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Chase Oliver

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Chase Oliver
Oliver in 2024
Born
Chase Russell Oliver

(1985-08-16) August 16, 1985 (age 39)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Political partyLibertarian (2010–present)
Other political
affiliations		Democratic (2003–2009)
Independent (2009–2010)
WebsiteCampaign website

Chase Russell Oliver (born August 16, 1985) is an American political activist and politician who was the nominee of the Libertarian Party for the 2024 United States presidential election.[1][2][3] According to preliminary results, Oliver finished fifth in the popular vote with 0.4%.[4] Oliver was the Libertarian candidate for the 2022 United States Senate election in Georgia and the 2020 Georgia's 5th congressional district special election.[5] The Gazette described him as a "pro-gun, pro-police reform, pro-choice Libertarian" who is "armed and gay."[6]

In Georgia's 2022 Senate election, Oliver received over 2% of the popular vote. Supporters of both major parties characterized him as a spoiler candidate who forced Raphael Warnock into a run-off against Herschel Walker.[7]

Early life

[edit]

Oliver was born on August 16, 1985, in Nashville, Tennessee.[8] He worked in the restaurant business for 13 years prior to his involvement in political activism.[9]

Activism

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On May 15, 2023, Oliver spoke at the Atlanta City Council meeting to oppose Cop City. During his speech, Oliver highlighted the growing distrust between people and governments and their police forces. Oliver spoke out against the over-militarization of police and qualified immunity. He also advocated for the Atlanta City Council to improve existing training facilities instead of clear-cutting forests that had previously been designated by the City Council as public open space.[10][11][12]

On September 5, 2023, Oliver spoke at the Columbia, South Carolina City Council meeting in opposition to regulatory hurdles that prevent people from feeding the homeless. He advocated for the Columbia City Council, and other city councils across the country, to address regulatory barriers to feeding and supporting homeless Americans.[13][14]

Political career

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Oliver supported Barack Obama in the 2008 U.S. presidential election but ended his support after Obama continued the Iraq War. Oliver joined the Libertarian Party in 2010 after meeting several members of the party at an Atlanta Pride Festival.[15][16]

2020 U.S. House campaign

[edit]

Oliver first ran for public office in 2020, as the Libertarian nominee for the 2020 Georgia's 5th congressional district special election to replace John Lewis, who had died from pancreatic cancer earlier that year. He won 2% of the vote and was eliminated during the blanket primary.[17]

2022 U.S. Senate campaign

[edit]

After becoming the Libertarian nominee for the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Georgia, Oliver faced off against the incumbent Democratic Raphael Warnock and Republican Party challenger Herschel Walker.[1][18] Oliver was the first openly gay Senate candidate in Georgia.[19]

On October 16, 2022, Oliver attended a debate hosted by Georgia Public Broadcasting and debated against Warnock, as well as an empty podium representing Walker, who had declined to attend the debate.[20]

On election day, Oliver received over 2% of the popular vote. Opponents contended that he was a spoiler candidate and that his votes forced the Georgia senate race into a run-off.[7] In the runoff election, he declined to endorse either Warnock or Walker, while offering to host an internet forum between the two candidates.[21] Rolling Stone called him the most influential Libertarian of the year.[15]

2024 presidential campaign

[edit]
Main article: Chase Oliver 2024 presidential campaign
Chase Oliver 2024 presidential campaign
Campaign2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries
2024 United States presidential election
CandidateChase Oliver
AffiliationLibertarian Party
AnnouncedApril 4, 2023
ReceiptsUS$268,981.07[22]
Website
https://www.votechaseoliver.com/

On December 2, 2022, Oliver announced his formation of an exploratory committee to inquire into a possible run for the Libertarian presidential nomination in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.[23] He formally declared his candidacy on April 4, 2023.[24][25]

Oliver campaigned extensively in Iowa during the summer of 2023.[26][27] On August 19, 2023, he spoke at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, becoming the first-ever third-party presidential candidate to speak at the event.[16][28]

Oliver filed to run in Oklahoma's "first Libertarian presidential primary election since the party was formally recognized in 2016". Alongside fellow Libertarian primary candidate Jacob Hornberger, Oliver achieved ballot access by collecting signatures from voters in each Congressional district.[29][30] He won the Oklahoma primary, which was held on Super Tuesday, on March 5, 2024, with 61% of the vote.[31]

