Libertarians May Co-Nominate Rand Paul in 2016

[Suzanimal]

I thought this was an interesting scenario.
H/T to Lew Rockwell


Rand Almost Sure To Win the Presidential Nomination
By Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.
September 1, 2015
Of the Libertarian Party. (Thanks to Johnny Kramer)



Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., may follow in his father’s footsteps not only by seeking the Republican presidential nomination, but also by receiving the Libertarian Party’s ballot line.

Members of the Libertarian Party are bracing for an internal struggle over whether to back the libertarian-leaning senator if he appears poised to win the Republican nomination in 2016.

Paul is unlikely to directly seek the third party’s support, but could win it anyhow through the work of eager activists like those who worked the campaigns of his father, former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, a GOP presidential contender in 2008 and 2012 and the Libertarian nominee in 1988.

A co-nomination from one of the nation’s most significant minor parties could help Paul - if he’s the Republican nominee - avoid losing hundreds of thousands of votes to an ideological ally. In some states, his name would appear twice on ballots.

If Paul is nominated by both the Republican and Libertarian parties, it could also unleash electoral scenarios unseen in decades, such as the negotiation of a fusion slate of electors. Libertarians could, theoretically, nominate their own vice presidential candidate.

Though the Libertarian Party’s Orlando, Florida, nominating convention isn’t until May 2016, Libertarian National Committee Executive Director Wes Benedict foresees a fight.

“If Rand Paul wins the Republican nomination, I'd expect a big fight within the [party] over whether or not we should run our own candidate,” Benedict says. “It wouldn't just be a discussion.”

Libertarian Party chairman Nicholas Sarwark, officially neutral on the matter, says “there is a possibility that the delegates in Orlando would nominate Sen. Paul and if they were to do so, I'd work hard to support their choice.”

The Republican primary season will be well underway when the 1,000 or so Libertarian convention delegates gather. If Paul appears poised for victory in the GOP race, they would have several options.

Delegates could nominate Paul and his presumptive GOP running mate (if that person has been selected), or nominate Paul and a Libertarian running mate (as happened in 1896 when the Democratic and Populist parties nominated William Jennings Bryan for president, but chose different vice presidential candidates).

They could also choose to endorse no candidate, a scenario in which many would-be Libertarian voters would presumably vote for Paul without the party’s official blessing; or they could snub Paul and pick their own presidential candidate.

...
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/10/27/rand-paul-could-win-libertarian-nomination-too

[Sola_Fide]

He should have it. But then again, the national Libertarian party is a mess.

[jbauer]

Unless the world changes a bunch pretty quickly Rand will not get the GOP nod anyway. Better hope for a kick tail debate performance, knowing he's only going to get 5ish minutes to talk.

[William Tell]

Article is from 2014, just FYI.

[RonPaulMall]

As long as Gary Johnson doesn't get it, I'll be happy.

[liberty_nc]

The Green Party wants to do the same with Sanders, although the higher ups mostly want Stein again

[Origanalist]

Article is from 2014, just FYI.

Whatever get's Lew the hits....

[Badger Paul]

"Members of the Libertarian Party are bracing for an internal struggle over whether to back the libertarian-leaning senator if he appears poised to win the Republican nomination in 2016."

At this point Rand would be happy just with the LP nomination and even that's chancy.

[CPUd]

LOL this from Lew "voting is useless, unless maybe if you vote LP" Rockwell.

[cindy25]

in some states its a 2nd ballot line. could be crucial in NC

[liberty_nc]

Wouldn't 2016 basically be a battle over "Vote LP Rand Paul" vs "Vote GOP Rand Paul", it could help the LP gain electoral votes, and not hurt rand

[GunnyFreedom]

Where was this in 2008 and 2012?

[Liberty74]

I would prefer Rand ran as an Independent. Before any debate or fundraising, he would be polling around 15-20%. As a Libertarian, maybe 1-2%.

[libertariantexas]

He should have it. But then again, the national Libertarian party is a mess.

