Libertarian Convention 2024: Maneuvering, Controversy, and Debate
Angela McArdle recaps the eventful weekend and Chase Oliver's nomination.
Angela McArdle, chairwoman of the Libertarian Party offered her take on the LP’s 2024 national convention which happened over Memorial Weekend. Her full video can be viewed here: https://x.com/i/status/1797974902261309561 .
The Libertarian Party's 2024 National Convention was an exercise of political maneuvering, controversy, and strategic debates. The convention, marked by heated discussions on candidate selection, delegate seating issues, and internal party dynamics, saw the voting in of Chase Oliver as the party’s presidential nominee amidst a lot of controversy and happenstance. The weekend included speeches from former President Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and a lively vice-presidential debate. Trump and Kennedy, of course, are two of the opponents to Chase Oliver, which raised some eyebrows. McArdle stood by her decision to invite opposing views to the convention. The convention did not get to platform and by-law changes due to running out of time.
McArdle was re-elected to chair the political party for the next two years and has expressed her support of the party’s presidential nominee, Chase Oliver. She originally wanted comic Dave Smith to run for the position; however, he ultimately chose not to run. McArdle expressed her frustration with Smith’s withdrawal as it kept other candidates away from running, like former Congressman Justin Amash and 2020 LP presidential nominee Jo Jorgensen. Smith is very popular with many in the LP and would have been the favored candidate.
McArdle has also expressed her frustration with those who are leaving the party due to Oliver being the presidential nominee. She stated that those in the party need better behavior and respect for others within the party and outside the party. She was not happy with the heavy booing during Trump’s speech to the delegates.
The convention started with serious delegate seating issues. Delegates from Michigan, Washington, and Oklahoma all vied for spots, each case messier than the last. Michigan was the first, with folks split on whether those delegates should be seated. Washington and Oklahoma? Total violations of their state bylaws, which threw a wrench into national by-law violations. Angela McArdle, juggled three certified parliamentarians who couldn’t agree on whether to seat those delegates or not and had to make some tough calls. She opted to seat Michigan’s delegates despite her reservations and ruled against seating Washington and Oklahoma, only to face appeals and frantic room tension. McArdle tried to keep the peace and follow the rules, even when the room felt like it was about to explode.
Polling and voting at the convention had their challenges, especially with a straw poll meant to gauge support for presidential candidates' rebuttals to Donald Trump. The poll was quickly put together, but it didn't take long for people to start gaming the system, leading to duplicate votes and skewed results. Despite these irregularities, Angela McArdle focussed on the top three vote-getters, acknowledging the flaws but seeking a fair outcome. This decision allowed the leading candidates, including Chase Oliver, to move forward, reflecting a pragmatic approach to managing the chaos and ensuring the process stayed as inclusive and transparent as possible. After one of the leading presidential candidates had to leave mid-debate due to a medical issue, it was Oliver’s to win the nomination.
