May 4, 2016
By Ashe Schow
In the hours after the polls closed in Indiana and it was announced that businessman Donald Trump had won the Republican presidential primary — thereby ending Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s campaign — the Libertarian Party saw a doubling of its new membership applications.
Between 7 p.m. Tuesday evening and noon on Wednesday, the Libertarian Party received 99 new memberships. For the same time period a day earlier, the LP received only 46 new memberships.
In an email to the Washington Examiner, LP Executive Director Wes Benedict said he was unaware of any social media efforts by the party to recruit new members, and believed the increase was in response to Trump becoming the clear Republican nominee.
“Of course they are scared of Trump. Trump sounds like an authoritarian,” Benedict wrote. “We don’t need a secret deal-maker. We need more transparency, and a smaller, less intrusive government that provides a level playing field for all and has fewer deals for special interests.”
On TV just now the local NBC reporter was asking Republicans if they would vote for Trump. One, who is “active” and had run as a delegate said “no.” Reporter then said “She says she will vote third party, probably Libertarian.” Of course, by election day it seems 90% of such folks end up staying home or pulling their party lever.