If Rand keeps trying to act like Huckabee or Santorum, don't be surprised if Libertarians choose someone else. Rand isn't winning Libertarian support as he cozies up more and more to the GOP establishment.

[r3volution 3.0]

That'd be nice, but I'm not holding my breath.

[tangent4ronpaul]

In some states, his name would appear twice on ballots.


So would those get added together or considered separate and split the vote?

-t

[Brett85]

It's ridiculous to even be talking about this when Rand is at 1 or 2% in the national polls.

[liberty_nc]

Dead issue anyway because the GOP pledge says you cannot accept the nomination of a 3rd party

[Voluntarist]

xxxxx

[jusiceneversleeps]

People don't vote for an individual, they vote for a slate of electors:
- Republican electors for Rand Paul
- Libertarian electors for Rand Paul


I'm not sure Rand actually signed the pledge - he did talk about it.


However, that aside, could the libertarian party nominate him - and thus put him on the ballot 50 states for the general election?

If so, and we get Hillary vs Bush vs Rand - Rand would really be positioned as the 'change' candidate and I'd like his chances.


If you are the Libertarian Party - Rand gives you a opportunity to actually compete, get in the debates, maybe win - which Gary Johnson doesnt even sniff...so what if he's not 100% - neither was Ron!

[Crashland]

I think Rand has already ruled out an independent or third party run. But I'm sure he wouldn't mind having both nominations

[Peace&Freedom]

From recent conversations I've had with the NY LP chair and former PA LP chair, this scenario is a no-go, since Rand has made no overture towards indicating he wanted such a nomination if offered, or even attend the LP convention to accept it. And it is not clear at this point whether Rand will win or do well in any early Republican primary or caucus, to be anywhere in position to to be winning the GOP race by May 2016.

I've already expressed that as a means of leveraging himself to win the GOP nomination, Rand should have run a fusion candidacy from the start. This would have given him the heft to gain the attention and coverage to be towards the top of the Republican race, instead of the lower middle to bottom where he is now.

By the first of spring we will see if Rand's campaign is working, or will have failed---and if the latter is the case, there would still be time for him to run on the LP line, in time for its May convention. In that case Rand will have to be more open or positive about embracing libertarian views, and be willing to show up in Orlando to advocate for his nomination.

[jusiceneversleeps]

By the first of spring we will see if Rand's campaign is working, or will have failed---and if the latter is the case, there would still be time for him to run on the LP line, in time for its May convention. In that case Rand will have to be more open or positive about embracing libertarian views, and be willing to show up in Orlando to advocate for his nomination.



If Rand's campaign is failing in the spring, and it looks like two establishment candidates are going to get the D and R nods - its not impossible for this scenario to make increasingly more sense in both the eyes of RP and the LP. Both should be willing to take steps to make it palatable for each side.
Obviously, Rand would never give any fuel to this topic by touching on it until a republican bid is surely over.

If nothing else, it's a long shot glimmer of hope against a presidential general election of more of the same.

[jmdrake]

If Rand's campaign is failing in the spring, and it looks like two establishment candidates are going to get the D and R nods - its not impossible for this scenario to make increasingly more sense in both the eyes of RP and the LP. Both should be willing to take steps to make it palatable for each side.
Obviously, Rand would never give any fuel to this topic by touching on it until a republican bid is surely over.

If nothing else, it's a long shot glimmer of hope against a presidential general election of more of the same.

After Rand made such a big stink over pressuring Trump not to run third party, his running third party is impossible.

[CPUd]

This doesn't even begin to be a possible scenario unless Rand is done in the Senate.

[Foreigner]

Best case scenario: If Rand is the nominee of the republicans, a different libertarian party candidate will be on the ballot, but will not do an active campaign.

[idiom]

People don't vote for an individual, they vote for a slate of electors:
- Republican electors for Rand Paul
- Libertarian electors for Rand Paul

Those slates are tallied differently. No libertarian Elector would win, they would mostly take votes from the gop Elector and the Dem elector.

Being co-nominated by a third party might be material propaganda enough to gain more votes for GOP than are lost to the LP, that is the only scenario in which the LP is a plus.