2020 Montana Libertarian Party Candidates
FEDERAL CANDIDATES
Jo Jorgenson
Libertarian Candidate, President
Dr. Jo Jorgensen is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Clemson University. She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Clemson, 2002) and has taught full-time since 2006. She graduated in 1979 from Baylor University with a B.S. in Psychology and in 1980 from Southern Methodist University with an MBA.
After earning her MBA, she put her education to work as a marketing representative for IBM. Relocating to Greenville, S.C. in 1983, she started her own software sales business.
In 1992, she was the Libertarian Party’s candidate for South Carolina’s 4th Congressional District. After a statewide televised debate with her Democratic and Republican opponents, Dr. Jorgensen’s debate performance was widely praised in the media, and the Greenville News referred to her as “a rose between two thorns.”
After taking a career sabbatical to raise her two children, she became a partner in a software duplication company, later taking over as president and sole owner. She founded a business consulting company in 2002 and continues working with select clients.
Dr. Jo Jorgensen was the Libertarian Party Vice-Presidential Nominee with Harry Browne in 1996.
She campaigned in 38 states and appeared as a Libertarian spokesperson on over 300 radio shows all across America. She regularly lit up the call-in boards, helping listeners discover the Libertarian Party and generating inquiries and new LP members.
Dr. Jo Jorgensen is a Life Member of the Libertarian Party. She supported Ed Clark for president in 1980 and has been voting Libertarian ever since. She officially joined the Libertarian Party in 1983 and has served as Greenville County chair, state vice chair, and national marketing director for the Libertarian Party.
JO’S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
JO’S FACEBOOK
JO’S TWITTER
JO’S INSTAGRAM
CONTACT JO
Spike Cohen
Libertarian Candidate, Vice President
Jeremy “Spike” Cohen is the Libertarian Party’s 2020 Vice-presidential nominee, running with Dr. Jo Jorgensen, the LP’s presidential nominee. He promotes a vision of common-sense Libertarian solutions that will make us all more free, safe, and prosperous.
Cohen started a web design company in 1999. He retired from that 3 years ago to promote libertarian ideas fulltime. His great aim is to make people more familiar with voluntary solutions and property rights.
He is the host of My Fellow Americans, the co-host of The Muddied Waters of Freedom, and the co-owner of Muddied Waters Media, a podcast platform that reaches millions.
Jeremy hosts two live programs every week, interacting with countless people across the political spectrum. This experience has convinced him more than ever that the Democrats and Republicans have both failed us.
He believes Dr. Jo Jorgensen is the right person to counter Trump and Biden. He hopes to work with her to end wars, free the innocent, and end the infringements that impede voluntary problem-solving. He brings over 20 years of experience in leadership positions to complement Dr. Jorgensen’s knowledge and talents.
SPIKE'S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
SPIKE’S FACEBOOK
SPIKE’S TWITTER
SPIKE’S INSTAGRAM
CONTACT SPIKE
STATEWIDE CANDIDATES
Lyman Bishop & John Nesper
Libertarian Candidates, Governor & Lt. Governor
LYMAN'S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
LYMANS EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 407-6995
Roger Roots
Libertarian Candidate, State Auditor
Roger Roots was the 2018 candidate for Clerk of the Supreme Court, 2016 and 2012 candidate for Montana Secretary of State, and 2014 candidate for U.S. Senate. He holds a Juris Doctorate and a PhD in Sociology. He served pro bono as a legal aide for the Ryan Bundy Defense team— a case that was dismissed with prejudice against the United States.
ROGER'S WEBSITE
ROGER'S FACEBOOK
ROGER'S BALLOTPEDIA
ROGER'S EMAIL
PHONE: (775) 764-9347
Kevin Leatherbarrow
Libertarian Candidate, Superintendent of Public Instruction
Kevin was raised in western New York where he received his Master’s in Education from University at Buffalo and taught in the inner cities. He has always been drawn to Montana and so he took a teaching position on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in 2015. Kevin’s life revolves around education, and the outdoors. He moved his family to Great Falls later in 2016 where they now reside. He and his wife opened a tutoring center in 2017 where they also advocate for homeschoolers and children receiving Special Education services. His main platforms are school choice and fiscal responsibility.
KEVIN’S BALLOTPEDIA
KEVIN'S EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 564-5130
STATE SENATE CANDIDATES
John Lamb (Bozeman)
Libertarian Candidate, Senate District 36
JOHN'S EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 548-1622
MAP OF SENATE DISTRICT 36
Nolen W. Skime (Missoula)
Libertarian Candidate, Senate District 45
NOLEN'S EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 241-8356
MAP OF SENATE DISTRICT 45
Devin Braaten (Polson)
Libertarian Candidate, Senate District 47
Devin is a strong advocate for individual freedom and responsibility. Originally coming from small town Haines, Alaska, Devin loves being in the great outdoors and has fallen in love with Montana. Currently, Devin works as a CNA at St. Joseph Medical Center. Having joined the Libertarian Party in 2016, Devin says that he will defend the rights of the smallest minority - you, the individual, whom has been oppressed by government laws and regulations long enough.