In January 2024, Oliver and fellow Libertarian presidential primary candidate Lars Mapstead successfully worked together to secure major party status and ballot access for the Libertarian Party of Maine.[32] Afterwards, Oliver went to Iowa in order to campaign ahead of the 2024 Iowa Libertarian presidential caucuses.[33][34] He won the Iowa Caucus with 42.7% of the vote.[35]

On February 29, 2024, Oliver participated in a presidential candidates debate hosted by the Free & Equal Elections Foundation, alongside Party for Socialism and Liberation nominee Claudia De la Cruz, Green Party candidates Jill Stein and Jasmine Sherman, and fellow Libertarian candidate Lars Mapstead.[36][37]

Oliver won the Libertarian nomination on the seventh ballot at the National Convention,[3] defeating Michael Rectenwald.[38] Oliver designated Mike ter Maat as his preferred choice of running mate.[39]

John Stossel has expressed support for Oliver over Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Party candidate Donald Trump in 2024.[40][41]

National polling

[edit]
Poll source Date Sample
size[a] 		Margin
of error 		Joe
Biden
Democratic 		Donald
Trump
Republican 		Robert F.
Kennedy Jr.
Independent 		Cornel
West
Independent 		Chase
Oliver
Libertarian 		Jill
Stein
Green 		Other/
Undecided
Data for Progress (D) March 27–29, 2024 1,200 (LV) ± 3.0% 41% 42% 8% 1% 1% 1% 6%
  1. ^ Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

Political positions

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Oliver is considered part of the traditional wing of the Libertarian Party, and is a member of the more left-leaning Classical Liberal Caucus.[2][3][42][43]

Abortion

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Oliver is pro-choice, although he is opposed to taxpayer funding of abortions and supports the Hyde Amendment.[44] He believes that abortion should be legal nationwide, and he has said he would support legislation to make it so.[45]

Clemency for Ross Ulbricht

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Ulbricht's conviction became a cause célèbre in American libertarian circles.[46] In the November 2024 issue of Reason magazine Chase Oliver said in an interview, "I would like to see [Trump], if he were elected, commute Ross Ulbricht's sentence. Frankly, if I were president, I would give him a full pardon."[47]

Climate change

[edit]

Oliver supports letting the free market find the solution to climate change. He contends that if businesses are left alone, they will be incentivized to develop technologies that will eventually replace current carbon-based fuels.[48]

Criminal justice reform

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Oliver supports ending qualified immunity for law enforcement at the federal level.[6] Oliver also supports ending the death penalty and federal mandatory minimum sentencing.[49]

Economy

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Oliver supports free trade, and opposes tariffs. He also supports a balanced federal budget and reducing inflation.[6]

Education

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Oliver supports abolishing the United States Department of Education, and advocates "for more choice in the education marketplace on a state-by-state basis".[5] Oliver also opposes the federal backing of student loans, and supports allowing student loan debt to be dischargeable in bankruptcy.[49]

Electoral reform

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Oliver is a strong supporter of ranked-choice voting in the United States, which he has said would have prevented the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Georgia from going to a run-off by allowing voters to rank their preferred candidates when they voted the first time. He has also stated that ranked-choice voting would save millions of taxpayer dollars by allowing run-offs to be instant, while ensuring that winning candidates always get above 50% of the vote.[21]

Foreign affairs

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Oliver opposes American military aid to Israel and Ukraine. He has labeled the Israeli offensive in Gaza as a genocide. Oliver also supports the closure of American overseas military bases.[12][50] John Stossel called Oliver, "...the most anti-war candidate" in the 2024 presidential election.[41]

Gun rights

[edit]

During a 2022 debate with Warnock, Oliver expressed his support for gun rights, stating: "Armed gays are harder to oppress, and they're harder to bash."[48] Oliver opposes bans on bump stocks.[49] John Stossel has further affirmed that, "Oliver supports gun rights."[40]

Healthcare

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Oliver has said the Affordable Care Act did not lower the rise in health insurance costs "and never will".[51][self-published source] He wants to phase out Medicare for younger Americans.[52]

