by Clifford F. Thies

The Center-right bloc scored a surprising victory in the parliamentary election just concluded in Slovakia.

The four parties of the center-right, one of which is a newly-formed flat-tax party popular among the young people of the country, secured a majority in the parliament. The current prime minister, leader of the Social Democrats, all but conceded the election, saying he is ready to lead the opposition in parliament. Iveta Radicova, leader of the Christian Democrats of Slovakia, who looks likely to be the next prime minister of her country, described the victory as a "morning miracle."

In Slovakia, the center-right bloc is the more inclusive (with respect to Hungarians and Roma people). For example, Ms Radicova says that the laws must go that criminalize use of the Hungarian language in certain instances and forbid dual citizenship.

Contributing to this surprising victory was the failure of the Peoples Party to meet the threshold for representation in the parliament. Accordingly, even though the popular vote was close between the ruling, center left/far-right coalition and the opposition center-right, the center-right won a clear majority of the seats in parliament.

Outgoing ruling, center-left/far-right coalition (69 seats)
Social Democrats 35% (62)
Slovak Nationalists 5% (7)
Peoples Party 4% (0)

Center-right bloc (77)
Slovak Christian Democrats 15% (26)
Freedom Party 12% (22)
Slovak-Hungarian Bridge Party 8% (15)
Hungarian Christian Democrats 8% (14)

Note the Freedom Party (SaS), supportive of the flat tax is identified by The Economist as "the free market party."

Breaking from Rasmussen this morning...

Republicans may add an unexpected pick-up in the Governors races. Rasmussen reports:

Just like in 2006, the rematch between Republican Bob Ehrlich and Maryland Democratic Governor Martin O’Malley is proving to be a close one, at least early on. The two men are now tied, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state.

O'Malley earns 45% of the vote, as does his GOP opponent whom he took the governorship away from in the previous contest. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate, and another five percent (5%) are undecided.

O'Malley had been leading Ehrlich as much as 49 to 43%.

Note - O'Malley, a fierce liberal champion and former longtime chief staffer for Barbara Mikulski, as Baltimore Mayor compared President George W. Bush to a "9/11 Terrorist," for "severe budget cuts to state and local governments." Ehrlich is best known to libertarian Republicans as a supporting legalization of medicinal use of marijuana first as a Congressman, then later as Governor.

Photo of Gov. Ehrlich and Lt. Governor Michael Steele

Carly Fiorna is getting raked over the coals already by some in the liberal media, for a post-nomination mis-speak caught on an open mic.

From CNN:

Waiting to be interviewed by affiliate KXTV Wednesday morning, Fiorina is clearly heard taking a dig at her rival for the California Senate seat, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California.

"God, what is that hair?" a laughing Fiorina said, while quoting a friend who had recently seen Boxer on television. "So yesterday."

(H/t Memeo)

by Clifford Thies

The blagosphere, both right and left, is abuzz with titulation concerning Sarah's girls, following her appearance at Belmont race track, to root for a horse named "First Dude".

Sarah, ever the fashionista, was dressed in a tee, sunglasses and a sporty cap. Accompanied by her amazingly handsome husband (the real First Dude), limo driver and entourage, she made quite a splash. Beauty, charm and power, all "in the moment," what a package!

The left-blagosphere was aghast. Especially by one photo that showed Sarah's vuluptuous figure in a very flattering way. Comparing her curves in that photo to her curves in others, they asked, Is Sarah enhanced?

Not that cosmetic surgery would be a bad thing for, say, Speaker of the House Nancy "Michael Jackson" Pelosi.

But, no, my dear left-socialist friends, Sarah's not enhanced. It's called a bra. Remember those things you burned during the 1960s? Bras are used by women with curves to keep the girls in place, and fashionistas have a range of bras appropriate to the occassion. Sports bras that flatten and bras that you wear to better fill out a tee, and there are others. Hence, the different profiles.

As for us Libertarian Republicans, we see in Sarah Palin an affirmation of our values: a person who is happy to be who she is and who uses her mind to express herself, to be productive and to enjoy life.

(H/t Memeo)

From the Editor:

We are grateful to Dave Weigel, conservative movement columnist for the Washington Post for linking LibertarianRepublican.net in an article on New Hampshire's hot congressional contest.

How the Family Research Council convinced a GOP candidate in N.H. to 'evolve'

Manchester, N.H. mayor Frank Guinta is one of the GOP candidates most likely to flip a House seat -- I'm unaware of a poll that shows Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) leading him. But I've heard some critics of Guinta wonder how, exactly, he won the endorsement of the Family Research Council, even if he does hold a clear advantage among GOP primary voters. In the early part of his career, Guinta was more libertarian, voting against parental consent for abortion and endorsing Rudy Giuliani for president.

