Evan McMahon, secretary of the Libertarian National Committee, has announced his candidacy for chair ahead of the 2026 Libertarian National Convention in Michigan. He said he is entering the race alongside several other members he approached as part of a coordinated team effort.
In a November 28 campaign announcement, McMahon said his candidacy is focused on returning the Libertarian Party to “bold, principled Libertarian messaging” and strengthening engagement with members. He pointed to his 15 years of involvement with the party, including work with the Libertarian Party of Indiana as its chair and his tenure as executive director of the Libertarian National Campaign Committee, as the motivation behind his decision to run.
“Fifteen years in this party have shaped who I am,” McMahon wrote. “And through every project, every campaign, and every late-night organizing call, one goal has guided me: To get Libertarians elected to public office by being consistent in our principle and our message.”
McMahon said his priorities include expanding support for state affiliates and candidates, establishing more consistent communication through new member-engagement channels, and promoting internal best practices drawn from high-performing state and local affiliates. He also criticized factionalism within the party, saying the organization belongs to its members and activists and “not to factions, not to personalities, and not to some wannabe ‘kingmaker.’”
“Recently, too many loud and hostile voices in American politics—including some who claim to speak for liberty—have embraced technocracy, nationalism, authoritarianism, and outright fascism,” he said. “And the only people with both the conviction and the courage to stop it are Libertarians who still believe in the radical idea that people, not politicians, should run their own lives.”
McMahon added he is running as part of a team that includes Amanda Griffiths for vice chair, Jonathan McGee for secretary, and Douglas Knebel for treasurer, noting that he asked the three based on their experience, organizational skills, and willingness to take on additional responsibilities.
According to publicly available details, Griffiths is the secretary of the Libertarian Party of Wyoming and edits The Torch for the Libertarian Party Alliance. She is also involved with the Libertarian International, the recently rebranded International Alliance of Libertarian Parties. McGee is the current Region 2 representative on the Libertarian National Committee, and Knebel serves as a current at-large representative.
“They each have their own voice and perspective,” McMahon said. “And like any board, those differences will likely lead to some disagreements, probably even heated from time to time, but I know that each of us will strive to disagree with mutual respect and continue to move the ball forward. The way a professional functioning organization should.”
All LNC officer elections will take place at the Libertarian National Convention, scheduled for May 21–25 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Further details about the convention are available through the party.
Independent Political Report invites other candidates for Libertarian National Committee office, or readers aware of such candidates, to submit announcements or statements for coverage.
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