Republican-leaning Libertarian Wayne Allyn Root of Nevada, has a glowing editorial on his blog, extolling the win of Tea Party insurgent Sharron Angle over her GOP rivals Danny Tarkanian, and Sue Lowden.

Root asks "U.S. Senator Sharron who?" (RootforAmerica):

I TOLD YOU SO! The question on national political experts minds Wednesday morning is, “Sharon who?” Sharon Angle was the winner of the Republican U.S. Senate primary in Nevada. Few on the national scene saw this coming. But I did. As a Nevada Reagan Libertarian, Tea Party activist, and national political commentator, I’ve said for months that in a “Tea Party year” anything is possible- including the election of a political outsider like Sharon Angle.

When the public is angry and wants blood- all bets are off. Ask Utah Senator Bennett and Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter. Ask the voters of Massachusetts, Virginia and New Jersey, who all participated in big wins for maverick underdog candidates in the past year. Ask Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons, the first sitting governor ever defeated in a primary in Nevada history (also last night). Ask Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln who barely escaped with her life on Tuesday, only to face sure defeat in the general election in November. Ask the Lt. Governor of South Carolina, who got 17% of the vote against an unknown female candidate (Nikki Haley) endorsed by Sarah Palin. The new mantra is V.E.T.O.- Vote Everyone of Them Out!

Nevada is the canary in the coalmine. I predict all over this country the media will be stunned by this “new world order.” Conservative and Libertarian are back in vogue; “traditional” and “establishment” are dirty words; and radical is the new mainstream. The Reids (Harry and his son Rory) are in the wrong place, at the wrong time. All you have to do is “read the tea leaves” to know that. In this new world order, Sharron Angle may be just what the doctor ordered.

Root was recently elected to the Libertarian National Committee. He is a regular speaker on the Tea Party circuit and joined with Sarah Palin at the huge rally held in April in the Nevada desert to oppose Reid, sponsored by Tea Party Express.

Is she really anti-Beer?

by Eric Dondero

Readers of Libertarian Republican may wonder why we have not highlighted the campaign of Tea Party-aligned candidate for US Senate Sharron Angle in Nevada. She is now the official GOP nominee against Harry Reid. She beat both Sue Lowden and Danny Tarkanian soundly, yesterday in the Nevada Republican primary.

She's solid on economics. In fact, 100% libertarian on taxes and spending issues, which has won her the label of "extremist" from the liberal media.

However, there are disturbing facts about her on the social side. And while Libertarian Republicans often look past social conservatives who emphasize fiscal conservativism, in Angle's case it may be too much to ignore.

From Steve Sebilius, Slash Politics blog, May 24:

Back in 2006, Angle gave an interview to the excretable execrable (and now defunct) Liberty Watch magazine, which covered politics when it wasn’t extolling the virtues of corrupt state senators, providing a forum for racist rants or profiling 9/11 Truthers. And that interview provides a little more insight into Angle’s conservatism.

Liberty Watch’s website isn’t up on the Internets any longer, but a version of the interview is helpfully posted on the website of the Republican Majority Campaign PAC. Here’s the relevant passage, from a discussion about medical marijuana:

“My greatest problem with marijuana is that it’s illegal, which gives Nevadans a false sense of security in this whole thing,” Angle said. “If the DEA has the manpower and wanted to go after this, there is no place in Nevada state law that can protect people because federal law supersedes state law.”

Her opinion, though, ignores states’ rights and individual freedom. Also, Angle’s faith quickly surfaced, extinguishing her argument that she disapproves of medical marijuana primarily on the elementary premise that it’s illegal.

“I would tell you that I have the same feelings about legalizing marijuana, not medical marijuana, but just legalizing marijuana,” Angle offered. “I feel the same about legalizing alcohol.

“The effect on society is so great that I’m just not a real proponent of legalizing any drug or encouraging any drug abuse,” she continued. “I’m elected by the people to protect, and I think that law should protect.”

Wait, what? Alcohol — which is currently legal — should be treated the same as marijuana — which is currently not legal? Is she serious? A candidate from the state of Nevada, which is practically sponsored by booze companies, is not a proponent of legal alcohol?

Make no mistake about it, we are 100% Pro-Beer at Libertarian Republican.

It goes without saying that Angle is by far the preferred candidate in the voting booth by anyone who cherishes liberty, over monstrous liberal Reid. However, the question is, how much are Libertarian Republicans willing to walk precincts for her, or give her campaign donations, or make phone calls on her behalf in the coming months. If she takes the time to address this "beer issue," and clarifies her views, that she's not in favor of any sort of prohibition, that she just finds it distasteful personally, she may find the libertarian wing of the GOP excited about her candidacy. If she moves on and leaves it hanging, she'll still win Libertarian Republican votes, but most assuredly not active support.

From Eric Dondero:

Bruce Springsteen's next Representative in Congress for his hometown district could be a Republican?

From the Asbury Park Press, last night:

In the 6th District, Republican conservative and Highlands Mayor Anna C. Little, a favorite of the Tea Party movement, challenged wealthy businesswoman and party fundraiser Diane Gooch for the chance to run against incumbent Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone.

By midnight, Little, who is also a former Monmouth County freeholder, held a 6,725-to-6,662 lead over Gooch, the owner and publisher of The Two River Times.