Homelessness

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Oliver supports removing regulatory barriers that prevent people and organizations from feeding homeless people.[14]

Immigration

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Oliver supports an "Ellis Island-style immigration" system, stating: "If you're coming here to work and be peaceful, it's not my business."[27] He supports a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.[53]

LGBT rights

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Oliver opposes the government interfering with certain transgender health care decisions made by a parent, child and doctor.[54] However, he has expressed opposition to gender-affirming surgery for those under the age of 18.[55]

He opposes laws targeting drag shows, calling drag an "art form" that "can range from completely family friendly to something quite explicit — just like cinema, music, visual arts" and making the argument that if a parent can take their child to see The Passion of the Christ, they can take their children to see drag if they choose to. He believes that existing obscenity laws, along with parental supervision, are sufficient to protect children from objectionable content. He also opposes state mandates related to the participation of transgender girls in women's sports, believing that such decisions should be made by individual sports leagues and not the government.[56]

Privacy and civil liberties

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Oliver supports abolishing the Transportation Security Administration along with repealing the Patriot Act and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008.[49]

Social Security

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Oliver has called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme".[57] He wants to phase out Social Security for younger Americans.[58]

Third parties

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Oliver was a contributing author in the September 23, 2023, article "Do Third Parties Help or Harm Democracy?", published by the nonprofit news organization Divided We Fall. In the article, Oliver discussed the strategic position the Libertarian Party holds for the 2024 election season, third-party ballot access, and how the Libertarian Party platform parallels important issues of other third-party platforms, namely the Green Party of the United States and Forward Party, such as ranked choice voting, immigration, cannabis legalization, and LGBTQ+ rights.[59]

War on drugs

[edit]

Oliver advocates for ending the war on drugs and supports the legalization of marijuana.[60][61] Oliver also supports repealing the Controlled Substances Act and supports decriminalizing all drugs by passing the Drug Policy Reform Act.[49]

Personal life

[edit]

As of 2023, Oliver resides in a suburb of Atlanta.[1][16][62] He said he has a "deep faith in the gospel".[63] He is openly gay.[64][65]

Electoral history

[edit]
Georgia's 5th congressional district special election, September 29, 2020[66]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kwanza Hall 11,104 31.75%
Democratic Robert Michael Franklin Jr. 9,987 28.55%
Democratic Mable Thomas 6,692 19.13%
Democratic Keisha Waites 4,255 12.17%
Democratic Barrington Martin II 1,944 5.56%
Libertarian Chase Oliver 712 2.04%
Independent Steven Muhammad 282 0.8%
Total votes 34,967 100.00%
2022 United States Senate election in Georgia[67]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Raphael Warnock (incumbent) 1,946,117 49.44% +1.05%
Republican Herschel Walker 1,908,442 48.49% −0.88%
Libertarian Chase Oliver 81,365 2.07% +1.35%
Total votes 3,935,924 100.0%

