Libertarian Party

Old School GOP Bad Boy Roger Stone Contemplates Libertarian Run for Governor of Florida

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Can a man with a Nixon tattoo successfully carry the Libertarian Party banner in the Sunshine State? Roger Stone says he wants to try. Robert Costa reports in National Review:

The former campaign adviser to Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan says he wants to run as a libertarian, third-party challenger to incumbent Republican governor Rick Scott and the Democratic nominee.

"I don't have any illusions about winning, but I'd like to carry the flag for the liberty movement," Stone says. "The Republican party is dead and it can't be revived, so it's time for the Libertarian party to be a force."

Stone will make a final decision on a gubernatorial run by the end of the year. In the meantime, he'll ask libertarian activists for their support.

His politics have evolved since he once practiced the "black arts," as Stone describes his past activities, for Nixon and other Republican contenders. He now supports marijuana legalization and open borders; on social issues, he is pro-choice and pro-gay-marriage. He's also a fiscal hawk and detests "Beltway Republicans" for their frequent "spending orgies."

"If I run, I'm going to be provocative, and I'm going to punch up," he says. "It's going to be like Bill Buckley's mayoral run in 1965. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this campaign. It's going to get people's attention."

Stone came out as a Libertarian with the Gary Johnson campaign in 2012. His Twitter feed is always a weird hoot.

Reason on Roger Stone.

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Brian Doherty is a senior editor at Reason and author of Ron Paul's Revolution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired (Broadside Books).

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  1. John

    Funny how sow many of the old Nixon operators, sans Dean who was the worst of the lot, ended up being radical small government types.

    1. They looked into the eyes of the dragon and despaired.

    2. PhillipDodge

      Stone’s Nixon loyalty stems from Tricky Dick taking the young lad under his tutelage and vice-versa. Nixon saw Stone’s ability to concentrate like a laser beam at specific issues and get them resolved. People forget that Stone later advised Reagan how to win the cold war and saved us all from oblivion. If he runs for governor, he will have my vote.

    3. Max

      This whole article is a misdirection. See my comment below.

  2. Stone came out at a Libertarian with the Gary Johnson campaign in 2012.

    We need more Libertarians coming out of the Republican closet.

    1. Shmurphy

      And even more coming out of the Democrat closet.

    2. AddieAddie

      Stone says he’s serious about a 2014 gubernatorial run. Yes, we do need more Libertarians in office and Roger Stone is a true Libertarian, albeit “out of the Republican closet.” But more than that, he has experience bar none and he knows just about every politician and their BS. That will make Stone a prize candidate to run against Rick Scott and Charlie Crist.

  3. Stone can’t be worse than Scott, and he’d be better than Crist even if he were Richard Nixon.

    1. generic Brand

      Is Crist running again for governor?

      1. It’s possible. He’s their kind of scum.

        1. Loki

          Fearless and inventive?

          1. Exactly. I hope the explosive device he carries goes off while he’s holding it.

      2. Mensan

        There are rumors going around that Crist going to run as a Democrat.

  4. JW

    I can recall Stone getting his balls busted over he and his wife frequenting sex clubs, back in the 90’s.

    http://www.democraticundergrou….._id=853802

    That’s a candidate I can get…um…behind.

    1. A Serious Man

      In Florida that would not be a liability.

    2. jesse.in.mb

      Nixon would be staring at you the whole time.

    3. Death Rock and Skull

      Meh. I could go either way.

    4. buybuydandavis

      Stones busted in sex club…

  5. AlmightyJB

    “The Republican party is dead and it can’t be revived, so it’s time for the Libertarian party to be a force.”

    *blink*

    1. Corneliusm

      I don’t know how the GOP can be considered dead. Sure, they lost out to black Jesus in 2008 and again in 2012, but what happens when:
      -Obama can no longer run for office
      -Half-dozen Dem senators commit suicide by attempting to pass unpopular anti-2A legislation
      -Libertarian(ish) guys like Paul are gaining traction within the GOP

      Not a republican, but it’s too early to call the GOP dead. Socons and neocons are a dying breed (hopefully), but there’s always some other faction willing to take over.

      1. John

        For a dead party they seem to be doing awfully well in a lot of state governments.

