Talk Elections

President-elect Gary Johnson & his running mate Vice President-elect Bill Weld acknowledge their supporters after Johnson gave his victory speech during an election night gathering at Hotel Albuquerque on November 9, 2016 in Albuquerque, NM.

"I would say that a wasted vote was voting for anybody you didn't believe in. If you believe in the third party, that's the guy you voiced for. That's how you changed things." -- President-elect Gary Johnson


To be continued...

WHO WILL BE OUR PRESIDENT NEXT JANUARY?

June 20, 2016 -- (New York, NY) Who will be our President next January? That is the question we continually ask ourselves, as the presidential campaign this year goes on. In the primaries, it's pretty much been decided: Businessman Donald Trump, the populist that he is, won 41 of the 56 Republican primaries and 69.8% of the delegates for the Republican nomination. Meanwhile, the Democrats, seeking to protect the legacy of incumbent President Barack Obama, have seen former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sweep 34 of the 57 primaries, the other twenty-three going for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders of the populist left. Most likely, we will see Mr. Trump and Secretary Clinton fighting for the Presidency this November. Yet still, there is one obstacle both candidates must overcome.

Last January, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson announced his candidacy for the 2016 Libertarian presidential nomination. Luckily for him, he has managed to get his name on the ballot in all fifty states. And, not too long ago, Governor Johnson announced that his running mate was to be the former Massachusetts Governor, William Weld. This further boosted his popularity among registered voters. Thus, the polls stand at a surprising stance: While 39% of those polled are in favor of Clinton's candidacy and 31% are in favor of Mr. Trump, 25% are in favor of Governor Johnson. Needless to say, this is extremely historic, due to the fact that Governor Johnson is not a Republican nor a Democrat.

Of course, there are three paths that Johnson's candidacy may yet take in this election.

First of all, Johnson is mainly popular among former Republican supporters. Although Johnson is attracting many Democratic voters, Johnson is mainly attracting Republican supporters, and if he takes most of them, that will give Secretary Clinton the popular vote and, most likely, the Presidency. Most likely, if his candidacy only did this to the Trump campaign, the Libertarian ticket would only win small states, probably ones it has been in the lead in the longest, such as New Mexico and North Dakota.

Second, Johnson might have a candidacy that will win electoral votes. By this, I mean he wins as many states as a regular, Democrat or Republican candidacy would receive. This would definitely throw the election to Congress, as it does whenever no candidate receives the 270 electoral vote majority. Nobody can be certain if the Republicans will keep the House or if the Democrats will take it, but the House of Representatives would vote on a President-elect in early January, and due to state-level gerrymandering, that would mean Businessman Donald Trump would most likely be elected our 45th President.

Third, Johnson may attract more votes as he campaigns, and if he struggles hard, he may win the 270 majority or more, and Johnson may win the Presidency without the dilemma of a Congressional vote. This, of course, would be truly historic.

It's impossible to say which of these paths will occur, but all three would determine the future of our nation in ways radically different from the others.



To be continued, next time... "The campaign was going really well for Gary. Of course, there was the famous poll in early July that showed Gary ahead of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, with 41% supporting Gary, 31% supporting Clinton, and 28% supporting Trump. I admit that, for a long time, it seemed certain Gary would be elected President of the United States. Then, the Republican National Convention rolled around, and that's when the Democrats became more popular." -- The Most Remarkable Years: Memoirs of a White House Chief of Staff by Ron Nielson

"Friends, delegates and fellow Americans: I humbly and gratefully accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States. Together, we will lead our party back to the White House, and we will lead our country back to safety, prosperity, and peace. We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order. Our Convention occurs at a moment of crisis for our nation. The attacks on our police, and the terrorism in our cities, threaten our very way of life. Any politician who does not grasp this danger is not fit to lead our country. Americans watching this address tonight have seen the recent images of violence in our streets and the chaos in our communities. Many have witnessed this violence personally, some have even been its victims. I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end. Beginning on January 20th 2017, safety will be restored." -- Businessman Donald Trump (R-NY) accepts the presidential nomination at the 2016 Republican National Convention

2016 Republican Nominee for President: Businessman Donald Trump (R-NY)
2016 Republican Nominee for Vice President: Governor Mike Pence (R-IN)



Presidential Poll -- July 26, 2016
Who will you vote for President this November?

Hillary Clinton (D) -- 36%
Gary Johnson (L) -- 35%
Donald Trump (R) -- 28%
Others -- 1%



"After the Republican convention ended, our lead had diminished somewhat. The convention's tone had been really dark, and the Democrats had made it look like it was a fractured party, so naturally, the Democrats gained in the polls. Still, we were neck-to-neck with Hillary Clinton. We looked at individual states towards the end of July to see which states to focus on. In Colorado, we were in a near third, just below Donald Trump and about 5 points below Hillary Clinton; in New Hampshire, we were ahead of Clinton and Trump by a three-point margin; in Ohio, we were, again, in third just below Clinton and about 5 points below Trump; and in California, we were tied with Hillary Clinton exactly at 38.5% to 38.5%, with Donald Trump placing a far-off 23%. Gary correctly predicted that the election would probably depend on either Ohio or California. We started campaigning more and more in those states, and it seemed to sort of pay off. I think Gary just had an air about him that just made him very likeable, and that's why people voted for him." -- The Most Remarkable Years: Memoirs of a White House Chief of Staff by Ron Nielson



To be continued next time... "The Secretary was getting very worried before the Democratic convention. She wasn't worried about not being nominated; that was assured. She was worried about her leading Johnson in the polls by only around a 1% margin. That was scary. If we didn't fight back, we could be assured a defeat in November. So, we knew we had to make the best we could out of the convention." -- Running the Clinton Campaign by John Podesta

The only way I could see this happening is Bernie launching a third-party campaign.

Nah, just a better run Johnson campaign (so he doesn't seem incompetent lol)

A unique TL. Keep it going plz!

DNC OPENS!

PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT AT 2016 DNC

• Former Secretary Hillary Clinton: 2,842
• Senator Bernie Sanders: 1,865
• Abstentions: 56

VICE PRESIDENTIAL BALLOT AT 2016 DNC

• Senator Tim Kaine: Nominated by Acclamation

"You know, nothing truly prepares you for the demands of the Oval Office. Until you've sat at that desk, you don’t know what it's like to manage a global crisis or send young people to war... But Hillary's been in the room. She's been part of those decisions." -- President Barack Obama, July 27, 2016



Presidential Poll -- July 31, 2016
With the recent Democratic convention, who will you vote for this November?