References

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  1. ^ a b c Oliver, Andrew (November 11, 2022). "The 'armed and gay' Senate hopeful who helped force Georgia's runoff". The Guardian. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Robertson, Nick (May 26, 2024). "Libertarian Party chooses Chase Oliver as presidential nominee". The Hill. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Gibson, Brittany (May 26, 2024). "Libertarians pick Chase Oliver as presidential nominee". Politico. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Associated Press (November 12, 2024) Google Knowledge Panel
  5. ^ a b DeFeo, T. A. | The Center Square (May 30, 2023). "Oliver sees 2024 as an opportunity for Libertarians to break out". The Center Square. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Barton, Tom (July 23, 2023). "Who is Chase Oliver? Meet the Libertarian candidate running for president". The Gazette. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Multiple sources:
  8. ^ "Chase Oliver". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  9. ^ Crenshaw, Noah (September 25, 2023). "Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver makes stop in Greenwood". Daily Journal. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  10. ^ "Atlanta City Council Regular Meeting". Atlanta City Council. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  11. ^ "Cop City breaks government promises in cruel way, Oliver says". Chase Oliver for President. May 17, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Garcia, Eric (May 28, 2024). "Who is Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Party candidate for president?". The Independent. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  13. ^ "Columbia City Council Meeting Minutes". City of Columbia, S.C. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "City Council Meeting". YouTube. September 6, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Stuart, Tessa (November 12, 2022). "He Won 2 Percent of the Vote – and Could Decide Who Wins a Senate Seat". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  16. ^ a b c Ferrannini, John. "LGBTQ Agenda: Gay Libertarian presidential candidate says he's running 'confident, aspirational' campaign". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  17. ^ Georgia Secretary of State (September 30, 2020). "Results Summary".
  18. ^ Melton, Elizabeth (January 17, 2022). "Press Release: Libertarian Party of Georgia Makes History at 2022 Convention with Full Slate of Statewide Candidates". Libertarian Party of Georgia. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  19. ^ Baruchman, Michelle (May 28, 2024). "Who is Chase Oliver? Things to know about the Libertarian presidential candidate". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  20. ^ King, Maya (October 17, 2022). "Warnock Hammers Walker in Senate Debate, Gesturing to an Empty Lectern". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  21. ^ a b McFall, Caitlin (November 10, 2022). "Georgia Senate Libertarian candidate says he will not endorse in Walker-Warnock runoff". Fox News. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  22. ^ "CHASE OLIVER FOR PRESIDENT - committee overview". FEC.gov. December 2022.
  23. ^ Nunez, Gabriella (December 2, 2022). "Georgia Libertarian announces president exploratory committee". WXIA-TV. Atlanta. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  24. ^ Chase Oliver [@ChaseForLiberty] (April 5, 2023). "Are you ready to start Chase-ing Liberty with me? http://Votechaseoliver.com" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  25. ^ Fernandez, Madison (April 10, 2023) "What Republicans can do with their new supermajorities>PRESIDENTIAL BIG BOARD". Politico. April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023. THIRD-PARTY CORNER — Libertarian Chase Oliver, who ran for Georgia Senate last year and earned 2 percent of the vote, pushing the contest to a runoff, filed to run for president. He announced his bid last week.
  26. ^ Stewart, Scott (July 25, 2023). "Libertarian candidate visits Carter Lake". The Daily Nonpareil. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  27. ^ a b Eller, Donelle (August 19, 2023). "Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver in Iowa calls for 'cultural war ceasefire'". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  28. ^ Opsahl, Robin (August 19, 2023). "Presidential candidates wrap up state fair political events". The Southwest Iowa News Source. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  29. ^ "Who is on presidential primary ballot in Oklahoma?". USA Today. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  30. ^ "16 candidates file to appear on Oklahoma's presidential primary ballot". KGOU. December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  31. ^ Sharfman, Alexandra (March 6, 2024) "Trump and Biden dominate Super Tuesday in Oklahoma", KTUL.com. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  32. ^ Kemp, Harrison (January 10, 2024). "Libertarian Party Earns major party status in maine". Libertarian Party of Maine. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  33. ^ Lathers, Addison (January 14, 2024) "Iowa Libertarians host a debate on the eve of the Iowa Caucuses. What they said:", Des Moines Register. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  34. ^ Miller, Larry (January 11, 2024). "OLIVER RETURNS TO IOWA FOR CAUCUSES". CHASE FOR PRESIDENT. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  35. ^ Bunge, Mike (January 16, 2024) "Libertarian Party of Iowa announces the winner of its statewide Presidential caucus", KIMT.com. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  36. ^ "Campaign 2024: Free and Equal Elections Presidential Debate". February 29, 2024, Retrieved March 22, 2024
