One from the Vault: The Rogue Elector

Mike Riggs | June 3, 2008

The LP could use a few rogues this year. From reason, June 1973:

When the Electoral College votes were counted this January, the Republicans received a surprise: one of their electors from Virginia, Roger Lea MacBride, rejected Nixon and cast his vote for the Libertarian Party candidates John Hospers and Theodora Nathan. "I wasn't there," he said regretfully, "but I understand Spiro Agnew choked on the vice presidential vote for Theodora Nathan." (MacBride's vote made Mrs. Nathan the only woman ever to receive an electoral vote).

Born in 1929, Roger MacBride graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy, Princeton University, and Harvard Law School. In addition he spent a year at the University of Philippines doing graduate work in comparative constitutional law. Mr.MacBride has practiced law in New York City, in Vermont, and in Virginia and is, currently completing small scale oceanshore land development projects in Nova Scotia. His political experience includes having served in the Vermont legislature and an unsuccessful bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in 1964.

Mr. MacBride's introduction to libertarianism came during his friendship and association with authoress Rose Wilder Lane during the 1940's. He functioned as Ms. Lane's business agent and lawyer, and finally as executor of her estate. He has edited a book of her correspondence, Lady and The Tycoon, and has himself written The American Electoral College and Treaties Versus The Constitution. Mr. MacBride also spent 18 months on the Board of Directors of National Review during the late 1950's but left because of differences in philosophy.

Mr. MacBride now lives on a farm near Charlottesville, VA with his small daughter, Abigail Adam MacBride. His hobbies include flying his own plane, raising Black Angus cattle, and diving for lobster off-shore.

Comments

|6.3.08 @ 6:15PM|#

(MacBride's vote made Mrs. Nathan the only woman ever to receive an electoral vote).

I'll bet John Hospers and Theodora Nathan are also the only Libertarians ever to receive an electoral vote.

We are such losers. ;-)

Robert|6.3.08 @ 10:35PM|#

I thought his subsequent campaign for president (1976) was the best LP had until at least 1988.