Liberty for America Posts Recap of Election in November Edition

George Phillies has compiled an excellent recap of Libertarian candidates’ results from the recent mid-term elections. It can be found in November’s issue of Liberty for America . With his permission, I’m posting that article in full now.

The entire issue can be read here. 201411

Libertarians on the March!

For our Libertarian Party, Election Day 2014 brought a great deal of news, much of it good. I repeat reports found across the internet:

Top Two was dealt a crushing defeat in Oregon. It lost the vote by a 2-1 margin, despite millions of dollars in advertising from New York billionaires. The $1200
from the LNC was much more effective.

The Libertarian Party writes: “In 2014, there were 24 states with Libertarian candidates on the ballot for governor. Eight candidates got at least 3 percent. The
average Libertarian percentage was 2.2 percent. By comparison, in 2010, there were only 19 states with Libertarian candidates on the ballot for governor. Only
one candidate got at least 3 percent. The average Libertarian percentage was 1.7 percent. “In 2014, there were 22 states with Libertarian candidates on the ballot for U.S. Senate. Six candidates got at least 3%. The average Libertarian percentage was 2.3%. By comparison, in 2010, there were only 20 states with Libertarian candidates on the ballot for U.S. Senate. Three candidates got at least 3%. The average Libertarian percentage was 1.8%.

Libertarians in Arkansas have already elected two candidates today. Jacob Faught is running unopposed in his race for Benton County Township 5 Constable (a
partisan race). Casey D. Copeland is running unopposed for Prairie Grove Alderman (a non-partisan race). This will be his third win in a row.
Karl Tatgenhorst, running for Secretary of State in Indiana, received more than the 2 percent for secretary of state needed to retain nomination by convention.

A medical marijuana measure in Florida received 57 % voting in favor; alas, the measure needed 60 percent support to pass. The message to the state legislature is still clear. Bobby Tullis was elected as the mayor of Mineral Springs, Arkansas.

Several victories in Louisiana: William McBride was elected to the town council of Washington in St.Landry Parish. Henry Herford was elected as a constable in Franklin Parish. Justin Bonnette was elected as a Justice of the Peace in Vernon Parish. Chad Perry will be in a runoff for Justice of the Peace in
Calcasieu Parish.

Two victories in Indiana: Cheryl Heacox was reelected to the Clay Township Advisory Board in Wayne County. Steve Coffman was re-elected to the Liberty Township Advisory Board.

In Minnesota, both Libertarian candidates running for Crystal City Council, Olga Parsons and Elizabeth Dahl, beat their incumbent opponents and by significant margins.

In Nebraska, Keith Ottersberg won a seat on the Wymore City Council.

More Good News!

Many state chairs wrote the state chair list, trumpeting our great successes. It is time for good news, and we got a lot of it:

Georgia
Statewide Candidate at 32% of Vote! John Monds statewide 31.62% 707,335 votes…yes. that’s right, 3/4 million votes.
US senate Amanda Swafford 1.91 % 48,918
Governor Andrew Hunt 2.37 % 60,194
Insurance Commissioner Ted Metz 86295
Aaron Gilmer 4.87 % 122,112
Almost a million votes overall.

Connecticut
The Party ran two candidates, Dan Reale for US House CD2 and Rich Lion for State Rep, District 9.
Both retained ballot access and minor party status for their races. Rich Lion received 14%, the highest percentage scored by a Connecticut Libertarian who did
not win their race. Great results!

