2025 Libertarian National Committee chair special election
Political party leadership election in the United States
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The 2025 Libertarian National Committee chair special election was held on February 2, 2025[1][2] by the Libertarian National Committee (LNC), the governing body of the United States Libertarian Party (LP), to elect their next chairperson, after their chair Angela McArdle announced her resignation on January 25, 2025.[3][4]
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February 2, 2025
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15 members of the LNC who voted 8 votes needed to win | |||||||||||||
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On the evening of February 2, Steven Nekhaila of Florida was elected the new LNC Chair.[5]
Background
Angela McArdle was re-elected as LNC Chair at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention. She was first elected to the position in May 2022, as part of the "Mises Caucus takeover" of the Libertarian Party.[6] The party had experienced a shift to the right under her first term as Chair.[7]
In her second term, McArdle attracted controversies within the party over her actions as Chair after Donald Trump's appearance at the 2024 Libertarian convention. McArdle endorsed Libertarian nominee Chase Oliver in the 2024 United States presidential election as a vehicle for Trump's victory, although she had been accused by her critics of being disloyal to the Libertarian Party during a dispute over Oliver's ballot access in Colorado. McArdle also had been accused of being involved in self-interested transactions.[8][9]
On January 21, 2025, new allegations emerged that McArdle did not disclose gifts made to her domestic partner from the Party's funds, which led to calls within the party for her resignation.[10][11][12][13] On January 25, McArdle announced her intent to resign, citing new opportunities. She continued as chair until Steven Nekhaila was elected as her successor.[4]
Candidates
Declared
The following candidates decided to run, or had accepted a nomination during the election.
- Michael Heise, Founder and Chair of the Mises Caucus.[14]
- Steven Nekhaila, LNC At-large member.[15]
Mises Caucus founder
Michael Heise
Withdrawn consideration
The following candidates were previously publicly considering running, but have later decided not to accept any nominations.
- Justin Amash, former U.S. Representative from Michigan (2011–2021), and former Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan in 2024.[16][17][18]
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Declined
- Chase Oliver, 2024 Libertarian nominee for US President.[19]
Endorsements
- Dave Smith, comedian and libertarian activist[20]
- Angela McArdle, outgoing LNC Chair[21]
- Mises Caucus[14]
- Brittany Kosin, Founder of the Libertarian Medical Freedom Caucus, Candidate for LNC At-Large, and libertarian activist[22]
- Nolan Schmidt, Political Columnist, former Candidate for LNC At-Large, and Libertarian Party of Texas SLEC District 21 Representative[23]
- Libertarian Medical Freedom Caucus[24]
Results
Steven Nekhaila defeated Michael Heise by a vote of 9-6.[5]
Reactions
On February 2, the Libertarian Party of Colorado condemned the LNC for "the accelerated and opaque process" in selecting a new Chair.[25]