Montana’s Libertarian Party is starting its 2020 election planning this weekend with a convention in Great Falls.
Montanans have never elected a Libertarian to a legislative or statewide public office.
Montana Libertarian Party Chair Francis Wendt says for that to change Libertarians need to borrow some tactics from Republicans and Democrats and start marketing themselves as a dependable political party. “It is a marketing technique that has been monopolized by two different organizations, because that is what they are, they are run like businesses and their job is to earn votes. So we’re trying to structure ourselves a little bit more like a business and gain some credibility.”
He says Libertarians’ streak of individualism has hurt the party’s ability to gain traction in Montana politics and the party will work on its cohesion leading up to 2020.
The party hasn’t developed a statewide platform for its candidates yet but Wendt says the Libertarians will likely back issues like, “Industrialized hemp in eastern Montana, working to try and reduce the tax burden that every Montanan is suffering under, property taxes, and looking a public structures that we can generate revenue, be it tourism, be it what have you. It’s looking at ways to free up some of the income everyday Montanans that are living paycheck to paycheck.”
Wendt expects several Libertarian candidates to announce legislative and statewide campaigns during the convention this weekend.
