“Does Running For Office As A Libertarian Make A Difference?”
By Lex Hannan, 2018 Libertarian Candidate for Kentucky State Representative – District 66
November 29, 2018
“I’m glad I ran for office as a Libertarian. Yes, it does make a difference. In fact it makes more differences than I could have imagined before I tossed my hat in the ring.” Now that election day 2018 has come and gone, Libertarian Candidate, Lex Hannan, has had some time to think about the experience.
“I was never a politician and it was not my intention to become one. But I changed my mind when I noticed that the Republican incumbent State Representative in my District 66 had run seven times without an opponent in the General Election. My goal was to change that. And I did, simply by being on the ticket. The District 66 incumbent decided not to run in 2018. But a total of five candidates entered the race and we had the most contested State Representative race in Kentucky.”
Hannan ran a low budget, mostly social media campaign that featured more than 20 videos which he produced himself. “I wanted to keep costs down to see whether a campaign could be run without deep pockets and a mass of volunteers. I kept notes to share with future candidates so they won’t have to re-invent every wheel… like making signs at the library, finding free video editing software (Shotcut), setting up a TV studio, taking photos, using business cards for handouts, and displaying mobile lawn signs (magnets held signs to my car).”
“The most gratifying differences were the reactions and support from family, friends and fellow Libertarians. I was particularly pleased by the comments from nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, grandchildren and neighbors who said they were proud of me for getting involved, and more importantly how much they had learned about liberty, the Constitution, and the challenges we face in Kentucky due to state government overreach. My social media campaign opened their eyes. And even the Republican candidate in our race took a pro-medical marijuana position, in opposition to the Republican Governor of Kentucky. So, yes, we made a difference.”
Hannan’s campaign for Kentucky State Representative (KSR) achieved several firsts:
- First Libertarian candidate for KSR on the ballot in District 66
- First contested partisan election for KSR – District 66 in 14 years
- First vote ever cast for a Libertarian KSR – District 66
- First Libertarian to get 2% of the vote in the General Election for KSR – District 66
- First Libertarian candidate to finish fourth in a five-way race in Kentucky history
- First Libertarian to participate in the NKY Tribune – Candidate Forum
- First time in 8 elections that the Republican incumbent didn’t get 100% of the vote
- First Libertarian candidate to use social media in the KY District 66 race
- First Libertarian candidate for KSR – District 66 to appear at both the Boone County Fair and the Kentucky State Fair
- First Libertarian candidate for KSR – District 66 to wear the hats of speech writer, campaign manager, treasurer, social media editor, audio engineer, videographer, TV producer and candidate.
“By running for office I have learned a lot about how Kentucky government operates. I believe, more than ever, that we need citizens to participate in our local, state and federal governments to make sure individual liberties are protected. Left to their own devices politicians and government bureaucracies are too inclined to restrict our liberties, free trade, and inalienable rights.”
