Libertarian Party of Minnesota
2021 Pre-Announced Candidates for Executive Committee and Public Office

All candidates are responsible for distributing any literature about themselves to the Convention attendees on the day of the Convention. Candidates will be allowed time to speak to the Convention delegates according to time allotments determined by the Convention Committee. You must be a current dues-paid member at least 45 days prior to the convention to be eligible.

Candidates for LPMN Executive Committee

LPMN Chair

Chris Holbrook

Chris is a senior account manager within the wholesale building materials industry and a landlord in Saint Paul. He has run for office three times as a Libertarian, most notably for Governor in 2014. He served as the LPMN Political Director from 2015-2016 and has been the LPMN Chair from 2017-present. Chris has been involved in every aspect of the party’s operations including candidate recruitment and training, outreach, fundraising, media relations, legislative outreach and development of bills, community activism, and organizational leadership.

Kahler Nygard

I think it is time for the Libertarians to make a name for ourselves instead of riding the coattails of other questionable groups. Chris has done well tending to the lpmn throughout the years, but this isn’t Minnesota state fair social hour. There have been massive riots and extreme measures such as covid lockdowns, the implementation of ubi, and much more. While I will be marching with and supporting the people of this country to support their constitutionally protected rights to private property, bear arms, and pursue happiness, I will not with those that support the destruction of our livelihoods and private property. It is time to focus on making changes at a local level and move up from there over time. We can introduce and promote legislations for freedom such as recreational marijuana, remove restrictive legislation and implement police/prosecutor/judicial reforms. I will push back hard against the idea capitalism is synonymous with racism. When rioting happens I will support defending private property with guns and body armor as the constitution confirms and I will stand in solidarity that same night with those doing such as a true leader would.

LPMN Vice Chair

Mason McElvain

Mason has been the LPMN Vice-Chair from 2019 to present.

LPMN Treasurer

Pat Barnum

Pat has been the LPMN Treasurer from 2020 to present.

LPMN Secretary

Justin Jelinek

Justin has been an Executive Committee Member since 2019.  He has done advocacy lobbying with the LPMN for the ballot access bill at the capitol in 2020 and continues to support LPMN efforts to defeat these laws.  Justin has also served at outreach events at the State Fair and through Candidate rallies in 2020.  Justin was a delegate to the LP National Convention in 2020 and chaired the Platfrom and Bylaws Committee for LPMN in 2021.

Justin has had occasion to serve as the “guest secretary” during board meetings, and fully supports both legal and social advancement of libertarian principles.

LPMN At-Large (8 positions)

Jill Galvan

Jill’s involvement with the LPMN has included the following roles:

Joined the Libertarian Party in 1996

LPMN At Large member of the Executive Committee

LPMN Delegate Chair to the 2020 Libertarian National Convention

Candidate for MN House District 18A

Current CD 7 Affiliate Secretary

Former LPMN Political Director

Former CD 7 Affiliate Chair

Amos Webskowski

My name is Amos Webskowski, I am a native-born Minnesotan and have lived here most of my life. With an American father and a Taiwanese mother, I have had a wide experience of different cultures and done extensive travel around the world.

I have 4 years of experience as an itinerant minister involving working with churches and Christians and eventually leading to becoming the Midwest Director for a ministry that reached hundreds of thousands across the world. I then took my skills of communication and messaging and worked with the Jorgensen/Cohen campaign in 2020 in their social media department as a manager for Jo Jorgensen’s Twitter account and a contributor for the Cohen social media team. I currently continue working with Spike Cohen as platform support staff on his social media team.

After working with the Spike Cohen side of the Jorgensen campaign, I was inspired by Spike to get more involved with the Libertarian Party which led to deciding to run as an At Large member of the Libertarian Party of Minnesota. I plan to use my skills in social media, communication, messaging, and maybe a little bit of my tech-savviness to add to the Minnesota Libertarian Party in its efforts to spread the message of liberty, assist candidates in local and state elections from the LP, and work with coalitions both in Minnesota and neighboring states to advance initiatives that promote freedom for all.

Samuel Wipplinger

Upon discovering the libertarian philosophy I quickly became obsessed with freeing myself and others from tyranny. Engaging in long debates on social media I was at one point accused of being a “keyboard warrior.”

I took that to heart and got involved.

After a short stint volunteering for Americans for Prosperity (making thousands of calls) I realized the Libertarian Party was better poised for effective change. I dove in feet first becoming a member of the LPMN platform/bylaws committee, recruiting members to both state and national parties, as well as starting a very successful (soon to be official) LPMN affiliate.

Over the years I’ve remained obsessed with freeing our world. Although I seek this position to further our goal, I know that regardless of the outcome I will still be heavily involved.

Motto: If it is to be, it has to be us.

Justin Merritt

Justin Merritt is a Professor of Music at St. Olaf College and landlord. As a composer, his music has been performed by the Minnesota Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, and on A Prairie Home Companion. Justin is anti-war and pro-market, anti-prohibition and pro-gun, anti-state and pro-liberty. Justin is a proud member of the Mises Caucus but thinks that every flavor of libertarian should be working together to fight for freedom. He lives in Northfield, Minnesota with his wife Faye and their children Cullen and Molly.

James Jenneman

I’ve leaned libertarian since the first time I took The World’s Smallest Political Quiz online in 2000 for my high school government class. My political journey has taken me all over the map. Sometimes I was on the left. (Remember Howard Dean?) Sometimes I was on the right. (Pre-Vatican II Catholicism anyone?) But my compass has always pointed toward political and personal freedom.

I’ve been a member of the Minnesota and national Libertarian Party since 2012 and served as a delegate to the 2020 LP National Convention. I’ve volunteered at Pride and the Minnesota State Fair. I host the Blackbird Podcast, where I interview scholars, commentators, philosophers, entrepreneurs, and freethinkers of all stripes. I live in North Minneapolis with my partner Andrew and our dog Killian.

Steve Aro

I’m a 28 year old Engineer who was born and raised in northern Minnesota and now reside in Wyoming Minnesota. My liberty awakening started around 2012 when I realized I didn’t like Obama or Romney and thought the people deserved a better choice. I then became aware of Ron Paul and it was refreshing to hear a politician making sense instead of just regurgitating talking points. Then I witness Rand Paul’s 13 hour filibuster where he argued against the ability for the government to perform drone strikes on American citizens on American soil without a trial or due process. It seemed insane to me that we had gotten to the point where this even had to be argued for. From there I started to dive into libertarian politics and economic theory. I consider myself a minarchist and believe in an extremely limited central government that has very little influence over everyone’s day to day life.

The main issues I tend to focus on are a humble foreign policy, ending the drug wars, limiting politicians’ powers to implement unconstitutional lockdowns, gun rights, and unprecedented amount of government spending. I believe we need a strong, consistent national message that emphasizes the most important libertarian issues. On the local level we should drive initiatives to eliminate laws that lead to over policing, decriminalize marijuana and other drugs, reduce taxes, limit the governor’s power, and pass a defend the guard act. Through continued grassroots efforts we can grow the party and make meaningful change in our community introduce more people to the idea of liberty. Through these efforts we can turn our communities in a more peaceful and prosperous place to live.

Candidates for Public Office

Nate Atkins

Candidate for Mayor of Minneapolis (nonpartisan endorsement)