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Wanted: Candidates to Defend the Constitution
Dear Fellow Libertarian:
I have never seen Americans as angry and as ready for real political change as they are today. Over the past two months, LPT Chair Patrick Dixon and I have traveled the length and breadth of Texas. From Amarillo to Brownsville, and from Tyler to El Paso, we have met Libertarians and many others who are eager to defend the Constitution and bring real prosperity to Texas through freedom and liberty.
In the last legislative session:
When I helped protect parents’ rights, and defended the legal standard of “probable cause”, there was only one reason the legislators listened.
When I single-handedly defeated a $37.5 million bill to require all parties to vote in primaries, there was only one reason the legislators listened.
When I helped to defeat a $1 Billion boondoggle to advance the Trans-Texas Corridor and give a new tax-funded toll road to Cintra last June in the special session, there was only one reason that the legislators listened.
I didn’t promise any favors. I didn’t promise any pork. I promised the state legislators that they would be facing a Libertarian challenger in their next election!! There are many new and exciting pro-liberty organizations that have sprung to life in Texas, but the Libertarian Party is different: We place candidates directly on the ballot for election! The others do not. Running for office as a Libertarian is the very best way one individual can have a real, meaningful impact on public policy!
There are three types of campaigns you could run to advance the cause of Liberty:
1) Placeholder – a placeholder is a candidate who agrees to sign the paperwork and add his or her name to the ballot, but does not actively campaign.. Placeholders play a vital role in our electoral strategy. They add numbers to our vote totals. They give their fellow Libertarians an option to vote for on Election Day. (It does not cost any money, and a very small amount of time to run as a placeholder.)
2) Educational – an educational candidate is one step beyond placeholder. We ask educational candidates to appear at candidate debates and forums. We ask them to provide Libertarian answers to any questionnaires they may receive. They may also produce a website, brochures, or business cards. This is your chance to hold an elected official accountable in a public forum!
3) Winnable – a winnable race is determined by mathematical analysis of previous Libertarian votes. There are currently hundreds of winnable races in Texas. If you want to win a political office this year, call me and I can help you determine where the winnable races are in your community.
Whether you decide to run a placeholder, an educational, or a winnable campaign, you will have a direct effect on public policy in Texas. We know from our experience lobbying the legislature that your simple presence on the ballot will help bend your elected incumbent towards a Libertarian direction.
Here are the steps in the process:
1. Click Here to download the application for nomination form, fill it out, and have it notarized.
2. Mail the original notarized form in as soon as possible to the Libertarian Party of Texas, PO Box 41059, Austin, Texas 78704. We need them by 5:00 PM Jan 4th so we can deliver our list to the Secretary of State. FAX your notarized form to: 512-233-0613 before 5 PM on Monday, January 4th.
3. Before you spend any money, including your own, on this campaign, file an “Appointment of A Campaign Treasurer By A Candidate” form with the Texas Ethics Commission and read the rules regarding campaign expenses. There’s even a how-to video on their website.
4. Libertarians use a convention process to nominate their candidates for the general election. Libertarians can not run for office or vote in the Libertarian convention if they vote as Republicans or Democrats in the March 2010 primaries. To vote or run for office as a Libertarian, we welcome you to participate in our conventions:
a) County Conventions will be held on March 13th at a time and place designated by your county chair. Anyone who wants to run for a county-level office can be nominated at this county convention. State Senate and Representative Districts formed entirely within one county’s border can also be nominated.
b) District Conventions will be held on March 20th at a time and place decided by the various county chairs whose counties lie within the district. State Senate and Representatives whose districts cross county lines are nominated at District Conventions.
c) The State Convention will be held June 11th -13th in Austin at the Radisson North Hotel. Candidates for Governor and other statewide offices will be nominated here. We’ll also have some great speakers, workshops, and fun social events! Mark your calendar for the State Convention!
Don’t wait for someone else to defend your liberty. We have made it much easier for you to run for office yourself. We will help all the placeholder candidates file their paperwork. And we have specialized training available for educational and winnable campaigns. You can vote for the best candidate this year, yourself! You can find out which districts you live in and who your elected officials are by visiting: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
Click Here for candidate application for nomination form. If you can't run for office, I hope that you will make the largest contribution you can afford to help us get more candidates on the ballot. This year provides us with many excellent opportunities. The more money we raise, the more we can get done.
Can you help me build our Libertarian Party by making a significant contribution or monthly pledge? Will you run as a candidate? I’m eager to hear your response.
For Liberty,
Robert Butler
Executive Director
Libertarian Party of Texas