The Libertarian Party of North Carolina (LPNC) Advances Freedom at Characteristically Unorthodox National Convention

Rubber chickens, enemies of the state, altercations, and a ray of hope for Americans seeking honest conversation about their futures.

RALEIGH, NC, UNITED STATES, May 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Jo Jorgensen, a former Libertarian nominee for President and potential future candidate, addressed delegates at the 2026 Libertarian National Committee convention, recently held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Jorgensen recalled that she once described her political philosophy as “the best of the economic and social ideas from the other major parties.” Now, she says, “I cringe at that explanation.” In her view, the two major parties no longer offer the best of anything. Instead, she said, they advance “only bad ideas” that fuel inflation, culture wars, crushing bureaucracy, and gross mismanagement of tax dollars.

She argued that the failures of the Republican and Democratic parties have created “a unique opportunity for the Libertarian Party” to offer a serious alternative to the country’s long-standing economic and social problems.

North Carolina Leaders

The North Carolina delegation at the national convention included former North Carolina gubernatorial candidates Barbara Howe and Steven DiFiore, LPNC Chair Ryan Brown, and Communications Director Rob Yates.

Former LPNC Chair Susan Hogarth also served as a delegate and was elected to the Libertarian National Committee as the Region 5 representative. Region 5 includes North Carolina.

Rob Yates was also nominated for LNC chair. In his acceptance speech, he spoke about the challenges of increasing membership, fielding more candidates, and raising the money needed to become politically effective. Asked about his ultimate performance metric, Yates answered: “Freedom. Ultimately, we are judged on whether we are increasing freedom in the face of growing restrictions, taxes, and compliance burdens being imposed by all levels of government.”

Convention Business

During the business portion of the convention, delegates debated competing ideas about how the national party should support state affiliates and individual members. With few exceptions, members demonstrated that they could disagree sharply while still moving forward. Delegates considered bylaws, process questions, and elected officers and governing committees for the next term. More information about the party’s platform and governance is available at https://lp.org/.

There were also moments of conflict. In one incident, recalling campus efforts to silence controversial speakers, a delegate used a noisemaker to try to drown out a speaker she considered provocative and offensive.

In another incident, police removed a delegate after an alleged assault on another delegate outside the event hall, apparently following an escalation of arguments from inside the convention floor.

Even so, the convention also reflected constructive passion for libertarian ideas across a wide range of topics and speakers, including criminal justice reform, food freedom, sound money, surveillance, war powers, property rights, and citizen journalism.

The Clean Slate

Dr. Sheena Meade, CEO of The Clean Slate Initiative, discussed her organization’s efforts to expand opportunities for people with past criminal records by promoting automatic record-clearing laws across the United States.

Mothers Against Cruel Sentencing

Lyn Ulbricht spoke about her work building a broad coalition for clemency and criminal justice reform. Her advocacy has brought national attention to concerns about proportional sentencing, due process, and the expanding power of federal prosecution in the digital age.

Food Freedom and Emancipation from Food Regulation

Joel Salatin, who describes himself as a “Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer,” spoke against the corporatization of the food supply and argued that government policy often blocks local, healthy food alternatives. His critics have called him a bioterrorist, Typhoid Mary, a charlatan, and a starvation advocate.

A Powerful Voice

Justin Amash, one of the most prominent libertarian voices in modern American politics, also addressed the convention. During his 10 years in Congress, Amash built a national reputation for his commitment to individual liberty, limited government, fiscal restraint, and strict adherence to the Constitution.

Are You Smarter Than a Politician?

The artist known as Free hosted Are You Smarter Than a Politician?, a game show he says turns political narratives into fast-paced, unscripted competitions. Contestants Jo Jorgensen, Chase Oliver, Lars Mapstead, and Ammon Bundy answered live questions about liberty.

Sound Money

J.P. Cortez, Executive Director of the Sound Money Defense League, discussed efforts to restore gold and silver to their historic role as America’s constitutional money through education, advocacy, legislative projects, and research.

War Machine

Rebecca Whiting, a U.S. Army medic who served two tours in Iraq, described how her view of war changed after military service. Originally motivated to serve her country, she eventually concluded that the death and destruction suffered by American soldiers and Iraqi civilians primarily benefited those who sell weapons. Speaking on Memorial Day, she honored those who did not survive by calling for the gutting of the military-industrial complex and a defense policy focused on the U.S. homeland.

Citizen Journalism

Ford Fischer spoke about using raw documentary footage and livestreams to show political movements in America and how police, federal agents, and other state forces interact with the public.

Surveillance Infrastructure

John Padfield warned about the use of technology to invade privacy without warrants or watchlists. He described how data from Flock cameras and other digital collection systems, combined with mass data storage and AI capabilities, can create tools for tracking and potential political persecution.

The Individual vs. the State

Ammon Bundy discussed grassroots movements focused on civil liberties, property rights, and local control. He founded the People’s Rights Network, a decentralized activist organization formed to oppose government policies viewed as violations of individual freedom.

More on the Libertarian Party of North Carolina

The Libertarian Party of North Carolina describes itself as North Carolina’s leading alternative to the traditional two-party system.

Rob Yates, Communications Director for the LPNC, said the traditional parties divide people into Left and Right. “In contrast,” Yates said, “Libertarians view policies as more or less Free. In an age where government controls over one-third of the economy and has increasing powers of surveillance and coercion, more and more people want a strong third-party option.”

More information about the LPNC and its candidates for public office is available at https://www.lpnc.org/.

Bob Drach
Libertarian Party of North Carolina (lpnc.org)
+1 803-250-1075
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