The Libertarian Moment? Maybe? For Real, This Time?

Nate Santucci, a Libertarian candidate for the Nevada Assembly who happens to be the "covert operations" director for Penn & Teller, has been endorsed by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Democrats took a pass on District 22, leaving Republican incumbent Lynn Stewart to face challenges from Libertarian Nathan Santucci and Independent American Joshua M. Starbuck. Mr. Stewart, a retired high school government teacher, has lived in Southern Nevada for about 60 years and recognizes that money alone can't fix what ails public schools. Mr. Santucci wants to maintain an attractive business climate in Nevada. He's "tired of seeing casinos taking a hit for making money" and being targeted for tax increases. We think Mr. Santucci is more inclined to shake things up in Carson City. If a minor-party candidate is ever going to break into the Legislature, we hope it's Nathan Santucci in District 22.

This comes as the Indianapolis Star gives some credibility and props to congressional candidate Eric Shansberg, an alt-weekly says nice things about (and nearly endorses) libertarian Republican B.J. Lawson for Congress, and at least two LP Senate candidates—Alan Buckley in Georgia and Chris Cole in North Carolina—are running strong enough to give Republicans a scapegoat if they lose. (Hey, it happened in 2002.) Under the radar, this is still a decent year for libertarians of the big and small "L" running for office.

UPDATE: I just re-read that 2002 "Libertarians are spoilers" piece.

Libertarians are now serving, in effect, as Democratic Party operatives. The next time they wonder why the Bush tax cuts aren't permanent, why Social Security isn't personalized and why there aren't more school-choice pilot programs for low-income kids, all they have to do is look in the mirror.

Two years later Republicans expanded their majorities in the House and Senate. How'd this agenda fare? I can't remember.