Hillary Clinton (D) -- 41%
Gary Johnson (L) -- 33%
Donald Trump (R) -- 26%



To be continued, next time... "After the July 31 poll, we knew that it was going to be tough trying to win the Presidency. We were 8 points behind Secretary Clinton, and Gary told me immediately: 'I am not going to lose. Not after I held a lead for a while.' The campaigning went well, but we knew we had to take advantage of something else... and that something was the debates. Gary spent a lot of time practicing for the debates, and it really proved helpful toward his campaign." -- The Most Remarkable Years: Memoirs of a White House Chief of Staff by Ron Nielson

TRANSCRIPT OF THE FIRST 2016 PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

LESTER HOLT: Governor Johnson, Secretary Clinton has just accused you of inexperience in running the economy. How do you respond to the Secretary on these charges? You have one minute.

GARY JOHNSON: Well, Madam Secretary, I understand... I have no experience in running a nation, or its economy. But I'm no stranger to taking on partisan political forces. I was elected Governor of New Mexico as a Republican in an overwhelming Democratic state, and re-elected to a second term by a wide margin despite being challenged by a popular and well-known Democrat. And yet, I was able to resist the temptation to solve every problem with government spending and regulation: I vetoed more than 750 bills during my time in office, probably more than all other Governors combined. I also cut taxes 14 times while never raising them. I balanced the state's budget, and left New Mexico with a billion-dollar surplus. I did that for New Mexico. Imagine what I can do for America.



To be continued, next time... "After the debates, which Gary did pretty well in, his approval started going up. In the second debate, Gary did even better. And the third debate was a total success for him. And after rally after rally, I could see it in Gary's eyes, that he was extremely happy. His eyes gleamed during the rallies, and he spoke strongly and significantly better than his first rallies. But the happiest I ever saw him was on Election Day, after the race was called." -- The Most Remarkable Years: Memoirs of a White House Chief of Staff by Ron Nielson

"It was about 7:30, on the morning of November 9th, when Gary gave his victory speech on a platform in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was almost dancing around, he was so happy; this was only about a half hour after Ohio was called for Gary, putting him ahead of the 270 mark. Still, we were able to convince him to give the speech he needed to give. It was then that the President-elect of the United States beckoned for the crowd to stop its noise. 'Well, folks,' he said, with that gleam in his eyes, 'It's been a long, good year. Since that January day that I began my campaign, we have gone through so much. And by voting me into office tonight, we have proved that we can admit our mistakes and set them right. By electing me your next President, I am going to show that I am not like other partisan politicians... I will do what I promise, unlike the many politicians who have run for President and not done what they were elected to do. I promise that we will make America sane again.'" -- The Most Remarkable Years: Memoirs of a White House Chief of Staff by Ron Nielson



"I had a chance to talk to President-elect Johnson this morning, about 7:20 in the morning I think it was, to congratulate him on winning the election and I had a chance to invite him to come to the White House tomorrow and to talk about making sure there is a successful transition between our Presidencies. Now it is no secret that the President-elect and I have some pretty significant differences. But remember, eight years ago, President Bush and I had some pretty significant differences. But President Bush's team could not have been more professional or more gracious in making sure that we had a smooth transition so that we could hit the ground running. One thing you realize quickly in this job is that the Presidency and the Vice Presidency is bigger than any of us, so I have instructed my team to follow the example that President Bush's team set eight years ago and work as hard as we can to make sure that this is a successful transition for the President-elect. Because we are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country. A peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy, and over the next few months, we are going to show that to the world." -- President Barack Obama's Rose Garden Speech, November 9, 2016



TO BE CONTINUED...

I am curious about many things.
Did any Libertarian get elected to the House or Senate, or in local elections?
What will happen to the Libertarian Party? How will President Johnson make it into a serious party?
How did the Democrats and Republicans react? And, more importantly, how did Trump react? :P

"Most transition periods between the Presidents go smoothly. When Dwight Eisenhower was elected President, President Harry Truman worked with Eisenhower on ways to be President, and Inauguration Day came quickly. Eight years later, that President-elect, having served two terms in office as a popular President, worked the same way with John F. Kennedy, the President-elect, and Inauguration Day 1961 came as quickly and smoothly as it had eight years before. Needless to say, President Reagan worked well with his Vice President, George Bush, after his Vice President had been elected President in 1988, and taught him the practices of being the President. But when Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were defeated by Gary Johnson in 2016, President Barack Obama, contrary to the goal he set for his Administration in his post-election speech, did not work well with his to-be successor. Gary did the usual performance: continued to speak about what he would do as President, and visited the President and the White House. Still, Obama was not cooperative, and was privately very angry at Johnson. This was perhaps understandable; Obama was the popular outgoing President, for his performance as President and his achievements, but his legacy, under the banner of Clinton, was defeated by such a margin, winning only 79 electoral votes, while Gary won 284 and Trump won 175. At the beginning of the year, Obama had expected the nation to protect his legacy by a good margin. Come Inauguration Day, a saddened Obama drove with the President-elect down the streets of Washington, D.C., to where President-elect Gary Johnson would be inaugurated." -- Ron Nielson, interviewed for Libertarian: The Gary Johnson Story

"I have to admit: When President Johnson gave his inaugural address, that same noontime I left office, he delivered it like he had been waiting for that moment his entire lifetime, though that could be realistically reduced to a little less than three months. He delivered his address thoroughly and clearly, and the people applauded; the people who had voted Johnson into office." -- Hope by Barack Obama

"Just after coming into office, Johnson began to kick the White House into gear. For a sixty-four year old man, Gary Johnson surprised me with his energy. He wanted the White House to be this way and that way, and he was able to get it to be that way. The President even made his own research area, where he would spend countless hours reading books on issues and the past. Honestly, as I worked more and more for him, the more and more I liked him. I voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016; I voted for Gary Johnson in 2020." -- Jennifer Fay, Special Assistant to the President and Director of White House Personnel, interviewed for Libertarian: The Gary Johnson Story



Cabinet of President Gary Johnson:

