The Libertarian Party of Illinois has recruited a fantastic and highly active slate of candidates for statewide office and they worked tirelessly to get them well over the 25,000 petition signatures needed to appear on the November ballot. In fact, they gathered over 43,000 signatures in just 90 days!

But the victory was short lived. The IL GOP challenged those signatures and sent a team of staffers and interns to the Illinois State Board of Elections to ensure that the voices of those 43,000 people were silenced.

The process for defending those signatures is long and unnerving. The Libertarian Party of Illinois needed to answer the GOP’s attack by gathering volunteers at the state election board’s office in Springfield for several days. From 9am to 7pm you sit in a chair, petitions and GOP objections in hand, working with the election board staffer to locate the petitioner in voter rolls. Arguing with the GOP interns over matching signatures, legal name changes, and whether LSD in Chicago actually means Lake Shore Drive.

Knowing they would not be able to match the GOP’s presence, they called on us for help. And we had to act on short notice.  We committed ourselves to the state party’s efforts, and we brought out the big guns. We sent in LNCC Executive Director Evan McMahon last week for a few days.

Evan returned home this past Friday, just in time to celebrate his nephew’s first birthday, and is already back on the road heading to Springfield. Evan will stay in the area for the rest of the week. Including a couple of days to assist Lex Green, LP Illinois Political Director, with paper work and preparing documentation for any additional legal challenges.

The Libertarian Party of Indiana, being a good neighbor, not only sent their State Chair Dan Drexler for a day of assistance, but they also helped pay part of the expenses for Evan’s first week in Springfield.

Of course, placing Evan in the field for this task comes at a price.  There are additional costs we bear to cover his transportation, room and board. Then there is the opportunity cost. While Evan is in Illinois, he has limited time to address the day-to-day tasks of the LNCC.

We are here to turn the tide and change the course of America. And our ability to accomplish this depends on you. With your help we can make a dramatic impact on the liberty movement.

If you believe as I do that providing practical support for Libertarian candidates and local parties is need for our success, I ask you to stand with me and our mission by underwriting our efforts.

Please click here to donate online today.

Very Truly Yours,

Mark W. Rutherford, Chairman
Libertarian National Campaign Committee

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), commonly known as McCain-Feingold, places strict regulations on, among other things, how a political party can raise money, limits the amount of money that can be raised and, more importantly, prevents a party from fully supporting its own candidates for federal office.

Many of BCRA’s restrictions, as enforced by Federal Election Commission (FEC), recently have been challenged and overturned in the U.S. Supreme Court.  Two such cases are the high profile McCutcheon v FEC, and Citizens United v FEC.  In these two cases, the court overturned the limitations placed on corporate political spending and the aggregate totals an individual may contribute in an election cycle.  The restrictions on political parties have largely remained. If successful, this case would strike down arbitrary limitations on contributions to political parties made for the sole purpose of funding their independent speech.

In early 2014, Chris Rufer donated $32,400 to the Libertarian National Congressional Committee, the maximum amount allowed to a national political party committee under the current regulation. Rufer has also donated $10,000 to the Libertarian Party of Indiana, the maximum amount allowed to a state political party committee under the current regulation. Rufer joined the lawsuit because he believes the first amendment guarantees his right to ensure that the Libertarian philosophy and non-coordinated messages are heard by the voters.

LNCC holds that the FEC’s prohibition on political party committees from receiving unlimited funds through an independent expenditure account violates its first amendment right to speak in support of Libertarian candidates for federal office.

LNCC Chairman Mark Rutherford said that, “Libertarians and other minor parties have a much smaller pool of donors than the other two dominating parties. We would like to be able to buy billboards, mailers, and TV and radio commercials that encourage people to vote for the Libertarians on their ballot. We can do that without coordinating with the candidates.  But it will take larger donations from our dedicated donors to be able to compete with the two much older political parties.”

The Libertarian National Congressional Committee, Libertarian Party of Indiana, and Chris Rufer are prepared to take this lawsuit all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, if necessary.

REFERENCE: Rufer et al. v. FEC Plaintiff’s Motion

The Libertarian National Congressional Committee is more commonly known as the Libertarian National Campaign Committee.