        1. You meant “we”, not “they”.

          1. John

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuGtxt84wPQ

            OBAMA OBAMA

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuGtxt84wPQ

            1. DesigNate

              I love you for this John. No homo

              NTTAWWT

  6. JW

    And, supposedly, Stone had a role in bringing down Spitzer, so there’s that.

    “I asked her what her friend said about Spitzer,” Stone told me. “She said he was nice enough, but the only odd thing was that he kept his socks on. They were the kind that went to the middle of the calf, and one of them kept falling down.”

    Stone said that he decided, after hearing the story, to keep the conversation with the woman to himself for the moment. But there was never any doubt that he would eventually deploy it. As Stone puts it in one of the many rules he lives by, “He who speaks first, loses.”

    http://www.newyorker.com/repor…..rentPage=1

  7. So would his running mate have to get a Bebe Robozo tattoo?

    1. John

      Roy Cohen.

  8. Tonio

    Sounds to me like this guy is just an opportunist. How convenient that he, and some other former Nixon ops, discover libertarianism at the exact moment they conclude the GOP is dead.

    It would seem more prudent to trust candidates who have demonstrated libertarian bona fides.

    1. Episiarch

      Exact same thought from me. This guy worked for Tricky Dick? Yeah, I’m not going to be having any faith in his small-government views.

      “The one secret no one ever suspected is that I DID stage the moon landing…on Venus! ARROOOOO! Muahahaha!”

      1. John

        Better to have him on your side than working against you. Dirty tricks and cheating worked for Obama didn’t it?

        1. Which one of McCain’s opponents claimed he had a black baby and suffered from PTSD?

          1. John

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuGtxt84wPQ

            OBAMA!!! OBAMA!!!

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuGtxt84wPQ

      2. Except Florida has draconian ballot access laws. We seldom field candidates for anything other than President. He might have enough juice to get on the ballot, and he knows how to get press, so maybe the L candidate would get 5% for once.

        Of course, the last time I thought that way was when Babar ran in 2008.

        1. Tonio

          Well, compromise is going to be a challenge for libertarians if they become viable.

        2. Max

          That’s just a misrepresentation. See my comment below.

      3. Death Rock and Skull

        Its Barr all over again!

    2. JW

      Like drunks finding Jebus, republicans seem to find libertariansim, just as they hit rock bottom.

      1. Corneliusm

        Why not? Lots of libertarians happen to be disillusioned former republicans.

        /disillusioned ex-republican

      2. Episiarch

        Well, you would know.

      3. John

        I always thought Republicans became media concern trolls when they hit rock bottom. See e.g. Frum, David.

    3. Jordan

      Um, not everyone was born with a monocle attached. I think running as a libertarian is a pretty good way to establish libertarian bonafides… Or, you know, endorsing Gary Johnson.

      1. Tonio

        I don’t live in FL, but his considerable baggage would be a DQ for me voting for him.

    4. Jordan

      How convenient that he, and some other former Nixon ops, discover libertarianism at the exact moment they conclude the GOP is dead.

      No, not really. It’s perfectly logical to no longer stop supporting a party once you realize it no longer upholds your principles. And he admitted that he has no chance of winning.

      1. Jordan

        *It’s perfectly logical to stop supporting a party…

      2. Tonio

        Yes but principles are often illogical. A true believer would stick by his principles, no matter how impractical those are.

        Also, what do you think he’s really trying to accomplish? If he can’t win, then he’s a spoiler – to the detriment of Team Red.

      3. PhillipDodge

        Roger Stone is on the record saying things like “I did not leave the Republican party, it left me.” Let’s face it, Republicans lost the last two presidential elections. Stone himself says he has “no illusions” about winning the governorship (I actually think he could win,) Stone has a personal fortune that well rivals Rick Scott’s and Stone knows how to raise tons more money. I think he could trounce Rick Scott and as for milk-toast Charlie Crist, he is a turn-coat who doesn’t stand a chance at getting back into the seat (the governor’s seat that is, although there is a space for him at the leather bar.)

    5. Max

      He’s still up to his tricks. See my comment on the real sitruation there below.

  9. Tim

    Another “eccentric” attracted to Libertariansim? What will they think of next?