• President: Gary Johnson
• Vice President: Bill Weld
• Secretary of State: Mike Leavitt
• Secretary of the Treasury: Ron Paul
• Secretary of Defense: Mitt Romney
• Attorney General: Jim Gray
• Secretary of the Interior: Mike Sullivan
• Secretary of Agriculture: Mitch Daniels
• Secretary of Commerce: Vacant
• Secretary of Labor: Dennis Kucinich
• Secretary of Health and Human Services: Olympia Snowe
• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Vacant
• Secretary of Transportation: John Mica
• Secretary of Energy: Jack Gerard
• Secretary of Education: Vacant
• Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: Scott Rigell
• Secretary of Homeland Security: Vacant

To be continued, next time... "Just after the inauguration of President Johnson, the Democratic and Republican caucuses called meetings between all of the caucuses in their parties, and they both declared the game plan: Reject everything the President proposes and ruin his Presidency. This was the problem we realized: our first battle, to make the Johnson Presidency successful, was going to be with a stubborn Congress. Everything relied on Congress; the Congressmen and the Senators could easily get nothing done and just keep working on winning the White House in 2020. The President wasn't going to give up, though, and that was the great thing. He tried to think of a lot of measures to get things done, yet he couldn't think of anything, especially since no Congressman he could think of were in his favor. Luckily, there were a few members of Congress who were willing to help, and they probably saved the President." -- The Most Remarkable Years: Memoirs of a White House Chief of Staff by Ron Nielson

Gonna have to keep a eye on this

"You ask what I'm gonna do first? Well, I would have wished that my campaign last year would have answered that question. A single national consumption tax! I want to replace the existing tax system with that single national consumption tax, to be assessed at one rate across the economy with rebates for food and other staples, so we can have a more efficient way of collecting revenue without penalizing workers for earning more and so we can stimulate the labor market as well as encourage saving and investment! And Congress providing, that's what I'm gonna do!" -- President Johnson at a press conference, February 1, 2017



White House Transcript: February 20, 2017

PERSONAL AIDE TOM MAHON: Mr. President, Senator Warner is here to see you.

PRESIDENT GARY JOHNSON: Thanks, Tom; send him in.

(Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) enters the Oval Office)

SENATOR MARK WARNER: Mr. President, how do you do?

JOHNSON: I'm fine, Senator; how are you?

WARNER: I'm okay. Thank you for having me here.

JOHNSON: You said you have a proposal for me to consider?

WARNER: Yes, indeed I do, Mr. President. I'm sure you're aware that both my party and the Republicans are telling everyone to vote against anything you support.

JOHNSON: Well aware.

WARNER: Yes, well, as you can figure out, you don't have many people in Congress you're gonna turn to for a consumption tax, as I'm sure you're gonna try pushing through. Well, I'll help you, if you help me in the future.

JOHNSON: Help with what?

WARNER: Well, Mr. President, I don't plan on staying in the Senate forever. I've been eyeing a run for the Presidency at some point for quite some time now. Now, obviously, there's an election in four years in which you'll likely be running, and if we're gonna help each other out, then 2020 would obviously be out of the question for me. But, come 2024, I don't really know yet whether I'll run. I may not. But anyhow, I'll help you in exchange for your full support of me if and when I do run for President in 2024.

JOHNSON: Let me guess, Senator, you'll work on a consumption tax bill and help get it through Congress. If that's so, I would obviously like to help write it.

WARNER: That was what I was going to do, Mr. President; you are right. Still, we'll have a devil of a time if Congress figures out you worked on it. It will be a complete failure if that should happen. So we have to make it look like it's just me trying to get legislation going. After we pass the bill, we can give you the credit of giving America a fair tax system. Sound good?

JOHNSON: I'd say so, yes.

"It was quite odd for a while. After Warner visited the President on February 20, Gary kept to himself quite often, and the Senator kept coming over, almost every day, to work with the President. I asked him once what they were working on, and he said he couldn't tell me. Of course, this was because he didn't want it to leak to Congress that an upcoming consumption tax bill was partly the work of President Johnson. I figured out that whatever they were doing was done sometime in mid-March, when Senator Warner stopped visiting the White House." -- Tom Mahon, Personal Aide to the President, interviewed for Libertarian: The Gary Johnson Story

"I was proud of my colleague. I went to meet him in his office in mid-March, and he told me about his plans for passing a consumption tax bill. He also had a lot of friends in the Senate, and was 'making sure' that they were going to vote for the consumption tax bill. He asked me to help him out with lobbying for it when it went to the House. I knew what he meant by 'making sure'... calling in favors. It seemed like he had made enough friends that it would be passed by the House. Still, the Senate came to a debate after he introduced it, and that was where the bill became interesting." -- A Man for Others by Tim Kaine

"This bill, with all due respect to the Senator from Virginia, is ridiculous. We have here a bill that is proposing an unfair, expensive national sales tax that is regressive by being a grotesquely immoral hand-out to rich people and that doesn't work because it doesn't raise enough money to fund the government. I do not support this bill, as the United States of America isn't in the business of weighing heavily on the poor, and not generating the money the government needs." -- Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)



The bill, crazily enough, gathered many Republicans to its cause, as well as many moderate Democrats. Both Republicans and moderate Democrats endorsed the bill because it meant a fairer tax system for the United States; they endorsed the bill because they were both pro-fair tax. Interestingly, there was no mention of President Johnson in the debate. At the end of the session, on March 26, 2017, the Senate voted on the bill.

SENATE VOTE, CONSUMPTION TAX, MARCH 26, 2017

• AYE: 54
• Nay: 46

"Personally, I am glad that this consumption tax bill has passed the Senate. Frankly, I believe this is the beginning of the change in America I promised last year, and I call on the House to bring about more change." -- President Johnson at a press conference, March 27, 2017

"After the President made his remarks on the consumption tax bill, it struck me horribly: the President and Mark Warner had just played us. He had been working with Warner behind the scenes, and we had just passed the bill we vowed we would never pass. It struck me like a hammer on a nail... and then, I realized that the President was going to be tougher to deal with than we thought." -- Senator by former Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer

WILL THE CONSUMPTION TAX BILL SUCCEED?

April 3, 2017 -- (New York, NY) Eight days ago, the Senate approved the consumption tax bill solely introduced by Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). Now, before it is sent to the President, the bill will be debated by the House, and if it is passed by the House, then the bill will be sent to President Gary Johnson. Needless to say, the President campaigned on a platform of a consumption tax last year, and without doubt will sign the bill. He has already endorsed the bill.

