Libertarian Senate Candidate Invited to Debate After Public Outcry

Colorado Clarion Call Sees Lily Tang Williams in Senate Debates

By Dallas Brooks

Lily Tang Williams, the Libertarian candidate for the US Senate seat in Colorado, has just made history by being the first 3rd party candidate in the state to be invited to a major debate this cycle. After initially being rejected by the non-profit organization known as Club 20 for failing to meet the 1% threshold of registered voters, Libertarians got motivated to register when they learned what had transpired. Reason.com, the Colorado Independent, and several other outlets followed The Libertarian Republic’s story, and within a matter of days, almost 2,000 more Libertarians appeared on the state’s registers, putting the party at 1.02%.

In an election cycle where the Libertarians are polling much higher than their number of registered voters, it’s clear that Independents, and disaffected supporters of former candidates like Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders, are looking for viable alternatives. They aren’t buying the argument that their votes are wasted on 3rd parties anymore, either.

As a voter you must vote your own conscience because you’re not voting for the side you think is most popular or the side you believe will win. Why would you? Do you think, for example, that if you vote for Hillary Clinton, and she wins, that she will change her tune on raising taxes on corporations because you believe it’s a ridiculous idea? Will Donald Trump see that you, the freedom-loving voter, are in favor of private property rights and reverse his stance on Eminent Domain because you voted for him? Of course not! In fact, voting for a Republican or a Democrat that you disagree with will only make the situation worse. You will effectively give them an elevated sense of entitlement and a false mandate to put forward their ideas to grow the government and to continue to intrude upon our individual rights.

It’s not just here in Colorado that the voters are showing their discontent. Nationwide, people are taking a stand against the two major parties that represent two sides of the same coin. The Cornell University Republicans recently endorsed Gary Johnson for president, citing concerns over Trump’s rhetoric and record. They were summarily dismissed by the New York Federation of College Republicans for putting liberty over partisanship. Since 1980, the Richmond Times-Dispatch has endorsed every Republican candidate from Ronald Reagan to Mitt Romney for president, until this week when they endorsed Gary Johnson. Democrats are jumping ship, too. In New Mexico, with Gary Johnson in the race, Clinton loses 14 points while Donald Trump loses 8.

Americans are sick of the choice between the lesser of two evils. Our great nation is taking on water in the form of a tremendous debt, and the two major parties are fighting over who gets to steer the ship. Libertarians like Gary Johnson and Lily Tang Williams will actually work to plug the hole.

Against a backdrop of loud and constant media attention for Trump and Clinton, the Colorado Libertarians’ clarion call for freedom has just cut through the noise. With Lily Tang Williams now ready to debate alongside the Democrat and the Republican on Saturday September 10 at 7:15pm, Colorado will witness history in the making. Now isn’t the time for celebration, however. Getting on the ballot and getting into the debates are achievements, but they are only the first steps. Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves, make our voices heard, and vote for the candidates who value freedom above all.