Missouri
Cisse Spragins wrote: We sincerely thank the 28 candidates who carried the Missouri LP banner in Tuesday’s election. Results were:
State Auditor – Sean O’Toole (3) – 19.7%
US Congress 1 – Robb Cunningham (3) – 5.5%
US Congress 2 – Bill Slantz (3) – 3.3%
US Congress 3 – Steven Hedrick (3) – 4.5%
US Congress 4 – Herschel L. Young (3) – 5.6%
US Congress 5 – Roy Welborn (3) – 3.5%
US Congress 6 – Russ Monchil (3) – 3.8%
US Congress 7 – Kevin Craig (3) – 7.7%
US Congress 8 – Rick Vandeven (5) – 2.4%
State Senator 24 – Jim Higgins (3) – 3.1%
State Rep 33 – Matthew (Matt) Stephens (3) – 11.7%
State Rep 51 – Bill Wayne (3) – 5.2%
State Rep 67 – Jeff Coleman (3) – 2.4%
State Rep 81 – Lisa Schaper (2) – 21.0%
State Rep 83 – Andrew Bolin (3) – 4.8%
State Rep 103 – Dean (Draig) Hodge (2) – 21.3%
State Rep 137 – Bill Boone (3) – 4.5%
State Rep 147 – Greg Tlapek (3) – 8.2%
State Rep 153 – Ginny Keirns (2) – 17.8%
Presiding Commissioner, Cass County – Lora Young
(3) – 6.6%
Recorder of Deeds, Cass County – Falon Kohler (2)
– 21.4%
Presiding Commissioner, Greene County – Benjamin
Brixey (3) – 5.9%
Circuit Clerk, Greene County – Arthur Hodge
(2) –
21.9%
County Legislature, 2nd At-Large, Jackson County –
Cisse Spragins (3) – 4.3%
County Executive, Jackson County – Charles Richard Tolbert (3) – 4.4%
Presiding Commissioner, Livingston County – Jeff Foli (3) – 3.0%
County Recorder, St. Charles County – Michael Copeland (2) – 22.3%
County Executive, St. Louis County – Theo (Ted) Brown (4) – 2.8%
At the top of the ticket was the race for State Auditor, wherein the incumbent republican had already essentially announced that he is running for governor
in 2016, and if successful, will then vacate the auditor’s seat early. There was no democrat in the race,however there was a candidate from the CP. This
was the first time in 104 years both older parties had not fielded a candidate for a statewide race in Missouri. A democrat who had considered running for
the seat was quoted in the St Louis Post Dispatch endorsing the republican…
Libertarian Sean O’Toole garnered 251,601 votes for 19.7% in the 3-way race. This breaks the party’s previous vote total record of 165,468 set in the 2012 US
senate race, and previous high percentage of 6.2% set in the state treasurer race in 1992, the first year the Missouri LP gained recognized party status (and
ballot access). The CP candidate received just under 7%. Interestingly, O’Toole beat the incumbent republican in the voting area managed by the Kansas City Election Board, 42.65% to 41.04%. Signs were placed at the 33 polling locations in the city expected to have the highest turnout in the majority democratic areas.
O’Toole’s showing was also strong in St Louis City.
A total of 1,276,033 votes were cast for Auditor, versus a total of 1,422,287 for the eight congressional seats, so a substantial number of democrats
(presumably) sat out of the Auditor’s race. Voter turnout was only a little over half that of 2012, with no hotly contested congressional seats and only the
single statewide race. Congress has a miserable approval rating, but apparently many folks in Missouri think their member of congress is somehow okay…
Missouri Libertarians upped their average in the eight congressional races, from the record 3.3% set in 2012 to 4.5% this time. Three candidates garnered
over 5%, Robb Cunningham and Herschel Young, and Kevin Craig who garnered 7.7% in his fourth try in the race. All races were 3-way, except for the 8th
district which was a 5-way race. We appreciate all of their efforts. The party had one state senate candidate, who garnered 3.1% and seven state rep candidates. Two state rep candidates deserve special mention. Matt Stephens ran what was probably the most active state rep campaign in the state party’s history, introducing
our ideas to hundreds of voters one door knock and one forum at a time, garnering 11.7%. His efforts were able to move the needle beyond the more typical 3-5% in a 3-way race against a rep and dem. Greg Tlapek also campaigned actively, presenting bold ideas for education reform and explaining the concept of proportional representation to voters, neither easy issues. His efforts garnered him 8.2%.

Running for office on the Libertarian ticket can at times seem like a thankless task. We sincerely appreciate the time, effort and commitment of our candidates, and those who helped them boldly spread the message of freedom. We are actively recruiting candidates for 2016, and for non-partisan city races in 2015. If you would like to run for office on the Missouri LP ticket, please visit LP.org and click on the Run for Office link near the top right. Live Free.

Cisse W. Spragins, Ph.D.
Chair, Missouri Libertarian Party

Illinois
Comptroller Julie Fox 161000 4.80%
Treasurer Matt Skopek 138000 4.20%
Senate Sharon Hansen 127000 3.80%
Governor/Lt. Governor Chad Grimm / AJ Cummings 114500 3.40%
Sec. of State Christopher Michel 100000 3.00%
Attorney General Ben Koyl 94000 2.80%

Kentucky
This year, David Patterson received the most votes
of any Libertarian candidate in KY ever, with over
44,200 votes. This overcame the previous record
from 2011 of over 37,000 votes. We have now elected Libertarians into partisan offices in KY. Additionally, Illinois had 2 candidates receive over 10%
in three-way races, which is another new threshold
we’ve crossed.