As there was in the Senate, there is serious opposition to the bill, mostly among Democrats. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) has criticized the bill, while Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI-1) has endorsed the bill, calling it "a necessary move to keep the United States strong."

Unsurprisingly, the Republican Party, who have a majority in both houses of Congress, has been the biggest supporter of the bill, while the Democrats are against it. Even then, you have Republicans who are against the consumption tax.

There are two paths that this bill can take. One way this may resolve is that the Republican leaders in the House are able to keep their majority together and, with their majority, pass the bill. This may not be too hard for the Republicans, as Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC-11), Chair of the Freedom Caucus, has spoken in support of the bill and is attempting to rally the Freedom Caucus for it. If they can't manage this, then President Johnson has a likely chance of being ruined for the rest of his Presidency, having attempted to see a bill through that he had promised to get passed in his presidential campaign last year, only to have it brought down by a bipartisan majority in the Senate.

However, there is one more path that is likely even less appealing to the President. The Democrats may attempt to appeal to liberal and moderate Republicans and convince them to vote alongside the minority. Some of these Republicans include Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL-27) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI-6). If these moderate Republicans vote no on the bill, a consumption tax won't be signed into law by President Johnson anytime soon.

Effectively, this bill can very much decide the future of the next four years: If the bill should fail, most of President Johnson's legislative priorities will probably fail. If it should pass, we may see the President fulfill his promise of bipartisanship between Congress and the White House.

Transcript of Phone Conversation in the Congressional Office of Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI-3)

SECRETARY: Congressman, you have a call from Speaker Ryan.

REP. JUSTIN AMASH: Alright, I'll take the call.

SPEAKER PAUL RYAN: Hello, Justin, how are you?

AMASH: Fine. What's going on?

RYAN: Well, I realize you've been talking about voting yes on the consumption tax. Well, I just need you to know that if you do that, you're going to regret it.

AMASH: Yes? How is that?

RYAN: You certainly won't be getting any of my endorsements in your re-election bid next year, and you certainly won't from a lot of other Republicans, at least not in the House. Even Mark Sanford is on my side, as well as Thomas Massie. I just hope you tell your fellow libertarians in the party to vote no.

AMASH: Hmm. Well, I vote on my beliefs, Mr. Speaker, but we'll see. What's in it for me if I vote no?

RYAN: I'll continue to endorse you for re-election, as will the entire caucus.

AMASH: Well, we're debating the bill at the caucus meeting tomorrow. I'll have my opinion formed by then.

RYAN: Alrighty, fair enough. See you tomorrow, and thanks for your time.

(End of Transcript)


"I think, in the best interests of the party and all of us in general, we need to vote against this bill. It will certainly go against our party lines, and we need a united party. Plus, the bill will only limit our spending ability, and that will basically limit the United States, and that's why I am against this bill." -- Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC) debating against the consumption tax bill, April 16, 2017

"When the time to vote on the consumption tax bill in May came around, we were fairly uncertain as to whether the majority would pass the bill or not. At some of the later Republican caucus debates, Amash began to speak as if he was against the bill. Honestly, if we were going to keep the majority together and vote against the bill, we had to get the libertarians on our side, which was going to be hard, especially with Justin Amash. Being de-facto leader of the libertarian faction of the House Republicans, their votes were his, and that was looking promisingly hard. So when Amash spoke against the bill, that was when we started to feel relieved. But the day before the vote, at the final caucus meeting, Congressman Amash had a change of heart." -- Opportunity for All by Paul Ryan

"Let us vote in favor of the bill, and let us prepare the way for the new consumption tax." -- Congressman Amash (R-MI-3) addressing the House Republican Conference



HOUSE VOTE, CONSUMPTION TAX BILL, MAY 25, 2017

• NO: 222
• Yes: 213

"We were lucky: moderate Republicans and Democrats narrowly combined for a no vote on the consumption tax bill." -- Former House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-23), interviewed for Libertarian: The Gary Johnson Story

"Well, first of all, I would like to state that yes, I am disappointed about the consumption tax; this was what I promised last year, and my efforts to deliver this to the American people have been rejected by the Congress. However, this has proved one thing: there are those that wish to see a consumption tax, and wish to see change in the United States. I'm not going to let them down, and I'm going to keep fighting for them, like I promised I would last year." -- President Johnson at a Press Conference, May 26, 2017



To be continued, next time... "For months at a time, the President pondered and pondered about what to do about the midterm elections in 2018. He told me repeatedly that he had to do something; he wasn't going to let his Presidency fail. One day in July, I suggested that we immediately commence with a major organizing effort for the party to make sure it got seats in Congress the next year. He liked that idea, and he told me: 'Ron, of course, that's a great idea; it's been right in front of us this entire time. And if this works, 2019 is the year we get some real good progress.' That was how the true rise of the Libertarian Party began." -- Ron Nielson, interviewed for Libertarian: The Gary Johnson Story

"As has been proven by the vote on the consumption tax bill, we need a new kind of majority in Congress; not a Republican majority, and not a Democratic majority. We need a Libertarian majority, a majority that will get things done. The cause of the Libertarian Party will be furthered. It will run candidates for Congress, for Senate, and for Governor races next year. Vice President Weld and I are its leaders, and yes, we will have a midterm convention and primaries for local races. This party is now in the interest of electing America to Congress." -- President Johnson at a Press Conference, June 7, 2017

"I declare that I'm joining the Libertarian Party, as a devout supporter of the President and the people of the United States." -- Senator Mark Warner declaring his party change, June 25, 2017

"The independent Governor is no longer; there is now a Libertarian Governor of Alaska, and I will run for re-election as a Libertarian Party candidate." -- Alaska Governor Bill Walker declaring his candidacy for re-election, July 13, 2017

"As Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Florida, I realize the America President Johnson sees is also the image of the party, and now, with the kindly agreement of the others in the party, the national platform of the Libertarian Party will now be fully incorporated into the platform of the Libertarian Party of Florida, and I will run for Governor of Florida as a strong supporter of the ideals of President Johnson, a better Florida, as a Libertarian, and as an American." -- Libertarian Party of Florida Chairman Adrian Wyllie declaring his candidacy for Florida Governor, August 8, 2017

