MO LP Doubles Primary Voters

By Bob Sullentrup

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3,271 Missouri voters asked for Libertarian Party ballots in the primary election of August 6, 2002, eclipsing the previous marks of 1700 and 1600 set in the last two primary elections. All three elections featured contested races at the top of the ballot, so the comparison would appear to be a fair one.

In this year’s primary, Tamara Millay gathered 1,942 votes topping Edward Manley’s 1,329 for a total of 3,271.

On August 8, 2000 Grant Stauffer gathered 1,730 votes for US Senate, and the contested Libertarian race for Governor between Dick Illyes and John Swenson gathered 1,700 votes in that 1,032 to 678 tilt.

On August 4, 1998 Tamara Millay defeated Martin Lindstedt by a count of 1040 to 558, some 1,598 votes.

The two senatorial candidates Millay has vanquished over this stretch have dubious pasts. Martin Lindstedt, whom Tamara defeated in 1998, was the only Libertarian to lose his position on the Executive Committee by expulsion. He ran this year as a Republican for US Senate.

Edward Manley whom Tamara defeated this year also has a checkered past. The July issue of Show-Me Freedom detailed Mr. Manley’s aborted attempt to run for Sheriff in Hillsboro as a Democrat in 2000, as well as his felony conviction. That involved his assault with a knife against a drinking buddy that forced him off the ballot. Felons cannot run for sheriff, but they can for US Senate.

“This is a great sign”, noted state chair Bob Sullentrup, “That voters are becoming increasing fed up with the Demoblicans. This underscores a theme we heard at the State Fair in talking with voters – that voters are saying ‘a pox on them both’. A demoblican is a either Democrat or a Republican politician”, Sullentrup continued, “It really makes little difference”.

“Now that we have doubled our votes in the primary”, Sullentrup continued, “Our next challenge is to double our activists, candidates, donors and members as well”.