarians

Dunn switches to Libertarian Party | Legislature | New Mexico Legislative Session | santafenewmexican.com - Andrew Oxford, Santa Fe New Mexican:

January 27, 2018 - "State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, one of New Mexico’s top elected Republicans, has switched parties and registered to vote as a Libertarian.

"Dunn said Saturday he is considering his next political move as his term comes to an end later this year. Some Libertarians have launched a campaign to draft him as their candidate for the U.S. Senate.

"Regardless of his next steps, Dunn’s departure from the GOP means Republicans now hold one less statewide elected office. And it comes as the party grapples with factional battles as well as its very identity in a purple state during the age of President Donald Trump.

"Dunn’s move, though unusual, is hardly a surprise. A rancher and banker from Southern New Mexico, he has long been at odds with Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.... But he also has been one of the few Republicans to win a statewide election in recent years. Dunn won elected office for the first time in 2014, ousting Democrat Ray Powell as land commissioner in a race so narrow it prompted a recount.

"Under Dunn, the office has avoided scandal. He has rankled some oil companies, however, by imposing restrictions on pumping fresh water from the Ogallala Aquifer. And he has scrapped with Martinez over management of the State Investment Council....

"Dunn’s son, A. Blair Dunn, is running for attorney general as a Libertarian and has undertaken a campaign of sorts to get his father into the race for U.S. Senate.... It would be an unprecedented win for Libertarians. But the party has access to the ballot this year.

"Former Republican Gov. Gary Johnson ran for president as a Libertarian in 2016 and received about 9 percent of the vote in New Mexico ... to win Libertarians a designation as a major party in the state.... Libertarians still only constitute around 1 percent of New Mexico’s registered voters — about 7,260 people as of November 2017, according to the Secretary of State’s Office."

Read mor: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/dunn-switches-to-libertarian-party/article_d7738457-695b-5b9b-a529-d6b424501be7.html
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NM ex-legislator switches to Libertarian Party

Sandra Jeff to run as Libertarian for sec. of state | LAMonitor.com - Los Alamos Monitor:

January 12, 2018 -  "Former New Mexico State Rep. Sandra Jeff announced late Thursday her intention to run for secretary of state on the Libertarian Party ticket.

"'It is time for candidates that are about making life better for New Mexicans, not about following party dogma,' Jeff said in a release.

"Sandra went on to discuss that she 'is switching parties and looking to run for secretary of state to fight the corruption in Santa Fe so that New Mexico has a new horizon to look to."

"In 2016, Jeff ran as Democrat in the state senate race for District 22. She was defeated in the June 7 primary.

"Prior to that, Jeff served in the New Mexico House of Representatives, District 5, (representing McKinley and San Juan counties) from 2009 to 2014....

"She is the second Libertarian candidate to declare a spot on the Libertarian ticket.

"Lloyd Princeton, an Albuquerque business consultant, announced Jan. 8 his candidacy as a Libertarian for the First Congressional District in New Mexico"

Read more: http://www.lamonitor.com/content/sandra-jeff-run-libertarian-sec-state
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NM Libertarians aiming for full statewide slate

Libertarian Party plans to make entrance in N.M. races | LAMonitor.com - Tris DaRoma, Los Alamos Monitor:

January 3, 2018 - "An Albuquerque attorney is in talks with various would-be candidates across the state of New Mexico who are interested in running on the New Mexico Libertarian Party ticket this year.

:Attorney A. Blair Dunn, the son of New Mexico Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, said it’s time to give New Mexicans a third option. He posted an open letter on his Facebook page urging citizens to consider the 'Liberty' ticket....

"'Being a candidate is no easy or comfortable task, but without those willing to put themselves out there in an election, there will be no alternatives that vote for the principles that we all share in, and we would be left to our status quo decision of the lesser of two evils between two parties that have offered no solutions in 100 years of control,' Dunn said in his letter.

"Dunn declined to mention any candidates that are interested, only saying there would be an official introduction, and announcement as soon as next week.

"'There will be a slate, I do not know whether or not the land commissioner is going to be on the slate. That is still a decision he’s contemplating,' Dunn said. 'But, as far as a Libertarian slate, there is going to be a full slate of candidates for the statewide executive office.'

"That would include governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and other positions....

"Dunn said the slate is a healthy cross section of New Mexico, young, old, some ... former legislators and candidates.

"'They can articulate  what the Libertarian Party means as an opportunity for New Mexico,' Dunn said. 'We think that there are a few races, for instance the AG race and a couple others where we can be actual players because the incumbent option is so bad that there’s a real desire for something other than the status quo.'"

Read more: http://www.lamonitor.com/content/libertarian-party-plans-make-entrance-nm-races
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