"Guinta came into the race with a libertarian streak," acknowleged Connie Mackey, president of FRC Action PAC.

Weigel linked to our article from February, on Guinta at "voting against parental consent." The article was titled "Libertarian-leaning GOPer has comfortable lead over incumbent Dem for Congress." Weigel actually quoted a commenter in our comments section on Guinta's voting record.

Read the full column at WaPo. And you can enjoy Dave's weekly column at the same link. We urge our readers to add it to your Favorite's bar.

Former Republican Governor of New York George Pataka is traveling the country warning Americans of the socialist takeover of health care.

From NewsMax:

Pataki said:

“In just six short weeks, 125,000 Americans from every walk of life and every corner of our country have signed the Revere America petition to repeal and replace ObamaCare.

Chaired by Pataki, Revere America is dedicated to advancing common sense public policies rooted in our traditions of freedom and free markets that will once again make America secure and prosperous for generations to come.

Revere America’s national petition drive to collect one million signatures of like-minded Americans who want to repeal and replace ObamaCare was launched in Boston on April 18th – the 235th Anniversary of Paul Revere’s Ride and has since traveled coast to coast with more stops planned in the weeks and months ahead.

Pataki is already a hero of sorts to libertarian-leaning Republicans for having suggested as Governor in the late 1990s, that the drug war was a failures, and alternative means of sentencing needed to be utilized for small-time drug offenders.

revereamerica.org

H/T Feed Your ADHD

Having failed at being a community organizer, Senator and President, Obama tries his hand at rapping. He better watch out, or 50 cent will put a cap in his ass. That actually might help...

By The Right Guy

 It what was probably thought of as a witty if not derigueur headline New oil numbers may do more harm to fish, wildlife, turns out to show how stupid the state run media is. The first question that comes to mind is, how can numbers change the impact of something that has already happened? The oil that spilled, spilt. Nothing can change that. The same number of animals and habitats will be affected regardless of the numbers assigned to the disaster. It only changes our perception. It's like saying the Romans used 5 nails to put Yeshua on the cross instead of 3 or the Nazis used 20 tons of sarin to gas the Jews instead of 10 tons. It doesn't matter. Yeshua died on the cross and 6 million Jews were exterminated.

This is all to gin up support for what will eventually become the destruction of the oil industry. While BP is responsible for this ultimately and will have to clear this up, it also shows that quite possibly, besides incompetence, that there are factions on the left that want inaction so as to use this to further their agenda. When we had Exxon Valdez, the PETA/Greenpeace types were on the shore cleaning up. Not so much here. The inaction from many sectors in the enviro-terrorist movement is incredible. I'd like to call it manufactured Karma. That is what the left does very well, besides straw man arguments and emotional based appeals. They also like to manufacture Karma.

Ultimately, what seems to be a lack of critical thinking on the part of AP writers (and boy is it prevalent), may turn out to be deliberate and calculating. What do you think?

Thank you for reading this blog.

by Conservative Generation for the Left Coast Rebel

(Editor's note: C-Gen has been busy gathering links on the insidious 2,000+ page 'health care reform' bill that passed in March. The following is an excellent 'link-fest' and resource perhaps on the case for repeal. Please email this, tweet it and make it go viral.)

Two weeks before the House  voted and passed Obama’s massive health care overhaul, Nancy  Pelosi stepped  to the microphone  and urged voters to support the bill.  She exclaimed with conviction  that,

“we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is  in it, away from the fog of the controversy.”

  It is certainly true that combing through thousands of pages of legislation  in only a matter of days is difficult to properly analyze.  Although  prudence required thorough thought and examination to such complex,  sweeping legislation, our Democrat controlled congress steam rolled  a partisan vote to push the health care legislation into law.   It has been nearly three months after the legislation was passed and therefore by Nancy Pelosi’s own admission,   we should have a very good idea “what is in it.”

Discussion at Memeorandum.

From Eric Dondero:

We've been using the term "libertarian-conservative," for years here at Libertarian Republican. We didn't invent the term, but we've certainly been at the forefront of its use and its popularization.

Now finally, a media outlet - the Associated Press no less - has caught on. In an article by Charles Babington, "Tea party shaping Republican Party, fall faceoffs," the term "libertarian-conservative," is used to describe Rand Paul.