    1. Don’t give Newt any ideas.

      1. John

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuGtxt84wPQ

        OBAMA!!! OBAMA!!!!

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuGtxt84wPQ

      2. Tim

        What a terrible thought.

        1. Tonio

          Paging Barfman…

  10. entropy

    Why the hell would a libertarian get a tattoo of Nixon?

    1. John

      I think he got it a while ago. And the old Nixon hands really believed they were fighting to save the nation from the evil communist hippies.

      1. It said he got it in 2004 (which makes sense, it’s pretty crisp).

        I think he does outre stuff because that’s how he rolls.

  11. entropy

    “I don’t have any illusions about winning, but I’d like to carry the flag for the liberty movement,” Stone says.

    Well maybe you should ditch the vainglorious and futile Governor run and run for congress or state legislature in a seat you could actually fricken win possibly.

    This is something that upsets me about Libertarians, they seem to think you start with the top office and work down. Um… no. No wonder we don’t have any elected officials whatsoever, anywhere in the country, outside of the Paul faction in the GOP. Why can’t we get these guys to run for tiny seats and establish themselves?

    1. Dude… Stone has no interest in holding office. He like political fights, not governance.

      Being a libertarian is his chance to campaign permanently. And, being an admitted libertine, he is using the only political party that will tolerate him as his vehicle.

      It’s all performance art.

      1. entropy

        Well that’s him, but it’s true for everyone else. L’s are a joke (I’m not happy about that). The only serious ones are trying to work inside the R’s. You’re almost certainly right about Stone – he wants the vainglory, and the book deals maybe. We don’t get anyone to do actual work though.

        Like Gary Johnson. He wasn’t going to be POTUS but he WAS Governor… he could totally go for a senate seat or something. Except that if he even did, it would be as a Republican because he knows Libertarians aren’t serious.

        It’s upsetting to me because I agree with the second part of that statement, “The Republican party is dead and it can’t be revived, so it’s time for the Libertarian party to be a force.” That can’t ever happen if we just stick to running gadflies for POTUS.

        1. PhillipDodge

          I think your missing the point. Roger Stone has stated he has “no illusions” of winning (while I think that is modest.) Gary Johnson used his run to help educate the nation (what turned out to be a very small percentage) of the crisis we have in this country and what it will take to cure it. Stone could do the same.

    2. There was a libertarian candidate for congress than ran in my FL-1 district.

      Let’s put it this way, the Florida GOP has senior voters in the bag, thats about the only people who showed up to vote in that race. Jeff Miller (R) lied to their faces in the debates and they gave him a standing ovation, so i’m not so sure that a congressional run will get the attention he wants to bring to the Liberty movement

    3. Max

      See my comment below. It’s the GOP moles who push this because they know it wastes effort.

  12. The Late P Brooks

    Richard Nixon was a visionary; a man far ahead of his time.

  13. He’s got my vote. And he’s right, the GOP is dead in the water.

  14. Loki

    Can a man with a Nixon tattoo successfully carry the Libertarian Party banner in the Sunshine State?

    This is why noone takes Libertarians seriously.

  15. Mensan

    So, we might actually have a Libertarian primary in the gubernatorial race? Adrian Wyllie is already running.

  16. Max

    If Doherty was a journalist he would be telling us that his pal Stone is just another one of the GOP moles who took over the Libertarian Party of Florida in 2009. Instead he’s covering it up.

    The LPF plan forbids running money-wasting state candidates and was supposed to concentrate on initiatives and local office for 15 years. So they simply ‘lost’ all the documents.

    They purged all the Libertarians using a state law their GOP friends put in. No Libertarian in Florida goes near them.

    Sadly it’s the same in several other LP state parties like Oregon whwre the Libertarians split off to form a separtae party and it’s now in the courts.

    1. FSBA

      You forget how the LPF stole $600 from their best performing State House candidate because they claimed he wasn’t Libertarian enough.

    2. PhillipDodge

      Stone’s defection to the Libertarian Party was real. You need only look at the dysfunction in Washington as proof. The LPF does indeed need to get it’s house in order and a Stone candidacy would do just that. Stone’s personal fortune would be brought to bear against Rick Scott and that alone would infuse hundreds of million into the campaign. It would actually be great for the economy.

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