LNC Chair Steven Nekhaila Will Not Seek Reelection, Plans At-Large Run

Libertarian National Committee Chair Steven Nekhaila will not seek reelection, instead stating he intends to run for an at-large seat at the Libertarian Party’s national convention next May in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Nekhaila has served as chair since assuming the role in February.

In a statement originally shared on social media and reshared in a December 21 article by Third Party Watch, Nekhaila formally announced his decision not to pursue another term, saying he wants to focus his efforts where he believes he can be most effective for the Libertarian Party. Despite not running for chair, Nekhaila said he plans to remain involved in party leadership by seeking an at-large position on the Libertarian National Committee at the 2026 convention.

“I want to be where I am most valuable,” Nekhaila wrote. “For that reason, I will not be seeking re-election as Chair. However, I will be seeking an At-Large position to help facilitate the work we started, assist the next Chair and the new board, and help carry this effort through.”

Nekhaila was first named LNC chair in early February, defeating Michael Heise in a 9-6 vote to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Angela McArdle, who stepped down in advance of an employment opportunity. Before that, Nekhaila served as an at-large representative, having been elected at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention. He is also a former chair of the Libertarian Party of Florida.

In his statement, Nekhaila said his initial goals upon taking office were to stabilize the organization financially, grow membership, and repair the national committee’s reputation. He said the party was facing monthly financial shortfalls of roughly $15,000 when he assumed the role, but that the organization has since shown improvement through positive fundraising months, renewed engagement from major donors, and successful fundraising appeals.

Nekhaila also pointed to several initiatives undertaken during his tenure, including the revival of Project Archimedes and the anticipated launch of the Parity Project, an initiative aimed at long-term membership growth and fundraising sustainability to match the influence of the Republican and Democratic parties, as well as renewed engagement with Libertarian International, formerly known as the International Alliance of Libertarian Parties. Earlier this year, the organization voted to relocate its operations to the United States.

He said the Libertarian National Committee has also adopted a candidate strategy targeting the recruitment of 500 Libertarian candidates nationwide for the 2026 election cycle. Looking ahead, the committee plans to continue its focus on earned media, promotion of Defend the Guard legislation, and ballot access reform efforts in all 50 states, with support from former 2024 Libertarian presidential candidate Lars Mapstead, who has since focused on addressing restrictive ballot access laws.

“While there are still many opportunities ahead, my vision for the LNC is that we should be, at minimum, a $30 million-per-year organization, with substantial investment in staff, candidate support, and affiliate support,” Nekhaila wrote. “In the next ten years, we can be at parity with Republicans and Democrats in terms of visibility, fundraising, and growth.”

Several candidates have already declared their runs for the chair position ahead of the 2026 national convention, including Wes Benedict, Evan McMahon, Rob Yates, and Jim Ostrowski. The candidates are scheduled to participate in their first debate on the evening of December 22, organized by Free Speech Media.