LP.org blog:

The Indiana LP will be targeting vulnerable state House seats in the 2014 election, the state affiliate announced in a Thursday press release, which presented an initial list of 20 sitting politicians that LPIN Chair Dan Drexler says they hope will be defeated in November:

On Thursday, the Libertarian Party of Indiana released a list of targeted Indiana House seats to challenge in 2014. The list contains a mix of twenty Republican and Democrat held seats.

Those seats include:

Ed Soliday, District 4; B. Patrick Bauer, District 6; Ryan Dvorak, District 8; Vernon Smith, District 14; Harold Slager, District 15; Tim Wesco, District 21; Randolph Truitt, District 26; Eric Turner, District 32; Jack Lutz, District 35; Heath Vannater, District 38; Alan Morrison, District 42; Kreg Battles, District 45; Richard Hamm, District 56; Peggy Mayfield, District 60; Matt Ubelhor, District 62; Thomas Washburne, District 64; Lloyd Arnold, District 74; Wendy McNamara, District 76; Christina Hale, District 87; and Mike Speedy, District 90.

“We have not specifically targeted vulnerable seats in the past. We are now,” noted LPIN State Chairman Dan Drexler. “As a growing party, it is important we show our presence matters. It is important voters and the media begin seeing we are serious about changing policy, running candidates to challenge races and moving a libertarian philosophy forward through real policy.”

“This is our initial list,” Drexler explained. “We can certainly reassess these seats. We’re watching the current legislative session closely. We want to see strong, vocal libertarian positions taken by these legislators. We don’t want to see increased taxes. We don’t want to see the state push down unfunded mandates to local government. We don’t want to see discrimination written into our Indiana Constitution. And, we’d like to see Common Core in Indiana die a swift legislative death. Clearly, we don’t think this is asking too much.”

The LPIN will nominate federal, statewide and state legislative candidates at convention in Indianapolis in late April.

Libertarian Party of Indiana

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Below is the letter of thanks the LNCC received from Brett:

Mr. McMahon,

Last year, while running in a special election for the Marietta City School Board, I sought and received the endorsement of the Libertarian National Campaign Committee.

Despite a large number of other races throughout the country, your support led to a significant fundraising effort for that election. On July 31st, 2012, I was elected to represent Ward 1 on the school board for Marietta City Schools. Without your endorsement and the support of Libertarians across the country, that may not have happened. For your support, your endorsement and “call to action” from those who also advocate Libertarian principles, I thank you.

My first year in office has been a learning experience more than anything, and I have the LNCC to thank for that opportunity.

Earlier this year, the LNCC renewed their endorsement of my campaign. This time, the endorsement was for my RE-election bid. As part of your support, you once again asked your supporters to help. While last year’s support was tremendous, I am truly honored and humbled by the generosity of those who stand strong in their principles of liberty. I am completely floored by those contributors from Virginia, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania who found it important enough to support my campaign here in Marietta, Georgia with some of their hard-earned money to help keep an elected Libertarian in office.

I’m happy to report that your fundraising efforts helped me raise $4,000. Or in other words, 60% of fully funding the campaign budget and plan we discussed back in December, and the “buzz” about the fundraising efforts made its way around the politicos in Marietta.

More than the funds raised, I also appreciate the time and advice that you gave to my campaign. I was one of only two people facing an opponent…and I had two. By maintaining a highly active campaign of going door-to-door, attending nearly every school function and creating buzz in the local media I was able to avoid a runoff election. I was re-elected after receiving 56.52% of the total vote and 62.68% of the early/absentee vote.

Thanks again for your renewed endorsement, and please share my thanks with the supporters who won with me on Tuesday night.

Sincerely,

Brett C. Bittner

School Board Member – Ward 1 Marietta City Schools

If you want to see Libertarian Victories in 2014, like Brett’s, please support the Libertarian National Campaign Committee by making a donation, today. Click Here to help the LNCC financially prepare for 2014.

In Liberty,

Evan McMahon, Executive Director
Libertarian National Campaign Committee

The media, in typical fashion, had been mostly dismissive of the young looking Libertarian. But after the Democrat and Republican used their time to bash each other on stage, the media was reminded that there is a better option. Now, they are giving Sarvis equal footing and plenty of coverage. Sarvis has been doing interviews around the state everyday…all day.

The commercial and the media coverage have helped propel Sarvis to a head turning 12% in the polls. In some counties Sarvis is polling in the high 20′s! That’s in a race where the other two candidates are spending millions of dollars a week in radio and TV ads.

