I became a Libertarian out of frustration with career politicians who talked a good game but rarely followed through. They claimed to support reform, but their actions told a different story. My time in the military opened my eyes to the long-term consequences of our foreign policy and how it impacts not just individuals, but entire generations of Americans. That experience sparked a deeper interest in politics and led me to embrace the principles of limited government, individual liberty, and a non-interventionist foreign policy. To me, these values offer the clearest path to pushing back against the kind of federal overreach I saw firsthand.

Libertarians have debated the best path forward for years. Should we focus on building the party and winning elections? Or is it more effective to influence policy wherever we can, even if someone else holds the seat? The answer isn’t one or the other. It’s both.

Some Libertarians are all-in on elections. They want to grow our base, run principled candidates, and win local and state races. That strategy has already shown success, especially when we focus on smaller, winnable seats. But others argue that elections are an uphill battle for third parties, and that we should focus on pushing liberty-focused policies, no matter who’s in office.

The problem is that either approach, on its own, falls short. Running candidates without staying active after elections means missing opportunities to shape policy. Only focusing on influence leaves us out of the public eye and weakens our visibility when it matters most.

What we need is a steady rhythm that ties both tracks together. Think of it as a cycle with two seasons:

• Election Season: This is when we grow. It's our time to be visible, register voters, run strong campaigns, and energize people around liberty. Every principled campaign helps, even if it doesn’t result in a win.
• Legislative Season: This is when we follow through. We attend city council meetings, write op-eds, lobby for meaningful proposals, and engage lawmakers. Whether they are Libertarians or not, we bring forward practical ideas based on freedom and accountability.

When a Libertarian wins, we don’t disappear. We support them with continued public engagement and help keep them focused on their mission. When we don’t win, we pivot. We engage with the person who did and use our campaign’s momentum to influence their decisions.

This combined approach is more effective than treating campaigns and advocacy as separate silos. It builds credibility, keeps us involved all year, and shows we’re serious about both principles and action.

Our movement has always had internal disagreements: radicals, pragmatists, and everyone in between. But today, we’re seeing real momentum. Registered Libertarian voter numbers are rising. Local victories are stacking up. And the more we align both efforts, the stronger we become.

So let’s keep it simple. If it helps grow the party or elect Libertarians, it matters. If it moves policy in the direction of more freedom, it matters. We don’t have to choose one path and abandon the other.

Here’s the challenge:

• If you’re an activist, put your energy into voter outreach and candidate support this fall.
• If you’re an advocate, prepare to bring policy ideas to the table once the elections are over.

We’re at our best when we do both. It’s time to stop debating the right path and start walking it together. Let’s turn vision into action.