"Mark increasingly tried to convince me to join the Libertarian Party, but the thing is, I couldn't. I just didn't share the same beliefs as that party, though I respected Mark's decision to switch parties. It was very tough when Johnson furthered his party's cause, because not only did Mark leave the Democratic Party, but also Angus King, Bill Nelson, Heidi Heitkamp, and Joe Donnelly joined the Libertarian Party; of course, a number of House Democrats also joined the Libertarian Party. But still, the number of Democrats joining the party was small compared to the number of Republicans: when all the Republicans joined the Libertarian Party, it was only the far-right conservatives that were left. Rob Portman, Lindsey Graham, Dean Heller, Bob Corker, Lamar Alexander, almost every moderate Republican joined the Libertarian Party. After the rebirth of the Libertarian Party, President Johnson's popularity began to rise." -- A Man for Others by Tim Kaine



House Composition, January 5, 2018

• Democrats: 192
• Republicans: 167
• Libertarians: 76

Senate Composition, January 5, 2018

• Democrats: 43
• Republicans: 33
• Libertarians: 24

CNN Poll, January 8, 2018: During this year's congressional, senatorial, and gubernatorial elections, which party will you vote for?

• Libertarian Party -- 35%
• Democratic Party -- 34%
• Republican Party -- 31%

"There were many difficulties in Congress after the rebirth of the Libertarian Party. Because many Republicans and Democrats joined the Libertarian Party, both chambers faced a problem they had rarely encountered before, and certainly not in the modern era: they now had three parties in Congress, and no majority. So, rules changes were approved by both chambers that the second-largest minority party would elect minority leaders, and that the largest minority party would elect a majority leader and Speaker, effective immediately." -- A History of the United States Congress by Matthew Wasniewski



Libertarian Party Senate Leadership Election, February 6, 2018

• Sen. Mark Warner (L-VA): Unanimous

"Of course, I was happy for Mark when he was elected leader of the Senate Libertarian Caucus, even though he was now a member of the opposition. Still, what made me the most interested of all was the situation in both houses. The defections in the GOP resulted in the Democrats taking precarious "plurality majorities", meaning Chuck Schumer was the new Senate Majority Leader and Nancy Pelosi was once again the new Speaker." -- A Man for Others by Tim Kaine




Libertarian Party House Leadership Election, February 14, 2018

• Justin Amash: 51
• Mark Sanford: 25

>Lindsey Graham
> Joined Libertarian Party

"My opponents, on both the left and the right, have decried me for allegedly trying to weaken the Union by splitting the political forces that rule the country; my response to them: even if I had many occasions to have my platform passed thanks to intelligent and reasonable bipartisanship during this first year in office of mine, I felt that I had to bruit the Libertarians, to embody our need of reforms, give a voice to those who are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, and call into question the rules of these great United States of America." -- President Gary Johnson's First State of the Union Address, February 27, 2018


"President Johnson's leadership has failed not because of a so-called obstructionist Congress on which he blames everything, paving the way for a Republican takeover, but because he has no real experience in political affairs: by running on the single issue of small government, he deliberately endangered the American economy." -- Democratic response to the State of the Union Address, delivered by Virginia Governor Tom Perriello, February 28, 2018


"Even though I personally supported President Johnson's consumption tax initiative, it's a euphemism but to consider that his attempts at bipartisanship have failed; not because of congressional process, but because of his behavior: refusing to strike compromise with the different parties, and trying to conceal his failures by beefing up his third party without any consistency. He must submit or quit." -- Republican response to the State of the Union Address, delivered by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY), February 28, 2018

"When I pursued the Democratic nomination for President of the United States two years ago, I already knew that I couldn't do much in the fight against what disappointed me so much as Governor: partisan politics, lack of initiative, lobbying, and corruption. I said many times that we needed a national leader to embody the need of reforms for this country, and President Johnson has proven himself to be that leader. That's why I joined the Libertarian Party, and even if I decided not to once again pursue the nomination for Governor here in Maryland, I will do everything I can to send as many Libertarians as possible to change things in Washington!" -- Former Governor Martin O'Malley (L-MD) at a Libertarian Party rally in Baltimore, MD, May 2, 2018


"Today, I am nominating Judge Janice Rogers Brown to join the Supreme Court. Not only do I share many views with Judge Brown, but any reasonable lawmaker has to honor Janice's 21-year-long commitment to the interests of justice. She is one of the most competent members of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, and that's why I have decided to nominate her to succeed Justice Kennedy, one of the most influential jurists of our time." -- President Johnson at a press conference, May 18, 2018

BROWN CONFIRMED BY SENATE TO BECOME ASSOCIATE JUSTICE; RANDY BARNETT NOMINATED TO REPLACE HER ON D.C. CIRCUIT -- The Washington Post, August 3, 2018

O'MALLEY ELECTED NEW CHAIRMAN OF LIBERTARIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE -- The Baltimore Sun, August 14, 2018




"Over one hundred years ago, when he launched his third party bid for the White House, former President Teddy Roosevelt said that the election was to be the battle of Armageddon. Now, as Vice President of the United States, I say: go to the polls and vote! Let the people decide, shout for your voice! Vote against the obstructionists of the Democratic Party, vote against the incompetents of the Republican Party, and vote well; vote with your heart!" -- Vice President Bill Weld (L-MA) campaigning in Worcester, MA, for Libertarian Party Senate candidate Evan Falchuk, September 10, 2018



"Gary didn't campaign himself for the Libertarian Party's candidates, instead sending friendlies such as Vice President Weld, chairman O'Malley, or Senator Warner to campaign on his behalf." -- The Most Remarkable Years: Memoirs of a White House Chief of Staff by Ron Nielson

LIBERTARIAN PARTY ELECTED TO CONGRESS WITH A BANG; DEMS HOLD SENATE AND NARROWLY HOLD HOUSE -- The Washington Post, November 7, 2018



"The people have spoken. A cry of dissatisfaction with the obstructionist Democratic Congress and against the incumbents who have decided to do nothing for them. I have received President Johnson's call, and I will be working extensively with our newly-elected Libertarians to fight for a Libertarian agenda. An agenda still aimed at bipartisanship, by the American people and for the American people; a new, Libertarian Contract for America." -- Senate Libertarian Leader Mark Warner (L-VA), November 7, 2018

