<div dir="ltr">I'd like to thank Wes Benedict for staying late at work last night to send out this email blast to the Californians on our list. I don't yet know how effective it will be in promoting attendance at the California LP convention, but other states with upcoming conventions might want to consider trying a similar approach.<div><br></div><div>Dan Wiener</div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Libertarian Party</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:info@lp.org">info@lp.org</a>></span><br>Date: Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 4:23 PM (PDT)<br>Subject: What if Republicans Hijack California's Libertarian Convention?</div><div class="gmail_quote"> <div><span class="">
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Will you please attend the <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=58692147&msgid=545434&act=MODM&c=1115108&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lpcevent.com%2F" target="_blank">Libertarian Party of California's state convention</a> on April 1st through the 3rd in Los Angeles to make sure Republicans don't take it over?</div>
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Here's the ugly, worst-case scenario: Donald Trump is close to locking up the Republican nomination. Establishment Republicans turn to Plan B, which is to run a 3rd-party candidate against Trump. But ballot access at this late date is incredibly difficult and expensive, unless they hijack the only existing 3rd party which is already headed towards 50-state ballot status – the Libertarian Party. So they flood LP state conventions and then the national convention with Republicans who will overwhelm the true libertarians and vote for Mitt Romney as the Libertarian Party's Presidential candidate.</p>
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I’ll pause a moment for you to gag.</p>
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For the past month I've been trying to convince others (and myself) that this is just a paranoid fantasy. That we have rules and defenses in place which would be hard for Republicans to circumvent. That we should ignore <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=58692147&msgid=545434&act=MODM&c=1115108&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.libertynewsnow.com%2Fgop-elites-mounting-third-party-takeover-to-stop-trump%2Farticle3662" target="_blank">wild rumors and conspiracy theories</a>.</p>
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But here's the thing. The best way to make sure it can't happen is <u>for you to show up</u>.</p>
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We need plenty of real libertarians to come to our state convention, and vote for real libertarians who will be our delegates to the national convention (May 27th through May 30th in Orlando, Florida). California is by far the largest Libertarian state party with by far the most national delegates, so we would be Ground Zero for any takeover attempt. By the same token, if there really is going to be a Republican hijacking effort, then California can stop it in its tracks.</p>
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If you can also make it to the national convention as a California delegate, that's even better. But even if you can't personally go to Florida, you can make sure that the delegates who do go aren't Republican moles.</p>
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And here's the good news. Both the California convention and the national convention are looking to be great! There will be excellent speakers and events. You can strike a blow for liberty and enjoy it at the same time.</p>
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(IMPORTANT NOTE: <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=58692147&msgid=545434&act=MODM&c=1115108&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lpcevent.com%2F" target="_blank">Early Bird Pricing for California's convention</a> ends on this Thursday, March 17th, while <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=58692147&msgid=545434&act=MODM&c=1115108&destination=http%3A%2F%2Flibertarian.nationbuilder.com%2F" target="_blank">Early Bird Pricing for the national convention</a> ends Tuesday, March 15th.)</p>
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The Libertarian Party has a huge opportunity in 2016, if we are the only nation-wide opposition to Hillary or Bernie on the Democrat side, and Ted or The Donald on the Republican side. Let’s not blow this chance.</p>
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<strong>Please register NOW for the California Libertarian Party convention.</strong> <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=58692147&msgid=545434&act=MODM&c=1115108&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lpcevent.com%2F" target="_blank">CLICK HERE FOR CALIFORNIA</a>.</p>
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And if you’re going to the national convention, register for that as well. <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=58692147&msgid=545434&act=MODM&c=1115108&destination=http%3A%2F%2Flibertarian.nationbuilder.com%2F" target="_blank">CLICK HERE FOR ORLANDO</a>.</p>
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I look forward to seeing you there.</p>
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Yours in liberty,</p>
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<img align="" alt="" height="46" src="https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/1115108/315d3146599d3184c53747cc3d162aa5/image/jpeg" style="width:201px;min-height:46px;border:0px solid rgb(0,0,0);margin:0px;display:inline" width="201"></p>
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Daniel Wiener</p>
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Libertarian National Committee Representative from California</p>
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P.S. During the 44 years I’ve been a member of the Libertarian Party I've never seen both major political parties simultaneously offering up such divisive Presidential candidates. This could be the Libertarian Party’s breakthrough election. <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=58692147&msgid=545434&act=MODM&c=1115108&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lpcevent.com%2F" target="_blank">Come to the California convention to meet the candidates who are running for the Libertarian Party's Presidential nomination</a> and help choose which one will challenge Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in November.</p>
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