The article leads off talking of Nikki Haley's stunner in South Carolina: "a tea party surge and Sarah Palin's endorsement propelled her to an easy first-place finish." It then goes on to talk of "tea party favorite Sharron Angle," Sharron Angle. Continuing:

The movement had another victory on Tuesday. In Maine, a tea party favorite, Waterville Mayor Paul LePage, won the GOP nomination for governor.

These events follow the stunning rejection of three-term Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah in a GOP convention, libertarian-conservative Rand Paul's victory over a Republican establishment favorite in Kentucky's Senate primary and Gov. Charlie Crist's forced withdrawal from Florida's GOP Senate primary.

Paul's description in the liberal media has had numerous incarnations. He's been called a Big 'L' Libertarian, which is inaccurate cause he is not a member of the Libertarian Party. He's not a mainline "Conservative," either, given his views on medicinal use of marijuana, casinos and such. Paul is right at the apex of the libertarian and conservative movements; a perfect Tea Partier.

The AP finally got it right. Let's hope other liberal media will now catch on.

By The Right Guy

If there's one thing I could say about myself it is that I am anti-authoritarian, which means I am pro-liberty or libertarian. This belief transcends political parties or religion and remains my prime mover if you will, that people should be free.

Ayn Rand said it well in this statement:

"The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities."

She also said

"Any alleged "right" of one man, which necessitates the violation of the rights of another, is not and cannot be a right. No man can have a right to impose an unchosen obligation, an unrewarded duty or an involuntary servitude on another man. There can be no such thing as "the right to enslave".  Strong words from an articulate woman.

When it comes to a philosophy that summarizes this in a way to live, Thomas Jefferson said it thusly:

Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.

Yesterday I received a message through chat from a friend of this blog and myself, Hector Portillo. Hector has a blog, The Electric Eye. Hector was one of my first readers and has engaged me in very meaningful conversation that has had a profound effect on some of my ideas. He's a very intelligent young man and we keep in touch as they say. Anyway, Hector sent me this link, Are cameras the new guns? from Gizmodo. Probably knowing how pro-second amendment and individual rights oriented I am,  he sent this to me for comment.

In the United States, most states are what they call single party consent states. Usually this means that if I am involved with a conversation or interaction, I can record it without the other members consent. In 12 states, the consent must be from all members involved in the conversation.

After reading the article, I have come to the conclusion that some police in all party consent states have come up with the bright idea of using this law to cover their asses. This is what happened in one case:

On March 5, 24-year-old Anthony John Graber III's motorcycle was pulled over for speeding. He is currently facing criminal charges for a video he recorded on his helmet-mounted camera during the traffic stop.

The case is disturbing because:

1) Graber was not arrested immediately. Ten days after the encounter, he posted some of he material to YouTube, and it embarrassed Trooper J. D. Uhler. The trooper, who was in plainclothes and an unmarked car, jumped out waving a gun and screaming. Only later did Uhler identify himself as a police officer. When the YouTube video was discovered the police got a warrant against Graber, searched his parents' house (where he presumably lives), seized equipment, and charged him with a violation of wiretapping law...

Wow. And the story Continues:

2) Baltimore criminal defense attorney Steven D. Silverman said he had never heard of the Maryland wiretap law being used in this manner. In other words, Maryland has joined the expanding trend of criminalizing the act of recording police abuse. Silverman surmises, "It's more [about] ‘contempt of cop' than the violation of the wiretapping law."

3) Police spokesman Gregory M. Shipley is defending the pursuit of charges against Graber, denying that it is "some capricious retribution" and citing as justification the particularly egregious nature of Graber's traffic offenses. Oddly, however, the offenses were not so egregious as to cause his arrest before the video appeared.

Almost without exception, police officials have staunchly supported the arresting officers. This argues strongly against the idea that some rogue officers are overreacting or that a few cops have something to hide. "Arrest those who record the police" appears to be official policy, and it's backed by the courts.

Interesting. There have been incidents, according to this article, where police have been willingly videotaped without explicit consent and did not interdict or prosecute the videographer, such as when the police are doing something positive, heroic, etc. Do news people get releases from police? I don't know, but I bet not.

What makes these cases interesting is that they do rely on law that is clear and can be used to justify their actions. The question of privacy is a valid one, but I haven't seen the police exercise such concerns with the cameras in their cars, speeding and red light cameras, and certain municipalities that have installed cameras to monitor the public, including police, as in New York City and Chicago. In all these cases the police seem to go along with the program.

