With no candidate receiving over 25% on the first ballot, here are the results:
Bob Barr: 153
Mary Ruwart: 152
Wayne Root: 123
Mike Gravel: 71
Geo. Phillies: 49
Steve Kubby: 41
Mike Jingozian: 23
Ron Paul (WI): 6
Christine Smith: 6
NOTA: 2
Jingozian and Smith will be dropped from the next ballot. Following the vote announcement, Mike Jingozian spoke and endorsed Mike Gravel. Christine Smith got up and gave an anti-endorsement of Bob Barr.
For the first time since 1983, the Libertarian Party national convention has delegations from 49 states and the District of Columbia. The one state without any delegates is North Dakota.
Also, in a very unusual move, Michael Jingozian immediately followed his nomination speech by getting back up and nominating Mike Gravel.
The Arkansas May 20 primary (for office other than president) had the lowest turnout for an Arkansas primary in history. Only 16% of the registered voters voted. Legislative leaders are bemoaning that result, and talking about introducing bills next year to re-combine the presidential primary and the primary for other office.
Although the Green Party is ballot-qualifried, it is not entitled to nominate its candidates by primary, and will have a final state convention in June to nominate candidates for state legislature, and perhaps a few more candidates for Congress. No minor party in the last 70 years has had more than eight candidates for the Arkansas legislature in any one year, but the Arkansas Green Party will probably surpass that record.
On May 23, Ralph Nader and a group of supporters rallied outside the White House. Nader called for President Bush and Vice-President Cheney to resign, and drew publicity that appeared in news outlets around the world. The Zogby Poll released on May 21 showed Nader at 4% and Bob Barr at 3%, and also showed Barack Obama leading John McCain by ten percentage points.
Seven candidates seeking the Libertarian presidential nomination have received enough support at the convention to qualify for the Saturday evening debate: Bob Barr, Mike Gravel, Steve Kubby, Michael Jingozian, George Phillies, Wayne Allyn Root, and Mary Ruwart. Candidates qualified if at least 57 delegates “voted” for them to be in the debate. Delegates only had one “vote” for this purpose.
In other Libertarian convention news, Daniel Imperato endorsed Bob Barr for the Libertarian nomination.