And we’re not talking about some half-baked internal polling. These numbers are coming from the big boys – CNN, Politico and others.

Click on the image above to read the full Politico story.

There will be one last debate in Virginia and the organizers will decide tomorrow if, in their opinion, Sarvis has met the threshold to be included in it. Sarvis has already met at least two of the requirements 1) Be on the ballot 2) get at least 10% in recognized polls. The third key area of focus is direct public support of the campaign.

To show they have the direct support of the public, and to fund a statewide airing of the “Open-Minds and open for business” ad, the Sarvis campaign has launched a $10,000 on 10/10 fundraiser. As this email is going out, the campaign fundraiser has already raised over $8,000! Let’s help push them far over the top – Donate Here Today!

You can also join Robert Sarvis for Governor online at www.RobertSarvis.com and on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

PS, the Libertarian National Campaign Committee has been a proud supporter of the Robert Sarvis for Governor campaign since day one. They have shown, throughout the campaign, that the team is serious and dedicated not only to achieving ballot access for the Virginia Libertarian Party, but also to building a positive image of the party in the hearts and minds of Virginia voters.

I encourage you to help support this groundbreaking campaign!

In Liberty,

Evan McMahon, Executive Director
Libertarian National Campaign Committee

Earlier this month the Libertarian Party of Colorado filed a lawsuit against the Secretary of State to ensure the candidates in this hotly-contested recall election are given the time allowed by the state constitution for petitioning to be on the ballot.  

Well… they won! You can read the full statement on the LPCO website.

They have recruited a great candidate, Jan Brooks, to run for the Colorado State Senate.  However, the courts have given our party a very short window — only until this Monday, August 26th – to gather nearly 1,000 signatures to get her on the ballot. This, along with planning and running the campaign, is a monumental task. The Libertarian National Campaign Committee supported the lawsuit and is now fully committed to supporting Jan Brooks’ campaign.

With the lawsuit victory in hand, the LPCO called on us for help. And we had to act on short notice.  We committed ourselves to the campaign and the state party’s efforts, and we brought out the big guns. We flew in LNCC Executive Director Evan McMahon last night, arriving in Colorado Springs from Indianapolis to help organize and advise the local team.

Evan is scheduled to be there on the ground through September 5th. He is helping the Colorado team to train and task volunteer petitioners and lay out a quick-draw campaign strategy. This grassroots campaign is all about organizing very quickly, as the election will be held on September 10th … less than three weeks from now.  

More important than this one campaign, though, is the opportunity we have for Evan to teach the Libertarian Party of Colorado practical nuts-and-bolts campaign skills to help them with future campaigns. 

Of course, placing Evan in the field for this task comes at a price.  There are additional costs we bear to cover his transportation, room and board. Then there is the opportunity cost. While Evan is in Colorado, he has limited time to address the day-to-day tasks of the LNCC. 

We are here to turn the tide and change the course of America. And our ability to accomplish this depends on you. With your help we can make a dramatic impact on the liberty movement.

Colorado is just the first of many states to follow.  If you believe as I do that providing practical support for Libertarian candidates and local parties is needed for our success, I ask you to stand with me and our mission by underwriting our efforts.

Please click here to donate online today.

Brett has served with distinction on the school board. His ideas and principled policies have changed the course of discussion on the board. His fellow board members have been influenced by his arguments for financial responsibility and accountability. They are even openly talking about cutting ties with federal funds and the requirements that come with them.

Read more on this at the Marietta Daily Journal.

And Brett does not shy away from taking a stand for our principles, such as his lone opposition to a local $35 million bond measure slated for this November’s ballot.  You can read all about it at this Marietta Daily Journal article.

Brett has been walking his district, calling on parents and presenting Libertarians in a positive light through the local press. But there is more he can do. Brett needs yard signs, push cards, mailers and maybe a couple of local drive-time radio ads.

We must support our Elected Libertarian office holders and Brett has proven he WILL go the distance on the campaign trail and on the board. Help us to get Brett Bittner Re-Elected by donating directly to his campaign. Donate Here Today!

Website: www.bittnerformarietta.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BittnerForMarietta

Donate: www.bittnerformarietta.com/contribute

PS, there is a challenger sniffing around. If we can show that it will cost them to run against Brett…they may just stay home.

