The Libertarian Party's slate has been set for the upcoming 2018 statewide elections in Texas.
Over the weekend, the Texas Libertarian Party hosted its 2018 convention in Houston. The convention included speeches from several national Libertarian stars and served as a rally for delegates supporting the party. During the convention, the delegates also cast votes to determine the party's nominees for the upcoming November election.
First, in the race for the U.S. Senate, Libertarian delegates selected Neal Dikeman to be the party's nominee. Dikeman, a Houston venture capitalist, won the Libertarian Party's nomination, defeating his closest opponent, Phil Gray, 195 votes to 116 votes. Shane Newsom, the third candidate in the race, picked up the support of 23 delegates.
In the race for Governor, Mark Tippetts, a Lago Vista City Councilmember, claimed the nomination in an extremely narrow race. Tippetts claimed 157 votes, narrowly topping Kory Watkins at 151 votes. Attorney, and 2014 gubernatorial nominee, Kathie Glass won 108 votes and Patrick Smith won 81 votes.
Finally, in the race for Attorney General, Michael Ray Harris easily won his race against Jamar Osborne. Harris won 236 votes to Osborne's 25 votes, according to reports from the Texas Libertarians Facebook group.
Libertarians also nominated several unopposed candidates for many of the remaining statewide offices on the ballot for 2018. Kerry McKennon was nominated for Lieutenant Governor, Ben Sanders for Comptroller, Richard Carpenter for Agriculture Commissioner, Matt Pina for Land Commissioner, Mike Wright for Railroad Commissioner, William Strange III for Court of Criminal Appeals Place 1 and Mark Ash for Court of Criminal Appeals Place 8.
Calvin DeWeese also claimed the nomination for the District 13 U.S. House seat to face incumbent Mac Thornberry and Jack B. Westbrook won the nomination for Texas Senate, to face incumbent Kel Seliger. DeWeese and Westbrook were both nominated unopposed.
These nominees will appear on the November general election ballot.
For more information, please visit www.lptexas.org.
Mark Tippetts, Libertarian nominee for governor, celebrates victory
Photo by Tippetts Campaign