"Even if the common view of the 2018 midterm elections was that of a triumph for President Johnson and the Libertarian Party, with the extensive campaigning by both Martin O'Malley and Bill Weld, it was still disappointing. The senatorial and gubernatorial campaigns of that year were among the costliest in American history: millions of dollars were raised by the Libertarian Party, seemingly overnight, and certainly moreso than had ever been raised in the history of the Libertarian Party. Even if much had been done to convince many Senators to switch parties, and great gains had been made, such as unseating Claire McCaskill in Missouri or Bob Casey in Pennsylvania, the three-way races helped many candidates, such as both Tammy Baldwin and Scott Walker in Wisconsin, and Mary Taylor in Ohio; the former was among the most surprising upsets of the midterms, Baldwin having been considered the most vulnerable incumbent Senator just because she'd only won statewide once and because her political persona didn't quite fit her state, but the Libertarian Party candidacy of Phil Anderson drew enough votes from the Republican nominee, State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, to help Baldwin win re-election.

However, the most interesting results were in the House, with the Libertarians gaining a score of 14 freshmen in addition to the 76 previously-switched members of the Libertarian caucus, most of them either in their first stint in politics, such as Rob Lapham (FL-2), or setting in stone rival factions within the 'big tent' Libertarian Party, such as socialist Jello Biafra (CA-14), 'small-l libertarian' Jim C. McDermott (AK-AL) or even interventionist Keith Farrell (CT-4), with strong showings in otherwise Democratic strongholds such as New England and California, and swing states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin. Even if the showings in Congress proved that the Democratic Party still remained strong, populist campaign tactics were generously used by the Libertarians, who managed to keep the House from having a majority party, via election, for the first time since 1922 and even to unseat the incumbent Minority Whip, Kevin McCarthy. But the Republican Party also made gains in the election, with the Democrats only holding the 'plurality-majority' by three votes, very far from an actual majority. Thus, the three parties were forced into peaceful coexistence with each other; as Vice President Bill Weld reportedly said, 'it will now be bipartisanship with teeth'." -- The Most Remarkable Years: Memoirs of a White House Chief of Staff by Ron Nielson



List of Libertarian Party officeholders as of January 3, 2019:

• President of the United States: Gary Johnson (NM)
• Vice President of the United States: Bill Weld (MA)
• Chairman of the Libertarian National Committee: Martin O'Malley (MD)
• House Libertarian Leader: Justin Amash (MI-3)
• House Libertarian Whip: Thomas Massie (KY-4)
• Senate Libertarian Leader: Mark Warner (VA)
• Senate Libertarian Whip: Rand Paul (KY)

Governors:

• Bill Walker (Alaska)
• Adrian Wyllie (Florida)
• Shawn Moody (Maine)
• Mary Buzuma (Michigan)
• Dennis Hof (Nevada)
• Joe Nichols (New Mexico)
• Tom Wolf (Pennsylvania)

Senators:

• Mark Warner (Virginia)
• Rand Paul (Kentucky)
• Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
• John McCain (Arizona)
• Susan Collins (Maine)
• Ben Sasse (Nebraska)
• Jeff Flake (Arizona)
• Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
• Angus King (Maine)
• Bill Nelson (Florida)
• Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota)
• Joe Donnelly (Indiana)
• Dean Heller (Nevada)
• Cory Gardner (Colorado)
• Rob Portman (Ohio)
• Mike Lee (Utah)
• Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania)
• Marco Rubio (Florida)
• Dan Sullivan (Alaska)
• Shelley Moore-Capito (West Virginia)
• Mike Rounds (South Dakota)
• John Boozman (Arkansas)
• Lamar Alexander (Tennessee)
• Bob Corker (Tennessee)
• Austin Petersen (Missouri)
• Dale Kerns (Pennsylvania)
• David Moran (West Virginia)

Representatives:

• Justin Amash (MI-3)
• Thomas Massie (KY-4)
• Mark Sanford (SC-1)
• Raúl Labrador (ID-1)
• Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48)
• Sean Duffy (WI-7)
• Mark Walker (NC-6)
• Steve Russell (OK-5)
• Ken Calvert (CA-42)
• Tom Rooney (FL-17)
• Dave Trott (MI-11)
• Tim Murphy (PA-18)
• Susan Brooks (IN-5)
• Robert Aderholt (AL-4)
• Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1)
• Trent Kelly (MS-1)
• Duncan Hunter (CA-50)
• Martha Roby (AL-2)
• David Valadao (CA-21)
• Gary Palmer (AL-6)
• Adrian Smith (NE-3)
• Leonard Lance (NJ-7)
• Devin Nunes (CA-22)
• John Shimkus (IL-15)
• Jason Chaffetz (UT-3)
• Tom Marino (PA-10)
• Kevin Brady (TX-8)
• Martha McSally (AZ-2)
• Barbara Comstock (VA-10)
• George Holding (NC-2)
• Erik Paulsen (MN-3)
• Ryan Costello (PA-6)
• Mike Simpson (ID-2)
• Adam Kinzinger (IL-16)
• Bill Shuster (PA-9)
• Joe Barton (TX-6)
• Tom Reed (NY-23)
• Michael Turner (OH-10)
• Carlos Curbelo (FL-26)
• Mimi Walters (CA-45)
• Evan Jenkins (WV-3)
• Trey Gowdy (SC-4)
• Vern Buchanan (FL-16)
• Steve Knight (CA-25)
• Kay Granger (TX-12)
• Mac Thornberry (TX-13)
• Will Hurd (TX-23)
• Greg Walden (OR-2)
• Garret Graves (LA-6)
• Lee Zeldin (NY-1)
• Collin Peterson (MN-7)
• Hal Rogers (KY-5)
• Darrell Issa (CA-49)
• Chris Smith (NJ-14)
• Jaime Herrera Butler (WA-3)
• Rob Woodall (GA-7)
• Patrick Meehan (PA-7)
• Tom MacArthur (NJ-3)
• Charles Dent (PA-15)
• Elise Stefanik (NY-21)
• Virginia Foxx (NC-5)
• Ed Royce (CA-39)
• Darin LaHood (IL-18)
• Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11)
• John Katko (NY-24)
• Jeff Denham (CA-10)
• Pete King (NY-2)
• David Reichert (WA-8)
• Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
• Daniel Donovan (NY-11)
• Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2)
• Fred Upton (MI-6)
• Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27)
• Warren Davidson (OH-8)
• James Comer (KY-1)
• Jared Polis (CO-2)
• Rob Lapham (FL-2)
• Jello Biafra (CA-14)
• Jim C. McDermott (AK-AL)
• Keith Farrell (CT-4)
• Jonathan Dine (MO-6)
• Herschel Young (MO-4)
• Frank Gilbert (AR-4)
• Lily Tang Williams (CO-4)
• Allen Buckley (GA-13)
• Michael Kokoski (HI-1)
  
• Kent McMillen (IL-6)
• Lucy Brenton (IN-5)
• Chuck Aldrich (IA-4)
• Brett Bittner (GA-13)

This is really interesting, I'm looking forward to reading more.

