For the first time in history, the Libertarian Party in Virginia has recruited candidates for each of the state’s 11 congressional districts.
In addition to the candidates for U.S. Congress, there is also a libertarian candidate for the at-large U.S. Senate seat.
On the other hand, Virginia democrats are struggling to find candidates in the 7th congressional district to oppose House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and in the 5th congressional district to oppose Republican Robert Hurt.
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The Libertarian Party candidates still have to collect the minimum of 1,000 registered voters’ signatures to qualify for the November ballot. The deadline is Tuesday, June 10, which is the same day as the primary election. According to Virginia the liberty blog Bearing Drift, none of the candidates have finished the ballot qualification process.
Libertarian Allen Knapp told Joshua Cook, “You’re never going to find a candidate that you agree with 100 percent, but there is one thing that I do like about being a part of the Libertarian Party and that is what we believe in, we stick to our guns. We’re not going to say one thing, get elected and then flip flop on it. Because we can’t. It’s just not the way we are. And the way the whole two-party system has been, what’s to hold them accountable? If you’re a Republican, do you vote for the Republican candidate, and he wins, and then he flip flops. What are you going to do next election? Vote for a Democrat? No. You’re going to stick with a Republican. That’s why I like the option of a third party and look for a third party being in these races. It gives you another option, and it will hold those that are going through the election accountable for what they say.”
The 11 Libertarian Party of Virginia candidates for U.S. Congress include:
1st District: Xavian Draper
2nd District: Allen Knapp
3rd District: Justin Upshaw
4th District: Bo Brown
5th District: Paul Jones
6th District: Will Hammer
7th District: James Carr
8th District: Jeffrey Carson
9th District: Matthew Edwards
10th District: Bill Redpath
11th District: Marc Harrold
Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Robert Sarvis spearheaded the recruitment initiative.
Sarvis and Redpath are the only ones who have previously sought public office. In addition to running for governor last year, Sarvis ran (as a Republican) for the state senate in 2011. Redpath, who has served as state and national Libertarian Party chairman, ran for Virginia governor in 2001 and for the U.S. Senate in 2008. The other ten are first-time candidates.
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