DEVIN’S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
DEVIN’S FACEBOOK
DEVIN’S BALLOTPEDIA
DEVIN'S EMAIL
Phone: (406) 300-2904
MAP OF SENATE DISTRICT 47
STATE HOUSE CANDIDATES
Nicholas Ramlow (Kalispell)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 07
NICHOLAS' EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 309-0943
MAP OF HOUSE DISTRICT 07
Cade Stiles (Thompson Falls)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 13
CADE'S EMAIL
CADE’S FACEBOOK
PHONE: (406) 493-8747
MAP OF HOUSE DISTRICT 13
George Anthony Schultz (Great Falls)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 19
GEORGE’S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
GEORGE'S EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 315-2382
MAP OF HOUSE DISTRICT 19
Jacob Kitson (Terry)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 37
Jacob is running to promote the message of Liberty in his region, focusing on rural job development and working with local governments to figure out how to best suit the financial needs of their towns. He wants to help address many issues that plague his area, including but not limited to: MMIP, Veterans Job programs (State), Co-Op style development in rural regions, direct to consumer sale, COOL on cattle, and reopening private business in light of COVID-19.
JACOB’S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
JACOB’S FACEBOOK
JACOB'S EMAIL
Phone: (936) 349-6657
MAP OF HOUSE DISTRICT 37
Melody Benes (Billings)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 43
Melody is a born and raised 5th generation Montanan. She grew up in Roundup, MT and graduated in 2010. She’s been living in Billings, MT since 2015 and has been attending Rocky Mountain College since 2018, where she studies History and Political Science. She writes editorials for The Summit, the student newspaper. She is currently working as a Writing Consultant and Youth Counselor. She is an advocate for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survivors, due to this Women's Rights issues are a cornerstone to her platform. This is in addition to individual freedoms and rights, inclusiveness, and small limited government.
MELODY’S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
MELODY’S FACEBOOK
MELODY’S BALLOTPEDIA
MELODY'S EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 647-0294
MAP OF HOUSE DISTRICT 43
Francis Wendt (Bozeman)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 62
Francis is a solider, actor, and natural leader. He currently serves as LNC Region 1 Representative and MTLP Treasurer. He served as Chair of the Montana Libertarian Party from April 2018 to July 2019, previously having served as Treasurer. He is an avid supporter of individual rights and has studied the economic structure of Montana with that in mind. A military veteran and current Montana National Guardsman, he views his oath to the Constitution to be his most important platform.
FRANCIS’ BALLOTPEDIA
FRANCIS’ EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 595-5111
MAP OF HOUSE DISTRICT 62
Doug Campbell (Bozeman)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 64
Doug is a 5th-generation native of Montana, descendent of pre-statehood settlers. Doug ran as a write-in candidate in the 2017 special election for US Congress, and was nominated to represent the MT Green Party in the 2018 race for that seat. After nearly 4 years fighting in State and Federal courts for improvements in Montana’s ballot access and election transparency laws; with some notable successes and an ongoing lawsuit, Doug decided it was time to tackle the laws at the source, is running for Montana State Legislature to represent HD 64, and will carry this effort to the State House. Doug is a staunch proponent of truly free-market economics, Constitutional rights as guaranteed to individuals, campaign finance reform, government by and for the people, and fiscal conservatism.
DOUG’S CAMPAIGN WEBSITE
DOUG’S FACEBOOK
DOUG’S BALLOTPEDIA
DOUG'S EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 219-1019
MAP OF HOUSE DISTRICT 64
Andrew Schaefer (Belgrade)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 67
ANDREW'S EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 813-1152
MAP OF HOUSE DISTRICT 67
Ron Vandevender (Cascade)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 80
RON'S EMAIL
PHONE: (406) 422-3474
MAP OF HOUSE DISTRICT 80
Richard L. Armerding (Missoula)
Libertarian Candidate, House District 98
Richard is a Christian and a Libertarian, which instruct his positions on issues because both are principles-based philosophies. From a specifically Libertarian viewpoint, he will work to reduce the regulatory and financial burden of government on individuals and businesses. He will work to bring government back to local bodies where decision makers are directly affected by the consequences of their actions. He will work to have government focus on preventing the use of fraud and force in human interactions.