Here are candidates which have been nominated or endorsed by the LPMN this year, as well as our positions on the proposed constitutional amendments. We hope this voter’s guide will assist our membership and supporters in choosing the most pro-liberty candidates and positions in the November 6 general election.

Included are a brief summary of the Executive Committee’s deliberations, the endorsement vote result, and websites or other useful links. An endorsement indicates that the Executive Committee has interviewed a candidate firsthand and found them to be substantially pro-liberty, enough to deserve special attention from our members and supporters. Nonetheless, we advise voters to do their own due diligence before making their decisions. The LPMN welcomes candidates from any party or political affiliation to request our endorsement.

 

STATEWIDE RACES:

U.S. PRESIDENT & VICE PRESIDENT
Gary Johnson & Jim Gray (L)nominated by LNC convention
Summary: As a former two-term Governor of New Mexico and a former Superior Court Judge of California, we believe Mr. Johnson and Mr. Gray are the most highly qualified Libertarian ticket in over a decade. Mr. Johnson has several notable achievements, including his background as an entrepreneur who started a small handyman business which grew to become one of his state’s largest construction companies, and that he successfully summited Mount Everest. As governor, he vetoed over 750 bills, more than the governors of all other 49 states combined. He cut spending and left office with a state budget surplus. As a presidential candidate, Mr. Johnson advocates a 43% cut to federal spending, as required to return to a balanced budget. He opposes restrictions on the internet, supports ending the foreign wars, opposes the NDAA (indefinite detention without charge or jury trial), and opposes the Patriot Act (warrantless surveillance). He would end the Federal Reserve, and support competing currencies to replace the Fed’s fiat currency monopoly. While his “FairTax” proposal has garnered some controversy among libertarians, we note that it would mean ending the income tax and eliminating the IRS. He would restore our civil liberties, decriminalize marijuana, and take aim at the failed War on Drugs. He supports the liberty of gays, and has taken a specific stand against the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, encouraging all Minnesotans to “Vote No”. With his excellent credentials, and as a strong supporter of both personal and economic freedom on these and many other issues, we believe he is an excellent candidate of the Libertarian Party.
Resources: [Website] [Facebook-Nationwide] [Facebook-Minnesota]

U.S. SENATE
Tim Davis (GRP)endorsement granted
Deliberation: As no Libertarian ran for US Senate this year, Mr. Davis of the Grassroots Party requested a Libertarian endorsement. The goal of the Grassroots Party is somewhat unusual and bears some explanation. Grassroots is a single-issue party, with the goal of decriminalizing marijuana and ending the War on Drugs. By singling out this one issue, they hope that other political parties will see that the drug issue alone is pulling in votes, and that by adopting a more pro-liberty position on it themselves, they could attract those votes. It’s a strategy that may have merit. While other Grassroots candidates have diverged from libertarian positions, we found Mr. Davis himself to be libertarian on every major issue. Of course, we agree on the importance of ending the Drug War for all the reasons described in this article. In addition, Mr. Davis is opposed to the ongoing foreign wars. He opposes the NDAA (indefinite detention without charge or jury trial). He would end the Federal Reserve. He supports the liberty of gays, and not only does he oppose the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, he would remove government from marriage entirely, returning it to religious or community organizations or to private agreements between individuals. He is also opposed to “ObamaCare” and would end mandated insurance, in favor of a free market in healthcare where hospitals set prices rather than government. On Social Security, he believes those who’ve already paid in must be compensated, but that young people should understand they cannot expect the same benefits the previous generations received, and that they should be allowed to opt-out as well. He supports “green energy” but would promote it voluntarily; he does not favor green energy subsidies by government. He also supports the 2nd Amendment and the individual right to own firearms. Finally, it’s important to note that the official platform of the Grassroots Party is the Bill of Rights.
Decision: Endorsed unanimously.
Resources: [Website]

 

CITY RACES:

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS – MAYOR
Bob Odden (L)nominated by LPMN, endorsement granted
Deliberation: Mr. Odden’s candidacy has been previously discussed in an article from his prior campaign for the same office, below.
Decision: Endorsed unanimously.
Resources: [Article]

HASTINGS – CITY COUNCIL, WARD 1
Michael Grady (L)nominated by LPMN, endorsement granted
Deliberation: Mr. Grady decided to run for office after observing a City Council meeting during which a large sum of taxpayer funds were spent to procure new landscaping equipment. After a search on the internet, he found the same equipment available for considerably lower cost, and further investigation revealed that the firm supplying the equipment to the city was owned by a relative of a Council member. Mr. Grady decided it was time to challenge the “good old boys” culture of his city government by running for office himself, promising to bring about fiscal responsiblity while also defending his neighbors’ personal freedom.
Decision: Endorsed unanimously.
Resources: [Website]

 

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS:

AMENDMENT 1 – SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN
Recommendation: Vote Noopposed by LPMN resolution
Deliberation: We oppose the Marriage Amendment for all the reasons described in our initial position against it. Government has no business involving itself with marriage, an institution that’s best left to religious organizations or to individuals as private agreements. We believe this amendment would be a grave misuse of the state constitution, which is intended to protect freedom, not restrict it. The LPMN recommends that libertarians “Vote No” on this amendment.
Decision: Opposed unanimously.
Resources: [Article] [Website]

AMENDMENT 2 – VOTER I.D. MANDATE
Recommendation: Vote Noopposed by LPMN resolution
Deliberation: We oppose the Voter ID Amendment for all the reasons described in our initial position against it, and we believe it unnecessary. Enactment would further expand government power, with a new restriction upon the people as well as adding a new state program to distribute “free” IDs to those who need them. This position has garnered some controversy among libertarians, some who disagree and believe that Voter ID is a “common sense” proposal. In response, we must ask how is this different from any other government program to “solve” any other problem? Other libertarians have supported our position, believing such a requirement is not appropriate for the state constitution. Still others have voiced strong concerns that, since Voter ID is being proposed by the GOP in several other states, this may be an attempt to backdoor in a National ID scheme. All in all, as libertarians, we much prefer to side with one of the greatest freedom-fighters of our age, Mohandas Gandhi, in his views on government ID mandates, than to side with the state. The LPMN recommends that libertarians “Vote No” on this amendment.
Decision: Opposed unanimously.
Resources: [Article] [Website]

Party affiliations are (L) Libertarian Party, (GRP) Grassroots Party.

To find your voting location, you may use the Secretary of State’s Polling Place Finder. Voters who are not pre-registered can register to vote on Election Day by bringing proof of residency. Polls will be open from 7am to 8pm.

We hope this voter’s guide will assist our membership and supporters on November 6. Would you like to have asked a question of these candidates? Another election is always around the corner. We invite you to come to our annual State Convention or to one of our monthly meetings, where you can meet and ask questions of candidates seeking our endorsement, as well as make sure the Executive Committee hears your concerns.

We do wish more people had stepped forward to run as Libertarians, particularly in local and state races, but we understand that becoming a candidate is an intensely personal decision which must be weighed against family and career obligations. Fortunately, we’re aware of several folks who are considering a Libertarian run in 2014. Would you like to help carry the Libertarian banner? Running as a Libertarian is the single best way to introduce the ideals of personal freedom, strong civil liberties, genuinely free markets, and peace, directly to the public. If you’d like to help expand the voice of liberty in your area, please sign up as a potential candidate.

Concerned about the expansion of government control and the erosion of individual liberty? Please consider joining and becoming active with the Libertarian Party of Minnesota. Libertarians support liberty on all issues, all the time! Libertarianism is a philosophical and political movement to promote personal freedom, strong civil liberties, a genuinely free marketplace, and peace.