THE PARTY OF PRINCIPLE® LP.org ELECTION RESULTS SEE PAGE 10 Quarter 3, 2020 THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY Vol. 50, Issue 3 FrontierLP Project News candidate elected Marshall Burt’s historic statehouse win is first since 2002, fifth in party history By Andy Craig registered voter in the district many times “We must make Wyoming the most at- Maryland over, engaging in both persuasion and tractive state to do business in and inno- careful tracking of the state of the race. Pa- vate. We need to begin diversifying our or the first time in a generation, a zell also worked closely in the community economy so that crises like this do not Libertarian has been elected to a to secure key endorsements and support have such a big impact on our families in state legislature. Marshall Burt, a from local leaders. the future.” Ftrack inspector for the Union Pacific rail- LNC Chair Joe Bishop-Henchman Republican and Democratic mem- road and Marine Corps veteran, defeat- sees Burt’s victory as a vindication for the bers of the House also reached out to ed a long-time Democratic incumbent Frontier Project’s model. “It’s time for the Burt, offering their congratulations and to represent Wyoming’s House District Libertarian Party to get out of start-up expressing their eagerness to work with 39. Burt’s campaign was spearheaded by mode. Winning elections for state legisla- Wyoming’s first third-party legislator in Apollo Pazell, candidate support special- State Representative-Elect ture is a crucial step for the party’s growth, more than a century. Marshall Burt (L-WY) ist for the Libertarian National Commit- and was one of my biggest motivations in Another of the Frontier Project’s tee. Burt’s win was no accident, but the tatives. Pazell recalls finally receiving the running for chair,” he said. candidates, Bethany Baldes of Riverton, result of a new focus by the LNC to target question most common from prospective Bishop-Henchman joined the candi- Wyo., came within just 32 votes of win- resources, assistance, and talent on win- candidates: “Why me?” to which the re- dates in Wyoming for the final push and ning her election. Trisha Butler, running ning state legislative seats and local offices sponse was simply, “Why not you?” Con- met with Burt the day after the election to for Clarksville, Tenn., city council, also through the Frontier Project. vinced by the data showing a winnable discuss the future of the party and policy won her election after working closely Burt attended the Frontier Summit race and the party’s plan to support his proposals for Burt’s time in the legislature. with Pazell and the Frontier team, which held in Cheyenne in 2019 after Pazell campaign, he agreed to run. “As a tax policy expert, I’ve gone to many invited candidates across the country to identified him from the party’s member- Burt didn’t find the Libertarian label state legislatures to work on crucial re- participate and receive strategic advice ship list. His experience in the Marine to be a problem, either. Talking to voters, forms, offering testimony and participat- and assistance. Canvassers were also de- Corps, where he served for nine years, he describes his elevator pitch as simply ing in negotiations. And I can’t overstate ployed to other states, including other and as a local leader in groups like the “limited government, balanced budget, how much of a difference it will make to near-wins such as Hanna Waugh for Lake American Legion and the volunteer fire do what you want in your life without have even one principled Libertarian at County, Colo., Commissioner. department in his hometown of Green being infringed upon by anyone else.” It the table in those discussions,” he said. Pazell’s goals for the next year include River, made him an ideal pick. was a message that resonated in District Burt’s goals in the legislature include training up more canvassers, campaign Burt was not initially inclined to run 39, delivering Burt a convincing victo- defending Second Amendment rights, managers, and candidate support spe- for office. But after many hours of tough ry: 54.4% to 44.6% over incumbent Stan working to expand educational opportu- cialists to replicate this success. “This was questions for Pazell and other Libertari- Blake, who has held the seat for 14 years. nities and diversifying the state’s economy proof of concept that Libertarians can win an leaders, he was persuaded by the op- Teams of canvassers were deployed at a time when the state’s dependence on these races,” he says, “and now it’s time to portunity to represent his neighbors and to assist the Frontier Project’s targeted oil and mineral extraction has been hit expand this model across the country. I’m friends in the state House of Represen- candidates, knocking the door of every hard by the recession. As he explained, excited about where this will go.” From the Chair ................................. 