On Saturday, March 27, Libertarian Party of Indiana members from around the state converged on Fishers, IN. Unlike the scenes from late October 2020, they were not there to rally around the most successful Libertarian candidate in state history, but, instead, to ride that tremendous momentum into 2022 and beyond. The Libertarians came as delegates, tasked with the responsibility of “Levelling Up” the LPIN at the 2021 Libertarian Party of Indiana State Convention.
Delegates from around the state, including three from Marshall County, gathered early Saturday morning to receive targeted training designed to “Level Up” the LPIN.
“Level Up” is more than just a goal or clever slogan, it is the necessary step that the party needs to take in order to be able to compete in and win elections in the state. And as the convention showed them, it is going to take all of them working together to truly “Level Up” the party and defend our liberty.
The afternoon session saw a business meeting where a new State Chair and State Vice Chair were elected. Previous Development Director and long-time party member Evan McMahon ran unopposed and by resounding acclamation was named the LPIN’s new State Chairman. Lucy Brenton was elected to the Vice Chair position, and Michael Schulteiss and Alyssa Salgado were retained as Treasurer and Secretary respectively
Marshall County’s own Country Chair, Ty Shively, got in on the action Saturday afternoon, after being tasked with announcing District 2’s new District Representative on the State Central Committee (SCC), Elizabeth Coquillard, who also serves as the Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Elkhart County.
With business concluded, it was time to celebrate and reflect on the previous year and the convention itself. Rob Kendall, Co-Host of the Mock n’ Rob Show on 93.1 WIBC, opened the evening with a challenge for the Libertarian Party of Indiana to “be the hope,” that the people of Indiana are so obviously looking for. He then proudly introduced someone who had embodied that hope, Mr. Donald Rainwater.
Donald Rainwater, historic Libertarian gubernatorial candidate from 2020 and founder of the Liberty is Essential PAC, took the stage to the sound of thunderous applause and with the greeting of a standing ovation.
“Election night 2020 was not the end, but the beginning.” Mr. Rainwater implored all Libertarians to listen to the voters. Go out and meet them. Be involved and visible in the communities.
“You can’t win a gunfight, if you bring a knife!”
According to Don Rainwater, the Libertarian Party of Indiana needs to learn the game the Republicans and Democrats are playing, and play it better. “And play to win.”
If Hoosiers can vote straight ticket Republican or straight ticket Democrat, then Mr. Rainwater said “I want Hoosiers to vote straight ticket L!”
And these aren’t just empty words. The Libertarian Party of Indiana has big plans for 2022, and not just in relation to the Secretary of State race. The LPIN has declared that it will run a candidate in all 138 state level races it has access to, and that they have already vetted over 100 candidates!
If you believe that Liberty is Essential, if you believe that the Republican super majority in the Indiana General Assembly no longer represents you, if you believe that Governor Holcomb continues to abuse his executive authority, if you believe that enough is enough, if you voted for Don Rainwater because he was making a lot of sense, if you have never voted in an election before, now is the time to come aboard.
Visit lpin.org. Reach out to your local county affiliate. Be involved. Do the work. As Mr. Rainwater impressed upon us Saturday evening,
“Use your talents! We need them!”
Press release provided by Ty Shively, Marshall County Libertarian Party Chair.
