{"id":638838,"date":"2018-10-26T12:00:25","date_gmt":"2018-10-26T18:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=638838"},"modified":"2018-10-30T19:25:15","modified_gmt":"2018-10-31T01:25:15","slug":"how-libertarians-blew-their-chance-to-build-a-legitimate-party-in-nm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2018\/10\/how-libertarians-blew-their-chance-to-build-a-legitimate-party-in-nm\/","title":{"rendered":"How Libertarians blew their chance to build a legitimate party in NM"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Gary

Gage Skidmore \/ Creative Commons<\/p>

Libertarians have largely focused on sending Gary Johnson to Washington, which is unlikely, instead of seizing the rare opportunity to build a stronger party, the author writes.<\/p><\/div>\n

COMMENTARY:\u00a0<\/strong>Let me start by saying this isn\u2019t the column I wanted to write. I believe the United States\u2019 two-party system is structurally oppressive and encourages simple-minded thinking with the black-and-white choices it forces.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a member of a major party, which the powers-that-be intend only for Democrats and Republicans, it\u2019s easier to get on the ballot than it is for minor parties and independents. Presidential debates are structured to present voters with two choices \u2013 Democrat and Republican \u2013 and generally exclude others.<\/p>\n

So I\u2019m a fan of third parties and independents. I have voted over the years for Ralph Nader and Gary Johnson.<\/p>\n

The Libertarian Party currently has major-party status in New Mexico. That anomaly occurred because Johnson, a former N.M. governor, won 9 percent of the presidential vote in New Mexico in 2016. As an unintended consequence, Libertarians cleared the first hurdle toward such status \u2013 getting more than 5 percent in a statewide race.<\/p>\n

\"Heath

Heath Haussamen<\/p><\/div>\n

The second hurdle was getting more than one-third of 1 percent of New Mexico\u2019s registered voters to become Libertarians. Done<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Given the disgust about Trump\u2019s presidency among many Republicans, Libertarians could be well-positioned to build a stronger party. That would take a sophisticated, strategic effort.<\/p>\n

Instead, we\u2019ve seen missteps and a rotating slate of candidates. First, former Democratic state Rep. Sandra Jeff<\/a> was their secretary of state hopeful. Now it\u2019s Ginger Grider<\/a>. State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn jumped off the burning GOP ship and became the nation\u2019s first Libertarian statewide elected official. He joined the U.S. Senate race<\/a>, then changed his mind. Now Johnson is the Senate candidate<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Worst of all, the party\u2019s governor and lieutenant governor candidates failed to gather the required signatures<\/a> to qualify for the ballot. That\u2019s important because the most common interpretation of state law says to maintain major-party status Libertarians must win 5 percent in this year\u2019s gubernatorial race, which now won\u2019t happen, or 5 percent in the 2020 presidential race in New Mexico. That\u2019s unlikely unless Johnson runs again.<\/p>\n

As for Johnson being on the ballot yet again\u2026 I mean, come on. As someone who has voted for him before, I\u2019d like to see Johnson\u2019s stances evolve. Today we understand that private prisons are more violent and problematic<\/a> than those run by government. Inmate deaths have revealed problems like medical neglect<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But Johnson, who made our state the most reliant on private prisons<\/a> as governor, remains zealous about privatization. \u201cYou should opt to do that every single time, because that\u2019s money out of your and my pockets,\u201d he told me<\/a> in 2016. \u201cIn retrospect, I wish we could have privatized 100 percent of the prisons, as opposed to 50 percent,\u201d he said earlier this year.<\/p>\n

Historically, New Mexico Democrats largely supported private prisons too, but they\u2019ve shifted this year under heavy criticism<\/a>. Many are rejecting campaign donations from prison companies.<\/p>\n

Johnson, meanwhile, is talking about the same issues in pretty much the same way he always has. In these tumultuous, changing times, New Mexicans aren\u2019t excited about that. Polling<\/a> shows Johnson isn\u2019t likely to win the Senate race.<\/p>\n

But Libertarians remain largely focused on sending Johnson to Washington instead of seizing the rare opportunity to build a stronger party.<\/p>\n

The party needed a solid gubernatorial candidate and a focus on local efforts in strategic places. Elect two Libertarians to the state Legislature, for example. Then build from there.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s too bad that isn\u2019t happening. I like some of the Libertarian candidates. I\u2019d like to see a strong third party.<\/p>\n

Maybe someday.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Heath Haussamen<\/a>\u00a0is NMPolitics.net\u2019s editor and publisher.\u00a0Agree with his opinion? Disagree? NMPolitics.net welcomes your views. Learn about submitting your own commentary\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Libertarians have largely focused on sending Gary Johnson to Washington, which is unlikely, instead of seizing the rare opportunity to build a stronger party.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":170271,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192,16,10],"tags":[2238,297,3310,107,116],"class_list":["post-638838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary","category-guest-columns","category-haussamen-columns","tag-2018-election","tag-gary-johnson","tag-libertarian-party","tag-roundhouse","tag-washington"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=638838"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":639327,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638838\/revisions\/639327"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=638838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=638838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=638838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}