What seems res ipsa loquitur about this is that their actions are self-serving. We have seen many cases where police brutality has been uncovered with video and if it were not for the video, such abuse would have gone unpunished. It's an interesting juxtaposition of rights here, and if I had to take a stand, it would have to be on the side of the public. The police work for the government and as such an agent thereof with powers that extend beyond the average citizen, come under a higher level of scrutiny and a set of standards.  An individual in society should be able to use any means to document interactions with these agents of the government as a protection of their rights. I might have a slight difference of opinion if police were against red light and speeding cameras, as well as cameras in public. They are not. They are also not against cameras in their own cars, which we have seen malfunction at certain times. What I would like to see happen is the thin blue line go away. This fortress mentality has not served police well and this type of enforcement we see here does not serve them well either. They seem to forget they serve us. Since when does the servant become our master? Let me know what you think.

Thank you for reading this blog.

by the Left Coast Rebel
"A product of it's time." "Does not reflect the same values as it would have if it were written today." "Parents might wish to discuss with their children how views on race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity and interpersonal relations have changed since this book was written before allowing them to read this classic work."

The classic work(s)? The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, Common Sense, the Articles of Confederation, and the Federalist Papers. According to Wilder publications those documents for children need a warning label. Per Fox News,  a screen shot that accompanies said documents:

Unbelievable. File this one in the 'Orwellian story of the day' file. I wonder if we will one day face the day in America where our Founding documents are outlawed? Because essentially they represent a belief system that is diametrically the opposite of our current state of government. Hate speech?

The encouraging thing about this this story though comes from Amazon.com reviewers of in response to the Wilder Publications warning label. Here's a few:

This is so offensive I can't even think straight. Literary  censorship is already stupid enough as it is, but to add FUNCTIONING,  FOUNDING LEGAL DOCUMENTS to the long list of items that are  "controversial" is total garbage. This will not stand.

Do not buy from Wilder. TOR has a version available that is correct  and doesn't have this bogus nonsense attached to it. You fail, Wilder.      

Progressives, liberals, statists - whatever you want to call them - are  now trying to infect our great nation's foundational documents. Wilder  Publications seeks to "nudge" us all back into the loss of freedoms that  our founders fled.  Individual liberties, and a limited government  designed to protect those liberties, are now under attack from the  people at Wilder Publications who are trying to pose the core  foundational elements of our great nation as some kind of irrelevant  historical artifact.  BOYCOTT anything from Wilder Publications.      

By	Conservative Resister  (San Antonio TX)  -         The Constitution is harmful for your psyche?   (Maybe if  you're a "liberal")

I can understand why Wilder chose to put a disclaimer on this  publication.  Reading it will make you question the current state of  government in this country, and really get it that the Federal  Government is 20 times the size it should be.

And then there's that pesky 10th Amendment that nobody but the TB  "kooks" want to talk about, and that General Welfare clause that is used  to invalidate the rest of the document (it's like their version stops  at that sentence, and you don't get the part where it tells you it  applies to 18 specified powers).

Buy it, read it, understand the words, and look at your government  in a different light.

Share it with your State Legislators, let them know that Washington  has stolen their authority, and that the very existence of the states as  entities are at danger.

I particularly appreciate Conservative Register above - I can understand why Wilder chose to put a disclaimer on this publication. Reading it will make you question the current state of government in this country, and really get it that the Federal Government is 20 times the size it should be.

I disagree just a bit - I think the Federal government is 30x the size it should be.

(Disclaimer) - Dangerous discussion at Memeorandum. Also, check out the 'Miss me Yet' stuff that the Humble Libertarian has for sale.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

From Eric Dondero:

The California primaries were yesterday. And Libertarian Republicans were paying close attention to one race in particular.

This from activist Mike "Mish" Shedlock sent out on his blog and in an email blast two days ago:

If you live in California District 16, please write in Edward Gonzalez. He only needs 2,053 Republicans write-in votes. If you are a Libertarian, do not check the Libertarian box, instead wrote-in Edward Gonzalez as a Republican.

Gonzalez is the Libertarian nominee. But he's simultaneously seeking the GOP nomination for Congress in an overwhelmingly Democrat district, near San Jose. His opponent is longtime incumbent, ultra-liberal Rep. Zoe Lofgren. There is no Republican candidate on the ballot for the race.

There is opposition to the efforts of the Gonzalez campaign. Establishment Republicans mounted their own last minute challenge for a write-in nomination to keep Gonzalez from having two ballot spots. Sources have told LR that the challenge came from the "religious right wing" of the local GOP, not from the Tea Party wing, and suprisingly not from the Arnold Schwarzenegger moderates.

The results should be known later today.

Note from the Editor - if you live in California and you find out the results, please contact LR immediately. Thanks

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.

"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.