A group of New Hampshire Libertarians has formed a new state political party, adopting bylaws and electing leadership as part of a formal effort to become the Libertarian Party’s new affiliate following the disaffiliation of the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire earlier this year.
Nearly two dozen people, most of them credentialed delegates, participated in the founding convention of the Granite State Libertarian Party, also called the Granite State Libertarians, late Sunday evening. The meeting was held remotely and chaired by Richard Manzo, a former interim chair of LPNH who served following the resignation of Brian Shields. The meeting also brought together several other former activists and candidates who had previously worked within LPNH, including former LPNH chair Conrad Nelson and former Libertarian state representative Caleb Dyer.
Rachel “Blackfyre” Danner opened the convention with a history of libertarian politics in New Hampshire and an overview of the events leading to the creation of the new party. In her remarks, she pointed to the influence of LPNH Chair Jeremy Kauffman on that party’s communications, its 2024 endorsement of Republican Donald Trump over Libertarian presidential nominee Chase Oliver, and the 2025 and 2026 state conventions, which she said failed to produce “a better result.”
Danner said the new organization was being created to fill the void left after the Libertarian National Committee voted in May to disaffiliate LPNH. At the time, the national committee pointed to the state party’s Trump endorsement, its criticism of Libertarian candidates, and what it called the repeated promotion of “anti-libertarian positions” as the basis for its vote. That decision was unanimously upheld by the national party’s Judicial Committee earlier this month.
The former Libertarian state affiliate has continued to operate independently despite the LNC’s disaffiliation motion directing it to stop using the Libertarian Party’s name and logo, and has raised over $7,000 for a legal challenge against the national party.
Arthur Ketchen, a delegate who identified himself as the original founding chair of LPNH, placed the conflict on an even longer timeline, calling Kauffman the latest in “a long line of incidents” within the state party. “Tonight you have a great opportunity […] to set this all right again,” Ketchen told his fellow delegates.
Danner, who unsuccessfully sought LPNH leadership in both 2025 and 2026 as part of successive slate efforts by some members to change the party’s direction, was elected the new group’s first chair without objection after Dyer declined a nomination for the position. Nelson was elected vice chair, Rich Tomasso secretary, New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate Stephen Villee treasurer, and Angela Ryan Membership Director, each without opposition.
Danner told Independent Political Report following the convention that she plans to “carve out a libertarian identity that is principled, effective, and friendly.”
The group spent around two hours debating and amending the new organization’s proposed bylaws before adopting them. Several provisions led to lengthy discussion over how tightly the new party should restrict membership and participation, including concerns about ways to defend the organization from the threat of an outside takeover.
The final adopted bylaws establish several levels of membership. Most new members must spend at least a year as Pledge Members before becoming eligible for Activist status, followed by another year before they can seek Sustaining status and full convention voting rights. National convention delegates must be at least Activist Members, meaning most future delegates to the Libertarian National Convention will need at least a year of prior involvement with the state party.
Delegates also made other edits during the night, including amending the bylaws to require annual state conventions rather than the initially proposed biennial conventions and striking language that would have prohibited members from participating in another party’s primary.
Villee, who said he was responsible for introducing the primary restriction during the drafting process, said it was intended in part to protect the organization from groups such as the Libertarian Party Mises Caucus. Other delegates pushed back, arguing that it could prevent Libertarians from strategically supporting liberty-oriented candidates or opposing authoritarian candidates in New Hampshire’s major party primaries.
A preliminary platform was also adopted by delegates after they voted to separate the party’s Statement of Principles and Statement of Values from the bylaws in the interest of space, though specific planks will not be taken up until the party’s next convention. The statement includes several principles also found in the national Libertarian Party platform, including the Non-Aggression Principle, individual self-ownership, free markets, and political self-determination, including secession. It also states that the party “reject[s] bigotry as irrational and repugnant to the values of liberty and individualism,” language resembling a longstanding national platform provision removed during the national party’s 2022 convention in Nevada.
Granite State Libertarians also plan to seek recognition from the Libertarian National Committee. Organizers said the petition must be signed by four officers and at least ten national Libertarian Party members. Delegates gave the new Executive Committee 30 days to identify and invite additional Charter Members who could help meet that requirement.
Asked whether she was hopeful about building a new party for Libertarians in New Hampshire, Danner responded to IPR with an enthusiastic yes before adding that she’s “excited for a future where liberty minded Granite Staters can be represented by a party that shares their values and vote for candidates with principles.”
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