Rand Paul exited the 2016 GOP presidential race on Wednesday, and now one of his fellow liberty-minded conservatives has a stern message for Republicans.
Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, who ran for president as a Republican in 2012 before accepting the Libertarian Party’s nomination (and is running for president as a libertarian in 2016), wrote on his blog:
“Rand Paul is the latest to find that there is no room for the Liberty Movement in today’s Republican nominating process. I’ve been there. With his departure from the presidential race, there is no voice remaining to challenge failed military interventions, mass surveillance of Americans by their government, or real cuts in the size and cost of government.
Sen. Paul and I have some differences on issues, but he was the one candidate on the Republican side who was not afraid to talk about civil liberties, the perils of endless war, and the principles of liberty. His departure leaves a great many voters, especially among America’s youth, without a home in the two ‘major’ parties. To them, I say, come be Libertarian with me.
Rand Paul is to be commended for waging the good fight, and I look forward to his continued work for small government and greater freedom in the U.S. Senate.”
Rand Paul and libertarians entered the 2016 election with high hopes, with The New York Times heralding the potential arrival of a “libertarian moment”:
Paul’s statement upon exiting was magnanimous, but the GOP might be concerned to see such strong statements from Republican-leaning libertarians.