Little was outspent by Gooch $492,000 to $22,000.

Very latest numbers with 100% of the precincts reporting (minus outstanding provisional ballots), has Little ahead by 103 votes. The Gooch campaign is giving signals that they will call for a re-count.

New from Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute

America has too many bureaucrats and they are dramatically overpaid. This mini-documentary uses government data to show how federal, state, and local governments are in fiscal trouble in part because of excessive pay for a bloated civil service.

24 Seats in Parliament for Party For Freedom

From Eric Dondero:

We'll have full details tomorrow. But the news out of the Netherlands is about as good as it gets for Right Libertarians.

Both parties favored by Libertarian Republican Geert Wilders Party of Freedom, and Mark Rutte's pro-business People's Party (VVD) did exceptionally well. In fact, it appears that Rutte may be able to assemble a coalition on the Right to lead the Government.

From the AP:

AMSTERDAM — An anti-Islam party notched large gains in Dutch elections on Wednesday, but a contest between the two largest parties on the right and left remained too close to call.

With 91 percent of votes counted, the pro-business VVD party led Labor by 31 seats to 30 in the 150-seat parliament, a result that spelled weeks and possibly months of haggling to fashion a ruling coalition among parties deeply split on immigration and how to curb government spending.

The anti-Islam Freedom Party of Geert Wilders scored its best-ever finish with 24 seats.

Although not as outspoken against immigration as Wilders, Rutte has also argued that immigrants who cannot contribute to the Dutch economy should not be allowed to come, and he would ban them from receiving welfare for 10 years after arrival.

Editor's Note - Cliff Thies will have a full election analysis tomorrow here at LR.

"Libertarian" with a Capital 'L'

Nikki Haley finished with 49% of the vote in the GOP primary last night. Her nearest rival gained 22%, which makes the outcome of any run-off all-but-certain.

Her huge win is being heralded, even by the liberal media, as a victory for libertarians and most especially for libertarian-leaning kingmaker Sarah Palin.

From Google News via the AP "Haley weathers tryst accusations in SC gov race":

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina's Nikki Haley entered a runoff for the Republican gubernatorial primary with a substantial edge over her GOP rival, deflecting attacks on her marriage and her ethnicity using an antiestablishment message that resonated with the state's voters.

"We saw us push against the establishment, we saw us push against the power and push against the money and boy did they push back," Haley, a three-term state lawmaker and tea party headliner, said after coming close to winning the four-way race outright.

Continuing:

Haley blamed an entrenched "Good Old Boy" system for conspiring to derail a campaign that gained steam with a slew of television ads and a spirited endorsement by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. She pivoted off the claims to underscore an antiestablishment message that has so far resonated.

Haley's politics are familiar to the state's conservative voters. She hews to the Libertarian, limited government policies favored by Sanford, though she distanced herself from him. He backed her candidacy and she won the endorsement of his ex-wife, popular former first lady Jenny Sanford.

Under the Radar Election

“We’re seeing our taxes go up and our freedoms eroded. The government is putting the shackles of economic slavery to each and every one of us. The Maine taxpayer has been put at an extreme disadvantage.” -- Paul LePage

He's been described as the "Tea Party candidate," and even "Far Right." He is the Mayor of Waterville, a working class town in the southeast coast. He has an entirely Democrat city council.

From the Bangor Daily News:

In Waterville, LePage lowered taxes 13 percent in six years, improved the city’s credit rating and increased the rainy day fund from $1 million to $10 million...

Continuing:

“I’ve heard that some people think I’m a nutcase or some kind of wacko conservative extremist,” said LePage during a recent interview at Waterville City Hall. “If those accomplishments are what makes a wacko, then I’m a wacko. I’m a fiscal conservative, and I’m not ashamed of it.”

Now this morning this description from RedDiva's Drivel, primary relection round-up:

The Democratic Primary winner, State Senator Elizabeth Mitchell, will face the Republican Primary winner, Paul LePage who is more Libertarian than Republican, and three Independent candidates in November.

He won a crowded primary field last night, with 8 candidates.

REPUBLICAN

Paul LePage – 20,393 (37.7%)

Les Otten – 9,302 (17.2%)

Peter Mills – 7,465 (13.8%)

He also leans libertarian on social matters. From the Bangor Daily News, June 9:

Casinos also trigger the debate between the libertarian perspective and the view that government must protect people from their worst instincts.

The casino question is instructive for voters weighing the candidates...

On the hot issue of a proposed Casino in Oxford County, continuing:

Paul LePage said he was conflicted, but supported it.

LePage was endorsed by the Republican Liberty Caucus. According to Pine Tree Politics (a libertarian-leaning Republican website) former State Rep. and current ME RLC Chair Ken Lindell sent out a "Liberty Compact" to all the GOP primary candidates asking them to sign. Three of them, including LePage, signed it. It reads as follows:

“I (name), pledge to the citizens of the State of Maine and to the American people that, as their elected representative I will work to:

Restore liberty, not restrict it; shrink government, not expand it; reduce taxes, not raise them; abolish programs, not create them; promote the freedom and independence of citizens, not the interference of government in their lives; and observe the limited, enumerated powers of our Constitution, not ignore them.”

LePage also won the all-important straw poll at the recent GOP State Convention.