2 The Ladies Behind Lady Liberty ........ 5 $30k Building Fund Match ................ 9 Why It’s Hard to be Libertarian ........14 Donor Appreciation .......................... 2 Texas Picks All Female Officers ....... 7 Election Results .............................10 OKC ROW Ordinance Overturned .....16 Review: 2 Paragraphs 4 Liberty ......... 3 Duopoly Attacks LP Texas ................ 8 Letter to the Editor ..........................13 Media Buzz ....................................16 Page 2 The Libertarian Party • LP.org Quarter 3, 2020 FROM THE CHAIR Schrödinger’s Vote & Electing Libertarians By Joe Bishop-Henchman us building and deploying all that to elect Libertar- Other races solidified us as active competition, such LNC Chair • [email protected] ians to public office to change public policy. It was a as Ricky Harrington getting 34% for U.S. Senate in successful experiment that I want to expand for next Arkansas, Don Rainwater getting 14% for Governor spent Election Day 2020 on time as fast as resources permit. of Indiana, and others that beat the spread between Wyoming sidewalks in 30-de- Some thoughts on the 2020 results: the old parties. Brad Barron in Kentucky earned an gree weather, helping rally • Jorgensen/Cohen ’20 earned about 1.8 mil- attack ad from Mitch McConnell. And nearly all of Ivoters for Libertarian candidates. lion votes (1.2%), second best in our history behind these candidates achieved what they did with a frac- After a night fretting about elec- only 2016. One in 90 Americans voted for Jo and tion of the money their opponents had. tion results, I spent the next day Spike, despite a fundraising and name recognition • The drug war lost. Arizona, Montana, New Jer- with State Rep.-elect Marshall disadvantage, media blackout, and inability to cam- sey and South Dakota legalized marijuana. Mississip- Bishop- paign normally due to the pandemic. We “beat the pi legalized medical marijuana. D.C. decriminalized Burt (L-WY) — I love writing Henchman that! — talking plans for the leg- spread” in key states like Nevada, Michigan, Penn- mushrooms. Oregon decriminalized hard drugs. I islative session and how we can duplicate his success sylvania, and Wisconsin, drawing old parties’ anger. remember when ending the drug war and not view- and get him reinforcements. I’ve been on the phone I love the image someone shared — Libertarians cast ing drug use as a criminal enforcement problem was with our local officials in 36 states talking the same. “Schrödinger’s vote,” simultaneously wasted while a crazy Libertarian position in this country. Now it’s The national chair facilitates decisions, removes deciding the election. winning every time everywhere. obstacles, and connects our candidates, activists, • We had 50+DC ballot access for this election To all of our candidates: thank you. Win or lose, donors, and state and local party leaders with each no small feat as we overcame gratuitous procedural the commitment is an enormous one and can be other. I find there’s no substitute to seeing first-hand obstacles, pandemic conditions, and a bidding war draining in so many ways. Our impact and our ballot what things are like on the ground, which is why I for paid petitioners caused by billionaire candidates. access depend on you, and your often unsung efforts was in Wyoming for the final push. It’s why I helped Everyone’s hard work ensured Jo Jorgensen was one are appreciated by so many of us. gather ballot access signatures in Pennsylvania and of the three choices in front of every American voter. Onward. We are going to take on the duopoly Rhode Island, was at Jo and Spike events in Texas • Momentum. Registered Libertarian voters are until they change or we get our people elected. See- and Ohio and Georgia and Virginia, joined the entire up 7% since March to 652,000 (in the 32 states with ing a routine election treated as a do or die moment LNC in knocking doors in Minnesota, showed up for partisan registration), and party membership is up by so many Americans reminds me that we need to debate night in Indiana, and spent an evening with 29% for the year to over 21,000. Campaigns brought rethink the power we give to government, and that our text banking team reaching undecided voters. in tens of thousands of new donors and thousands only Libertarians will actually deliver on this. It allows me to tell you without hesitation that if of first-time activists. The presidential campaign bus all it took to win elections were the right ideas and tour earned a ton of local press and we learned from In Liberty, enthusiastic volunteers, we would win every election.