The third biggest party in the nation, the Libertarian Party stands for personal rights and liberties.
The party was first formed in December 11, 1971 when eight activists in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 1972, the party held its first national convention. By 1978, the party was able to achieve its first permanent ballot status in California.
They ran for presidency in 1972. Notably, Tonie Nathan, the vice-president candidate for that year, was the first person in United States history to receive an electoral college vote. In 1976, the party ran again for presidency, this time racking in around 170,000 votes across 32 states. Their votes only grew in the presidential race of 1980. This time, they achieved close to one-million votes across all fifty states plus the District of Columbia. In 1984 election, the party was able to get third place in 39 states on their ballots. In the 1988 election, the party's candidate Ron Paul came in third place in 46 state ballots. In every presidential election afterwards, the party has managed to secure slots in all states' ballots.
The Libertarian Party still remains to be a big influence in the elections, particularly in the western States.
Philosophy
The Libertarian Party believes in personal freedom. In informal terms, they generally stand by the philosophy of "You do you, and I'll do me." Individual liberties are a key factor in the party's beliefs. Some of the individual rights they value include a free market economy. In terms of foreign interaction, they believe in isolationism, free trade, and peace between countries.