Massachusetts
On behalf of our state party, many thanks for your
hard work, your sweat and tears, your hard-earned
dollars, and your irreplaceable time! Without you we
would have had no candidates and no progress. But
we did have candidates, and they did well by the historical standards of our party.
State Senate (in a three-candidate race):
Mullins, Heather 1,596 4%
State Representative (two way races)
Van Tassell, Kenneth 2,569 25%
Marciano, Euplio 3,442 26%
Morris, Daniel 1,932 16%
Roberts, Kenneth 1,090 12%
Coombes, Michael 1,906 16%
Underwood, Robert 2,002 21%
Suffolk County Sheriff
Smith, Hassan 20,973 17%
So thank you, all of you and all your supporters!
George Phillies
State Chair, LAMA

New Jersey
Patrick McKnight announced: Unofficial results indicate NJLP candidates received a total of 26,142 votes this year. Our registered voters grew by 8.3%
while the Republicans decreased by 1.1% and the
Democrats decreased by 1.6%.
Joe Baratelli (US Senate) 16,048 votes (0.89%)
Dorit Goikhman (US House 6) 1,322 votes (1.12%)
Jim Gawron (US House 7) 3,332 votes (1.95%)
Steven Uccio (Mercer Freeholder) 1,441 votes
(0.97%)
Brian Pizza (Ocean Freeholder) 3,999 votes (3.00%)

New York
Gov/Lt. Gov.–McDermott/Edes 15,582 (.4%)
Comptroller–Clifton 25,096 (.7%)
Attorney General–Person 23,688 (.7%)
CD 3–Lally (also R-C) 71,212 (45.5%)
SD5–Bowman 724 0.94%
AD 37–Wilson 748 (7.1%)
AD 73–Casavis (also R-I) 6,965 (30.5%)
AD 139–Glogowski 1,387 (4.7%)

Arkansas Reports Spectacular Results
LPAR Jessica Paxton reports spectacular outcomes: After running an incredible campaign, educating hundreds of thousands of Arkansans about the libertarian philosophy and the LPAR, our esteemed gubernatorial candidate Frank Gilbert earned 16,217 votes on Tuesday. I hope you will help me congratulate Frank on a well
-fought race. His determination, ability to truly connect with voters and his charming attitude were a breath of fresh air this election season. I firmly believe that our members could not have nominated a better candidate for Governor. Now, what do our candidates’ vote totals mean? Frank’s record-breaking vote totals (1.92%) show a marked increase over votes for Gary Johnson in 2012 (1.52%) and blew away the Barr/Root 2008 results (0.44%). Frank succeeded in winning more hearts and votes than any top-of-the-ticket candidate in AR election history in a year with less than 50% voter turnout. Congratulations, and thank you, Frank!
Unfortunately, we were not able to reach the statemandated percentage requirement (3%) to retain our ballot access for 2016. This means that we will again
have to raise tens of thousands of dollars and repetition in order to run Libertarian candidates in 2016. While this is not the outcome we were hoping for, I
hope you will join me in celebrating the many Arkansas Libertarian victories in 2014. *Arkansans elected THREE Libertarians this year!
Congratulations to Mayor-elect Bobby Tullis of Mineral Springs, to Constable-elect Jacob Faught in Gentry and to Alderman Casey Copeland of Prairie
Grove for his third consecutive win. *Results show an increase in percentage and vote totals for Libertarian candidates. Our top-of-theticket returns improved from (approximately) 0.4% in 2008 to 1.5% in 2012 and again to 1.92% in 2014. Liberty is rising! In 2012, 96,116 votes were cast for 16 Libertarian candidates in 18 races (4.17%). In 2014, we significantly increased our number of candidates and more than quadrupled our number of votes. Our 28 candidates earned 387,687 votes out of
7,746,462 votes cast in their races. That’s a solid 5%. *Looking only at our four Congressional races, we can see that a minimum of 65,712 unique voters cast
ballots for Libertarian candidates in this state. Compare this to 37,082 votes cast for our four Congressional candidates in 2012, and you can see a 56%
increase in the number of Libertarian voters in this state, even with lower voter turnout this year.

*Every Arkansan had at least nine Libertarian options on their ballot this year. Arkansas voters were among the luckiest in the nation with such a high
number of Libertarians on each ballot. *The LPAR was the only political party to have a candidate in every single debate hosted by AETN. This opportunity allowed our candidates to reach new voters and educate Arkansans about the libertarian philosophy throughout these repeatedly-televised debates.

*From 2012-2013, the LPAR’s membership increased by an extraordinary 65.38%. We also saw a 23.26% membership growth from 2013-2014. Lifetime memberships in the LPAR will see an increase of 300% by the end of this year. Arkansans with memberships in the National LP grew by 17.98% this year as well. Our social media pages are being
followed by more people than ever. Even our facebook page “likes” have almost doubled since the time of the 2012 election. While these are not election results, we count this as yet another victory in our efforts to move Arkansas towards freedom. We thank you for your support, your votes and your help this election season. We want to continue offering Arkansans more freedom by putting Libertarians on the ballot. Will you help us? Live FREE!

Jessica Paxton
Chairman – LPAR

George Phillies is a long-time Libertarian activist. He is the editor of Liberty for America, and is currently the Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Massahusetts. He is a college professor and also has written several books, both in his field of physics and also his passion for politics.