How will the rise of Libertarianism effect the 2014 elections?
I don't think there's much doubt that there is a rising Libertarian movement in this country. It's nascent and it may prove evanescent, but as of now it's growing.
I think we'll see a preliminary test of that in the VA governor's race. A young libertarian, Robert Sarvis is running. The newest WaPo poll shows him up to 10%. He's not going to win but he could sure play the spoiler role. 10% is not insignificant and I'm betting those numbers continue to rise.
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When he ran for statewide office in the state Senate race as a Republican in 2011, Sarvis won only 36% of the vote, losing to state Senate Democratic Leader Richard Saslaw. Now running as a Libertarian, the software engineer, mobile-app developer, math teacher and lawyer holds math degrees from Harvard University, the University of Cambridge in England, a law degree from New York University, and a master’s in economics from George Mason University.
He supports a reduction in the income tax and business taxes, eliminating tax preferences for some industries. He is in favor of marriage equality for gays and lesbians. The candidate, who is married to an African-American woman, ran a Web ad appealing to progressives on this issue. “If it weren’t for the courage of the Lovings [the interracial couple that fought a landmark civil rights case over the legality of their marriage], I might not have been able to marry the woman I love,” he says. “But today Virginia still isn’t for all lovers. That’s why I want to honor the Loving legacy and lead the fight now in this election to recognize same-sex marriage in Virginia.”
He describes himself as moderate on abortion. He wants to legalize marijuana, decriminalize other drugs, supports drilling for oil off the Virginia coast and privatizing state-owned liquor stores. He says he is best able to represent the diversity of the state because of the diversity of his own family—a Chinese mother and African-American wife.
Outside of the Howell race and one other involving a divisive battle among Democrats, no third-party candidate has won as much as 3% of the vote. Sarvis will either repeat history and sink down to 2% to 3% or he will stay close to 10% and make a dent in someone’s campaign. If he meets the 10% threshold, he not only will influence the outcome of the governor’s race, but would also give Virginia Libertarians a major boost. By state law, if a third-party candidate reaches 10%, the party gets automatic ballot access for future party candidates, which would make him a hero to the Libertarian movement.
Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2013/09/19/in-virginia-governor-race-a-third-party-spoiler-threatens/#ixzz2ftc0HvTK