New York Times Story on Anti-Trump Republican Leaders Includes Interview with Libertarian Party National Chair

This fairly lengthy New York Times story talks about the hopes and plans of Republican Party leaders who are so opposed to Donald Trump that they are thinking of independent candidate activity. Toward the end of the story, Nicholas Sarwark, national chair of the Libertarian Party, is quoted.


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New York Times Story on Anti-Trump Republican Leaders Includes Interview with Libertarian Party National Chair — 16 Comments

  1. Glad to finally see some names for president on an Indy/GOP run for president. (Paragraph) The LP isn’t very likely. They will stay with their own candidate and platform. The Constitution Party is more likely. They have 15 state ballots and would love to get a vote boost from a major candidate. Then there’s the AIP, the Reform Party, the NY Conservative Party, and Michigan’s Natural Law Party.

  2. The CP isn’t going to get a major personality that will join the party and run for present at the last minute. That is very wishful thinking.

  3. Doubt it will happen… Wonder if we all could get a update on ballot status for the 3rd parties for the Presidential election. Any one know the status of the LP. and Greens ?

  4. After dealing with Bob Barr in 2008, I seriously doubt that the Libertarian Party is going to be open to another ex-Republican. After the Constitution Party’s Virgil Goode debacle (Another ex-Republican – he’s since left the CP and is now working for Trump), I seriously doubt the CP would let any outsiders in for their nomination either.
    There is certainly a good reason as to why the Republican Party is known as the stupid party. They have now painted themselves into a corner where they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. If they try to use Draconian party rules to take the nomination from Trump, thousands will leave and likely either not vote at all or vote CP which is the only 100% border security party. But, if they do let Trump win the nomination, their “conservative” establishment leaders and talking heads have so demonized him over social issues that thousands will still leave and likely either not vote or vote CP which is the only 100% traditional values party.
    While I’m not expecting the CP to see much of a drastic increase in votes this year (due to poor publicity and limited funds/limited organization), I do feel that this is the beginning of a serious mass GOP exodus. To exactly where, I don’t know. But, I seriously doubt the GOP establishment can act fast enough to secure significant ballot access for an “independent” stealth candidate. And if they do, again, the stupid party.

  5. Cody, It’s wishful thinking that might work. I believe the CP would nominate a major last minute name for president for the chance of at least 20 percent of the national vote.

  6. The CP needs serious help NOW to attain enough ballot status to be meaningful. As noted above the “stupid” party is not thinking that far ahead. They will get crushed and will lose the senate and maybe even the house. They richly deserve it.

  7. Mr. Winger, just wondering. Which states have their delegates pledged to their candidates for the first ballot, second ballot, ect, ect.

  8. National Republican Party rules require 95% of the delegates to vote for the candidate they are pledged to on the first ballot. I am no expert on this, but I have read that only the first ballot has any restrictions. After the first ballot I think any delegate can vote any way he or she wishes.

  9. No Michael, Jeff is correct in the first part of his comment; after what happened with Virgil Goode, they’re going to be a lot more cautious as to who they’ll pick.

    Plus unlike the LP, the CP doesn’t have the resources or manpower this year to mount a strong campaign for president, so they’re not as tempting to conservative Republican dissidents as they used to be.

  10. @Richard Winger

    It gets really messy.

    The binding is based on state party rules (and state laws). The state rules must comply with overall national rules, but the national rules tend to prescribe minimum standards.

    There are also issues about when a delegate becomes unbound, such as whether the candidate releases them. In some cases, I don’t think even the candidate may release them.

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