  37. ^ Marantz, Andrew (March 11, 2024). "Libertarians and Socialists and Jill Stein – Oh, My!". The New Yorker. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  38. ^ Pellish, Aaron (May 26, 2024). "Chase Oliver wins Libertarian Party presidential nomination". CNN. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  39. ^ Hoyt, Conrad (May 26, 2024). "Chase Oliver chosen as Libertarian Party nominee for president". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  40. ^ a b Stossel, John (July 24, 2024). "John Stossel: Unsatisfied with Trump and Harris? Consider Chase Oliver for president". Orange County Register. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  41. ^ a b Kristin (June 26, 2024). "A Candidate Who Cares About Freedom". Stossel TV. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  42. ^ Fowler, Stephen (June 21, 2024). "As voters suffer presidential election deja vu, Chase Oliver wants to be another option". NPR. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  43. ^ "What are America's Libertarians for?". The Economist. May 28, 2024. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024. Aligned with the more left-leaning Classical Liberal Caucus, he took aim at Mr Trump and Mr Kennedy in his acceptance speech.
  44. ^ Fausset, Richard (November 9, 2022). "The Libertarian Who Helped Push the Georgia Senate Race Into a Runoff". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  45. ^ Simms, Claire (October 3, 2022). "Libertarian candidate 'happy' to cause runoff in U.S. Senate race". FOX 5 Atlanta.
  46. ^ Roeloffs, Mary Whitfill. "Cybercriminal Ross Ulbricht's Family Says He'll Be Freed In January—Here's What We Know". Forbes. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  47. ^ Gillespie, Nick (October 10, 2024). "Chase Oliver on budget cuts, war, and immigration". Reason.com. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  48. ^ a b Weisbrod, Katelyn (October 26, 2022). "In Georgia, Warnock's Climate Activism Contrasts Sharply with Walker's Deep Skepticism". Inside Climate News. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  49. ^ a b c d e "PLATFORM". CHASE FOR PRESIDENT. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  50. ^ "Libertarians pick Chase Oliver for US president as Trump, Kennedy rejected". Al Jazeera. May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  51. ^ Oliver, Chase [@ChaseForLiberty] (March 8, 2024). "Obamacare hasn't lowered the rise in health insurance costs. And never will" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  52. ^ "Chase Oliver: Q&A with the controversial Libertarian Party candidate". Reason.com. August 7, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  53. ^ Harrigan, Fiona (May 31, 2024). "Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver wants to bring back 'Ellis Island style' immigration processing". Reason.com. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  54. ^ Doherty, Brian (July 11, 2024). "The Libertarian Party vs. Chase Oliver". Reason. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  55. ^ "Chase Oliver: Q&A with the controversial Libertarian Party candidate". Reason.com. August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  56. ^ Ferrannini, John (August 21, 2024). "LGBTQ Agenda: Gay Libertarian presidential candidate says he's running 'confident, aspirational' campaign :: Bay Area Reporter". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved August 22, 2024. Oliver is against state mandates on whether transgender girls should be allowed to compete with cisgender girls in female athletics. ... And in keeping with the Libertarian Party's maximal positions on the Bill of Rights, Oliver is opposed to laws targeting drag.
  57. ^ "'I Don't Support Mandates From Government': John Stossel Interviews Libertarian Presidential Nominee Chase Oliver". Reason.com. June 26, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  58. ^ "Chase Oliver: Q&A with the controversial Libertarian Party candidate". Reason.com. August 7, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  59. ^ "Do Third Parties Help or Harm Democracy?". Divided We Fall. September 27, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  60. ^ "Candidate for U.S Senate (L-GA): Chase Oliver". FOX Carolina News. October 25, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  61. ^ Kenmore, Abraham. "Who is running for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat? Warnock to defend post against icon Walker". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  62. ^ Boehm, Eric (November 18, 2022) "What's Next for Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Who Forced a Runoff in the Georgia Senate Race?", Reason.com. Retrieved December 9, 2002.
  63. ^ Oliver, Chase [@ChaseForLiberty] (March 29, 2023). "I do want to clear up a misconception I am seeing online. Being LGBTQ does not mean you are anti-Christian or oppose religion in general. There are many LGBTQ people with a deep faith in the gospel, myself included. Don't question people's faith if you don't know them" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  64. ^ "Meet Chase Oliver, the youthful Libertarian presidential nominee". www.bbc.com. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  65. ^ Gleeson, Cailey. "Who Is Chase Oliver? Libertarian Party Picks 2024 Candidate—Rejecting Trump And RFK Jr". Forbes. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  66. ^ "Results Summary". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  67. ^ "United States Senate – November 8, 2022 General Election". Georgia Secretary of State. November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
[edit]
Party political offices
Preceded by Libertarian nominee for President of the United States
2024 		Most recent
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