The Columbus Dispatch has this article about Chad Monnin, the Libertarian nominee for Ohio State House, district 19, near Columbus. The article says Monnin has two campaign offices, has already spent $100,000, and plans to have spent as much as $250,000. The article also describes efforts by the Republican Party to challenge his primary petition (that didn’t work), and then efforts by Republicans to persuade him to withdraw.
No party, other than the Democratic and Republican Parties, has elected anyone to the Ohio legislature since 1914, when the Progressives elected one. Thanks to Kevin Knedler for the link.
Here in Missouri back in the late 1980s and in the 1990s there were occasions when Republican operatives pressured a promising LP candidate to withdraw and run as a Republican. The Repubs promised the candidate much better support and warned them that the LP didn’t have the recognition and lacks the resources to help the candidate.
The Repubs were successful in some instances, and in other cases they just wanted our LP candidate to drop out because the upcoming election would be so tight with the Democrat.
The operatives stated that their favored Republican candidate would be lesser-of-the-evil toward libertarian ideals.
In all cases when the LP or potential LP candidate defected the Repubs never followed up with support!
k.
ps: I believe (former LP presidential-candidate) Andre Marrou actually exposed that sneaky Republican strategy in his speeches around the country; He warned local LPs to stand strong and not yield to the Republican pressure and likely double-cross.