THE CANDIDATE

Federal directory · 2026 cycle

Libertarian Party

The Libertarian Party is the largest third party in the United States by registered voters, founded in 1971 around classical-liberal principles of minimal government and personal liberty.

See every 2026 Libertarian Party candidate

15 of 47 candidates have filed FEC reports; total raised: $510,106 this 2026 cycle.

About the Libertarian Party

Federal candidates running on the Libertarian Party line.

History of the Libertarian Party

Founded
1971
Founder(s)
David Nolan, Susan Nolan, John Hospers

The Libertarian Party was founded on December 11, 1971 in the Colorado Springs home of David Nolan, in direct response to President Richard Nixon's imposition of wage-and-price controls and the United States' departure from the gold standard earlier that year.[1][2] The founders sought an organization that combined the Republican economic-freedom positions with the Democratic civil-liberties positions while rejecting both major parties' interventionist foreign policy.

In 1972 the new party ran John Hospers and Tonie Nathan as its first presidential ticket; Nathan became the first woman to receive an Electoral College vote when faithless elector Roger MacBride cast his Virginia vote for the ticket.[1][2] The 1980 Ed Clark / David Koch ticket received 921,000 votes (1.06%) — the best presidential performance until 2016.

The 2016 Gary Johnson / William Weld ticket received roughly 4.5 million votes (3.27%), the best-ever popular-vote total. The 2022 Mises Caucus takeover of the Libertarian National Committee shifted public messaging toward paleolibertarian themes, and several state affiliates have disaffiliated since.[1][2]

Sources

  1. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_Party_(United_States)
  2. [2]https://ballotpedia.org/Libertarian_Party
  3. [3]https://www.lp.org

Libertarian Party platform

The Libertarian Party platform centers on the non-aggression principle — the position that initiating force against another person or their property is illegitimate — and applies that frame to policies on economics, civil liberties, and foreign policy.

  1. 1. Reduced government spending and taxation

    Abolition of the federal income tax, dramatic reduction in federal spending, sunset of entitlement programs, and a balanced federal budget.[1][3]

  2. 2. Civil liberties

    End the war on drugs, abolish civil asset forfeiture, repeal warrantless surveillance, and protect First and Fourth Amendment rights without exception.[1][3]

  3. 3. Non-interventionist foreign policy

    Withdraw from foreign military entanglements, end foreign aid, dramatically reduce the U.S. military footprint abroad, and pursue free trade with all nations.[1][3]

  4. 4. Open borders and free movement

    Allow peaceful immigration with minimal restrictions, while ending welfare-state incentives that distort migration decisions.[1][3]

  5. 5. School choice and education freedom

    Abolish the U.S. Department of Education, support tuition tax credits and education savings accounts, and return education policy to families and local communities.[1][3]

Sources

  1. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_Party_(United_States)
  2. [2]https://www.lp.org
  3. [3]https://ballotpedia.org/Libertarian_Party

Recent electoral performance — Libertarian Party

The organization has never won a federal office through a major-party primary or general election; its highest electoral water marks come from presidential vote share and one-time independent caucusing in Congress.

  • 2016 presidential vote: Gary Johnson received roughly 4.5 million votes (3.27%) — the best-ever popular-vote total.[1][2]
  • 2020 presidential vote: Jo Jorgensen received roughly 1.86 million votes (1.18%).[1][2]
  • Justin Amash became the first Libertarian member of Congress in April 2020 after leaving the Republican caucus; he did not seek re-election in 2020.[1][2]
  • State-level: roughly 100 Libertarians hold elected office nationwide as of 2025, mostly in nonpartisan local offices.[2]

Sources

  1. [1]https://ballotpedia.org/Libertarian_Party
  2. [2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_Party_(United_States)

Current federal representation — Libertarian Party

Federal incumbents currently filing under this banner for the 2026 cycle, sourced from FEC `cand_pty_affiliation = LIB`.

No current Libertarian federal incumbents have filed for the 2026 cycle.

Libertarian Party candidates — 2026 cycle

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