Thanks so much! I've kinda drifted away from updating this TL due to an abundance of things having gone on in my real-life recently, but I hope to get back to it in the near-future, so stay tuned...

Way too many pro-life Republicans defecting.

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"They are now saying throughout the country that we, the Libertarians, are about to block everything our buddies from either party will try to pass. And to this I say, Chuck, that the Libertarian Party only wants to address the issues that Americans face, not paralyze their apparatus." -- Senate Libertarian Leader Mark Warner (L-VA) on Meet the Press, November 11, 2018


"Mark is a great colleague of mine and a great friend of mine. Yes, he is a great contributor to the Libertarian Party and while I respect his choice, I will never quit the Democratic Party. I have too much faith in the founding idea of our nation: that citizens care about their fellow citizens and work through the government to provide public resources for the benefit of all. And so, that is why I believe that the current Libertarian Party is representative of the wisdom of neither the majority of my fellow Virginians nor my fellow Americans. But I have nothing against Mark." -- Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) on CNN, November 18, 2018


"I pledge, during my term in the House of Representatives that will begin next month, to put all my efforts to the cause of abolishing the IRS, cutting military funding, and liberalizing federal drug laws. I really think that we can build a better world; a Libertarian world." -- Rep.-elect Rob Lapham (L-FL-2), at a Panama City, FL town hall, December 12, 2018


"Gary Johnson claims to be the Libertarian President, but that's false. He's not even a true libertarian. Yes, he won the Presidency by virtue of being the Libertarian Party's 2016 presidential nominee. But just because he is a Libertarian, it does not mean that he is a small-l libertarian. He may take a libertarian or libertarian-leaning position on some issues, but he has been far from the complete package.

What has his presidency accomplished? Has he actually converted anyone to libertarianism (outside of his own 'big tent' definition)? Has he advanced the cause of liberty in any significant way? Has he gotten people enthusiastic about libertarianism?

Since Johnson was elected to the presidency, we have seen that we shouldn't have trusted that he would reduce government power in any significant way.

Gary Johnson is not a libertarian. You can use this information in the way you deem best, and you can damn well use this information to understand the kind of libertarian I'll be in Congress starting next week." -- Rep.-elect Jim C. McDermott (L-AK-AL) in an opinion editorial message to his fellow libertarians, published in major newspapers on December 31, 2018

"Going into the 2020 presidential campaign, one thing was clear: regardless of whether there was a slight value-based intra-party conflict, Gary Johnson was, overall, an extremely popular president, and few dared to attempt to truly challenge *him*." -- The Most Remarkable Years: Memoirs of a White House Chief of Staff by Ron Nielson

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"I'm announcing that I'm launching my campaign to represent my fellow Americans as their President. I will be a fighter for middle-class families who are feeling the pinch of stagnant wages and diminishing opportunity. I will be a fighter for our children who deserve a world-class education, and for students burdened by predatory lenders and skyrocketing tuition. And I will fight relentlessly to protect our coasts, our immigrant communities and our seniors." -- Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), announcing her 2020 presidential bid in San Francisco, CA, January 20, 2019

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"I am here because I believe that people who care can find solutions to even the most difficult problems. I am here because when we work together, I know from experience that there is no problem we can't solve. I ask for your support as I seek to serve as your President. The reason is simple: I believe I am the best candidate to bring us to a return of the passionate advocacy for progressive values that the Presidency should exemplify." -- Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Newark, NJ, February 4, 2019


"Today, I am announcing that I am running for president of the United States, because it is the time for truth. It is the time for liberty. It is the time to reclaim the Constitution of the United States, especially from a President who is no true libertarian." -- Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Houston, TX, February 11, 2019

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"Hi, I'm Chris Murphy, and I'm running for President of the United States. I've decided to run for the Presidency because it's where my voice can be the strongest and I can advocate the loudest for issues affecting the nation. We can't continue to import oil from dictators around the world who want to do real damage to the United States. We need new voices willing to challenge the status quo." -- Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Cheshire, CT, February 11, 2019


"So friends, colleagues, and my fellow Americans: I hereby announce that I will run for President of the United States in 2020. I look forward to fighting for America's working families. America deserves to once again enjoy good-paying jobs with benefits. Our children deserve a quality education, and tuition every family can afford. Our families deserve access to affordable health care, health insurance, and prescription drugs. And we must finally implement an energy policy that places consumers before corporate profits. The culture of corruption plaguing federal government has led our nation down the wrong path and it is time for change. As America's next President, I will help lead our nation toward promise and prosperity." -- Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Cleveland, OH, February 21, 2019


"No one will outwork me in this campaign. I will always defend our shared principles when they are attacked by anyone. I will do the right thing, even when it's the hard thing. And I will never, ever forget how I was raised or the great nation I come from." -- Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Dardanelle, AR, February 23, 2019

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"I'm in. I'm running for President of the United States because Americans deserve a leader who will fight and win for them." -- Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI), announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Waukesha, WI, February 27, 2019

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"I think I can help and that's why today I announce my candidacy for the Presidency of the United States. My campaign is not going to be about me — but we. We the people formed the government. We the people must reform government. I need you to join the team to change Washington. I will be all over this great nation in each of our 50 beautiful states to organize a citizen coalition to take back our government." -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY), announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Albany, NY, March 7, 2019


"I am officially running for president of the United States. And we are going to go to Washington D.C. and take back the White House." -- Oprah Winfrey (D), announcing her 2020 presidential bid in Chicago, IL, March 13, 2019

