[398] in libertarians
Election '94: LP Information
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (William Winter)
Sat Nov 12 18:05:34 1994
Date: 12 Nov 94 17:48:36 EST
From: William Winter <73163.3063@compuserve.com>
To: "J. Miranda" <j.miranda3@genie.geis.com>,
"\"G. Thomas Rush\"" <thomasr@cpqhou.compaq.com>,
*Don Henson <Don_Henson@delphi.com>,
NH Politics Online <71233.255@compuserve.com>,
*Jim Conk <jim.conk@theorem.clark.net>, Angel Prouty <angel@dash.com>,
*Jim Merritt <presbyte@aol.com>,
"Alachua Co. LP" <libparty@freenet2.freenet.ufl.edu>,
*Jim Solomon <solomon@comm.mot.com>,
Vernon Imrich <libertarians@MIT.EDU>,
"*John T. Paff" <j.paff1@genie.geis.com>,
*Matthew Platte <73150.470@compuserve.com>,
Kay Shiel <74633.614@compuserve.com>,
*Randy Langhenry <71610.3614@compuserve.com>,
Roger Erickson <RogErick@aol.com>, *Tom Edwards <tedwards@wam.umd.edu>,
Gail Lightfoot <sufficit@aol.com>
******************************
ELECTION INFORMATION
Libertarian Party
1528 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Washington DC 20003
November 12, 1994
Ten Libertarians elected; party gains ballot status in four more states
The Republican tidal wave that swept through Election '94 resulted in
mixed -- but generally upbeat -- tidings for the Libertarian Party.
While seven Libertarians were elected to public office and three
re-elected, several high-profile races ended with somewhat disappointing vote
totals, and the New Hampshire Libertarian legislative delegation was reduced
from four members to two.
The party won ballot status in Wyoming, South Dakota, Massachusetts,
Michigan, and Indiana, and maintained it in every state except Utah. The party
is now on the ballot in 23 states for 1996, its best-ever showing coming out
of an off-presidential-year election.
"We made tremendous strides in the area of ballot access. It's going
to make a tremendous difference [for 1996]," said LP National Chair Steve
Dasbach.
Libertarian candidates won 396,000 votes for Congress, 648,000 votes
for U.S. Senate, and 416,000 for governor. In all, it is estimated that more
than 2.2 million people cast votes for Libertarian candidates.
Libertarian winners included Jim McClarin, New Hampshire House of
Representatives; Dan Gallegos, Regional Transportation District Board,
District N, Colorado; David Morris, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2F,
Washington, DC; Daniel Walker and Dick Bjornseth, Ochlockonee Soil & Water
Conservation District Board, Florida; Tom Jamerson, Chesterfield County Soil &
Water Commission, Virginia; and Steve Ziegler, Charles County Board of
Education, Maryland.
Re-elected were Don Gorman, New Hampshire House of Representatives;
Bonnie Flickinger, Moreno Valley City Council, California; and Sandy Webb,
Simi Valley City Council, California.
On the negative side, two incumbent State Representatives in New
Hampshire were defeated; Andy Borsa and Finlay Rothhaus, cutting the
Libertarian delegation in half. But the Steve Winter for governor campaign
garnered 4.5% of the vote, ensuring continued "major party" status in New
Hampshire, and preserving a Libertarian presidential primary in 1996.
Libertarian observers in New Hampshire blamed the legislative losses
on an increased number of Republican candidates, which blocked many
dual-nomination opportunities, and a structural change on most ballots, which
lessened the votes Libertarians picked up from their cross-nominations.
Several highly touted campaign opportunities ended with lower than
expected results: Jon Coon for U.S. Senate in Michigan won 4.5% of the vote,
and Guy Wilson for U.S. Congress in California (District 37), in a two-way
race against an indicted Democrat, won 21.9%.
In other closely watched races around the country, Terry Savage for
State Assembly in California won 6.9%; Don Ernsberger for U.S. Senate in
Pennsylvania won 1.7%; Mike Hurley for State Representative in Missouri won
23%; John Reda for State Representative in Delaware won 18%; Scott Kjar for
State Assembly in Nevada won 6%; Larry Pratt for State Assembly in Nevada won
27%; and Robert Heitner for Sussex County Freeholder in New Jersey won 19%.
Looking at the election from an ideological perspective, Dasbach said,
"This election is being interpreted as a move in a Libertarian direction. If
you look at what the Republicans say the election means, they are all talking
about cutting back the size of government, the intrusiveness of government. I
mean, I'm highly skeptical that the Republicans will actually do anything to
cut back government, but clearly that's what they believe the people wanted."
END
