(The Center Square) – Despite appearances from former President Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C., the political party nominated little-known Chase Oliver over the weekend.
Trump’s Saturday evening speech was met with a chilly reception in stark contrast to the former president’s typical impassioned crowd of supporters.
Trump and Kennedy attempted to persuade convention-goers of their libertarian track record.
Kennedy used the opportunity to draw distinction between he and Trump, pointing to Trump’s COVID-19 response, accusing the former president of restricting liberties and imposing mandates.
“With lock down, mask mandates, the travel restrictions, President Trump presided over the greatest restriction on individual liberties this country has ever known,” Kennedy told the crowd.
In contrast, Trump attempted to stake his ground by claiming a Libertarian record. “Much of my record is libertarian,” the former president told the hostile crowd.
In typical Trump fashion, he hammered his goal of winning in hopes of swaying the party: ” Nominate me or vote for me so we can win together.”
In response to the crowd’s jeers, Trump seemingly mocked the group’s low vote count in presidential elections, “maybe you don’t want to win…keep getting you 3% every four years.”
The former president tried appealing to the crowd by turning on President Joe Biden, calling on them to unite to oust “the worst president in history” while promising to nominate a libertarian to his cabinet.
“It’s time to be winners. You have a lot of common sense,” Trump pleaded.
After seven rounds of voting, the convention rejected Trump and Kennedy in favor of Oliver, a former Democrat. Oliver’s political curriculum vitae includes two failed attempts at running for the U.S. House and Senate in Georgia as a Libertarian.
The party’s nomination of Oliver and rejection of Trump’s candidacy is drawing criticism from some conservative activists, painting the party’s nominee as anything but a Libertarian.
Libs of TikTok posted a picture of Oliver posing at a pride event, claiming the candidate supports several leftist causes.
“This is the Libertarian pick for President. He’s pro vax and mask mandates, pro d*ag for kids, sees nothing wrong with men in women’s sports, and advocated for open borders,” the social media groups posted to X.
By Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square