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"I am here to ask you for your prayers, for your support, and for your efforts because I have decided to run for president of the United States. I have the experience and the testing which shapes you and prepares you for the most important job in the world." -- Fmr. Gov. John Kasich (R-OH), announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Cleveland, OH, March 18, 2019


"It is our duty to serve the people the way they deserve to be served. It is our duty to make the tough decisions this country needs to get back on track. And those are the reasons as to why I'm running for President of the United States." -- House Minority Leader Paul Ryan (R-WI-1), announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Janesville, WI, March 24, 2019



CRUZ, KASICH NECK-AND-NECK FOR GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION; NO FRONTRUNNER EMERGES FOR DEMS; JOHNSON'S APPROVAL RATING REMAINS STEADY​ -- The Washington Post, March 28, 2019



FEDERAL DRUG LAW LIBERALIZATION PACKAGE PASSES CONGRESS WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT: CANNABIS PROHIBITION REPEALED, PURCHASE/POSSESSION OF SMALL QUANTITIES OF OTHER CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES MADE A FEDERAL MISDEMEANOR; WARNER: "THE WAR ON DRUGS IS NOW OVER!" -- The Washington Post, April 2, 2019

Bernie going to show up at some point?

Let's just say, all candidate declarations aren't here yet & leave it at that lol ;)

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"I'm running for President of the United States because America has big challenges and I'm convinced that my Virginian experience has answers to help strengthen our nation. Thankfully, we still have a tradition of balance and civility here that is sadly disappearing from Washington. I know that Washington can learn a few things from Virginia." -- Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee, announcing a surprise 2020 presidential bid of his very own in Richmond, VA, April 8, 2019

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"After considerable deliberation and reflection, I have decided not to pursue the office of the presidency. This decision does not come easily or without regret, especially when my potential candidacy continues to be validated by ranking at the top of the Republican contenders in polls across the country, which is why I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and, ultimately, the general election. But after having both full-on campaigned four years ago and spent the past several months unofficially campaigning, I've recognized that running for public office cannot be done half-heartedly. Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector as I was four years ago." -- Donald Trump (R), the 2016 Republican presidential nominee, announcing he will not seek the 2020 Republican presidential nomination on Meet the Press, April 9, 2019

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"America once set the pace in fiscal responsibility, job creation and reform. But our work isn't over; indeed, freedom's work is never done. To make America grow again, Americans know we must have principled leadership at every level to make the right choices. We need to live within our means and embrace policies that will create good jobs, great schools, safe streets and strong families." -- Fmr. Gov. Mike Pence (R-IN), the 2016 Republican vice presidential nominee, announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Columbus, IN, April 14, 2019

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"After months of encouragement from supporters all across the nation and countless discussions with friends and family, I have decided to run for President of the United States. For eight years, I sat at the top of South Carolina's state government and watched - sometimes in disbelief - as the statehouse wanted to spend with abandon and, in the process, waste taxpayer dollar after taxpayer dollar. I know what good government can look like. I'm running for President so the people of this nation will know what it feels like. And even though America has come far, we still have many more miles to travel. I want to be able to do the hard work to make sure America is the best place to live, raise a family and do business in the world." -- Fmr. Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) announcing her 2020 presidential bid in Lexington, SC, April 17, 2019

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"At this late age in my life, everything would have to fall perfectly into place and I would have to put on hold what influence I have in the United States Senate in pursuit of what is now too much of a long shot. But, here now, as we look at 2020 and think about who is best to lead this country forward, I'm proud to announce that I am supporter number one of Elizabeth Warren's campaign, and I will work my heart out to elect her President." -- Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) announcing that, while he will not seek the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, he will support Sen. Elizabeth Warren's campaign in Cambridge, MA, May 1, 2019

"Today, here in this great city - a city that has led the nation in so many ways - I am proud to announce my candidacy for President of the United States of America. Today, with your support and the support of millions of people throughout this country, we continue the political revolution begun by Bernie to transform our country economically, politically, socially and environmentally." -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) announcing her 2020 presidential bid in Cambridge, MA, May 1, 2019



IRS POWER-CURBING PACKAGE PASSES CONGRESS WITH REPUBLICAN-LIBERTARIAN SUPPORT: NUMEROUS PROVISIONS CURB WHAT GOP, LIBERTARIANS CLAIM ARE IRS ABUSES; AMASH: "THIS IS ABOUT STAMPING OUT A CULTURE OF ARROGANCE AT THE IRS!" -- The Washington Post, May 3, 2019




"We need to have strength and decision-making and authority back in the Oval Office and that is why today I am proud to announce my candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States of America." -- Fmr. Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Livingston, NJ, May 7, 2019



PENCE MAKES BREAKTHROUGH IN GOP FIELD; KAINE FRONTRUNNER FOR DEMS -- The Washington Post, May 13, 2019

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"I have come here to my hometown today because I care about my country and its future, and I care about the future of this earth on which we all depend. I am here today to make a commitment to each of you that I intend to keep and honor: That I will work with all my energy and that I will do whatever is necessary to bring about real change. And so, I am here to stand as a candidate for President of the United States in 2020. But this candidacy is not simply about me. It is about us. You and you and you." -- Fmr. Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Oakland, CA, May 20, 2019



MILITARY SPENDING TO BE DRASTICALLY CUT BY JOHNSON'S BUDGET BLUEPRINT; ALL LIBERTARIANS + ENOUGH DEMS EXPECTED TO SUPPORT PASSAGE -- The Washington Post, June 2, 2019



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"Our system of government - our democracy - is built on a foundation of trust. Today, that foundation is cracked. I am running this campaign for President to not only earn your trust, but to help repair that foundation." -- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announcing her 2020 presidential bid in Albany, NY, June 8, 2019

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"I'm running for President because I think that, with a lot of help, I can stem the tide of this slide and restore America's leadership in the world and change our priorities. Simply put, my experience and my track record - both on the foreign and domestic side - put me in a position to be able to do that." -- Fmr. Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE) announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Wilmington, DE, June 8, 2019

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"So because I have become increasingly concerned about how the country is being run and because I have decided to act on my concern, I hereby announce my candidacy for President of the United States." -- Fmr. Gov. Brian Sandoval (R-NV) announcing his 2020 presidential bid in Reno, NV, June 18, 2019

Big Daddy Kaine 😍

America's Dad

Go on.

Nut TL, keep this up!!!

How the hell did this get revived after a year

Very interesting