In Liberty,

Evan McMahon, Executive Director
Libertarian National Campaign Committee

Recently on your program, you’ve been openly stating your disdain and disenfranchisement with the Republican Party and a little more than hinting at your switch to Libertarianism. You’ve even acknowledging that you had scored at the top of the Libertarian quadrant on the World’s Smallest Political Quiz.

With that in mind and on behalf of the Libertarian National Campaign Committee (LNCC), I would like to welcome you to the Libertarian Party and to the movement to limit government and protect the individual right to personal and economic freedom.

Very few people come to Libertarianism with a “pure” Libertarian ideology. I for one came to the party still supporting the War on Terror. But after being involved with Libertarian campaigns and activist groups I had a moment of clarity. Through this period of self-discovery, I came to see the error in my previously held views on our country’s interventionist foreign policy. I drank the Kool-Aid and saw the light. Over time, you will too.

My open arms welcome comes with a couple of caveats, after all “there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch“.

First, I would like for you to understand that the ire and outrage you’ve received in the past couple months from Libertarians comes not from some high-minded purity test or doubt in your sincerity. It swelled from the lack of any acknowledgment of how you have previously discussed and treated our Party’s philosophy, leadership, candidates and our dedicated activists.

Second, from one friend of Bill’s to another…I think you owe us some step work. It would go a long way with the Party and Libertarian activists if you did a politically themed 12^th step with us.

I think a politically modified version of the 12^th step would be the best way to show Libertarians that you are truly “with us”.

You have an awesome platform with which to reach millions of Americans. I ask that you use it to openly and honestly discuss Libertarian philosophy and the campaigns of our candidates. Giving us an equal and respectful footing will show the rest of the party that you are truly committed to embracing and sharing our unique message of less government and more freedom.

I encourage you to have a couple of our quality candidates and activists on your show.  I know that the Libertarian National Campaign Committee Chairman, Mark Rutherford, would be more than happy to either come on your programs or help line up Libertarians to participate in your on-air discussions.

Together we can further spread the message of personal and economic freedom across the country.

Again, I am proud to welcome you to the Libertarian Party.

In Liberty,

Evan McMahon, Executive Director
Libertarian National Campaign Committee

On the local level, the media and the voters started really seeing our serious candidates as just that, serious.

Every candidate, state chair and local activist can tell you that after the election we heard from an unprecedented number of people that are tired the strangle hold the two-party system has on this country and that they are ready to get involved with the Libertarian Party. The momentum is on our side and we can’t let that slip away. As a political party we can’t rest on our laurels or be content with getting 1%, 2% or even 15% of the vote. We must keep Moving Momentum.

Moving Momentum: 2013 LNCC New Year’s Resolution

1. Assist state and county chairs in the recruitment and training of candidates
2. Develop and host monthly Campaign 101 video webinars
3. Start a 12 week intensive campaign leadership school
4. Get all 135 currently elected Libertarians Reelected to office
5. Support 25-50 candidates who are starting their 2014 campaigns NOW
6. Work with state chairs to develop a localized Get Out The Vote (GOTV) plan
7. Create a Precinct Captain training program for local activists and volunteers
8. Recruit 500 volunteers to operate the LNCC Phonebank
9. Recruit 2,500 volunteers to promote Libertarian candidates via social networks
10. Do whatever it takes to at least double the number of elected Libertarians in 2014

Help us make our New Year’s Resolution a reality… Click Here to Donate Today and support the mission of the LNCC.

For over 15 years Evan McMahon has been a sought after professional political strategist and campaign advisor.  His experience includes advising hundreds of up and down ticket races across the country, organizing ballot measures and issue advocacy campaigns, statewide voter registration drives, developing the first ever responsive streaming online townhall for a campaign, guest lecturing at universities and actually getting candidates elected to office.

In just a few short years, Evan has earned the respect of Libertarians throughout the “big tent” and gained a solid reputation for his dedication, seemingly limitless campaign knowledge and his 90+ hour work weeks.

Over the next two years, Evan will be working day and night to help recruit, train, advise, outfit and fund Libertarian candidates across the country. All with one single minded goal — restoring liberty through the ballot box.

We are here to turn the tide and change the course of America.  And our ability to accomplish this depends on you.  With your help we can make a dramatic impact on the liberty movement.

I ask you to stand with me and our mission by supporting the LNCC, donate online today.

Very truly yours,

Mark W. Rutherford, Chairman
Libertarian National Campaign Committee