Libertarians in Nevada look for influence beyond the size of their party

A Republican and two Democrats who mingled among a recent gathering of Libertarians are some of the candidates with whom Nevada’s littlest big party is finding common ground.

With roughly 1 percent of the state’s total active registered voters and not enough candidates to field in every political race in Nevada, Libertarians are working to raise awareness among voters and mainstream candidates regarding the party’s platform of efficient government and social liberty.

Economic issues prompted the group to invite Clark County Commission candidate Trish Marsh, a Republican, to a mixer in late August over her Democratic challenger Tick Segerblom, said Steve Brown, the Libertarian Party’s chairman in Clark County. Marsh, the only Republican at the event, said she and Libertarians agree on preventing tax increases, eliminating waste in government and opposing raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Segerblom, Brown said, aligns with Libertarians in supporting recreational marijuana but not much else.

“I relate to them,” Marsh said of Libertarians. “They don’t want taxes; they’re small businessmen.”

Libertarians also invited a Democrat running for a seat on the Clark County School Board, where

Brown said Libertarians want to see some change.

The group included CPA

Catherine Byrne, who is running as a Democrat to be the state’s controller, an official who works closely with the state treasurer.

Byrne, who supports making the controller position nonpartisan, said she filed as a Libertarian for a couple of years in California because she did not like the two major parties. She said she understood the

Libertarian philosophy of limited, efficient government. Nevada is a state that doesn’t want to grow government, contrary to what some politicians may want, she said.

“We don’t have the tax base for that,” Byrne said. Jared Lord, the Libertarian gubernatorial candidate, said he was nominated unanimously by his party — not a common feat — on a platform advocating for transparency, reducing administrative waste and expanding on the current governor’s economic efforts, thereby reducing the need for social programs.

The party sends representatives to Clark County School Board meetings to advocate for reduced administration and improved funding and services. Lord said this is an area where everyone can come together to develop ideas and find solutions to improve schools.

“(It’s rare) when teachers, who are union members and are traditionally not very supportive of Libertarian candidates, are applauding what we have to say,” he said. “We’re on the same page for the first time ever.”

Robert Strawder, the party’s 1st Congressional District candidate running in a crowded general election race against incumbent Democrat Dina Titus, was a Democrat before he decided to run for office as a

Libertarians are working to raise awareness among voters and mainstream candidates regarding the party’s platform of efficient government and social liberty.