Chase Oliver
Chase Oliver | |
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![]() Oliver in 2024 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Chase Russell Oliver August 16, 1985 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
Political party | Libertarian (2010–present) |
Other political affiliations | Democratic (2003–2009) Independent (2009–2010) |
Website | Campaign website |
Chase Russell Oliver (born August 16, 1985) is an American political activist and nominee of the Libertarian Party for the 2024 United States presidential election.[1][2][3] Oliver was the Libertarian candidate for the 2022 United States Senate election in Georgia and the 2020 Georgia's 5th congressional district special election.[4]
In Georgia's 2022 Senate election, Oliver received over 2% of the popular vote, and was accused by supporters of both major parties of acting as a spoiler candidate that forced Raphael Warnock into a run-off against Herschel Walker.[5]
Early life
[edit]Oliver was born on August 16, 1985, in Nashville, Tennessee.[6] He worked in the restaurant business for 13 years prior to his involvement in political activism.[7]
Activism
[edit]On May 15, 2023, Oliver spoke at the Atlanta City Council meeting to oppose Cop City. During his speech, Oliver highlighted the growing distrust between people and governments and their police forces. Oliver spoke out against the over-militarization of police and qualified immunity. He also advocated for the Atlanta City Council to improve existing training facilities instead of clear-cutting forests that had previously been designated by the City Council as public open space.[8][9][10]
On September 5, 2023, Oliver spoke at the Columbia, South Carolina City Council meeting in opposition to regulatory hurdles that prevent people from feeding the homeless. He advocated for the Columbia City Council, and other city councils across the country, to address regulatory barriers to feeding and supporting homeless Americans.[11][12]
Political career
[edit]Oliver supported Barack Obama in the 2008 U.S. presidential election but ended his support after Obama continued the Iraq War. Oliver joined the Libertarian Party in 2010 after meeting several members of the party at an Atlanta Pride Festival.[13][14]
2020 U.S. House campaign
[edit]Oliver first ran for public office in 2020, as the Libertarian nominee for the 2020 Georgia's 5th congressional district special election to replace John Lewis, who had died from pancreatic cancer earlier that year. He won 2% of the vote and was eliminated during the blanket primary.[15]
2022 U.S. Senate campaign
[edit]After becoming the Libertarian nominee for the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Georgia, Oliver faced off against the incumbent Democratic Raphael Warnock and Republican Party challenger Herschel Walker.[1][16] Oliver was the first openly gay Senate candidate in Georgia.[17]
On October 16, 2022, Oliver attended a debate hosted by Georgia Public Broadcasting and debated against Warnock, as well as an empty podium representing Walker, who had declined to attend the debate.[18]
On election day, Oliver received over 2% of the popular vote. Opponents contended that he was a spoiler candidate and that his votes forced the Georgia senate race into a run-off.[5] In the runoff election, he declined to endorse either Warnock or Walker, while offering to host an internet forum between the two candidates.[19] Rolling Stone called him the most influential Libertarian of the year.[13]
2024 presidential campaign
[edit]Chase Oliver 2024 presidential campaign | |
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Campaign | 2024 Libertarian Party presidential primaries 2024 United States presidential election |
Candidate | Chase Oliver |
Affiliation | Libertarian Party |
Announced | April 4, 2023 |
Receipts | US$195,444.58[20] |
Website | |
https://www.votechaseoliver.com/ |
On December 2, 2022, Oliver announced his formation of an exploratory committee to inquire into a possible run for the Libertarian presidential nomination in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.[21] He formally declared his candidacy on April 4, 2023.[22][23]
Oliver campaigned extensively in Iowa during the summer of 2023.[24][25] The Gazette described him as a "pro-gun, pro-police reform, pro-choice Libertarian" who is "armed and gay."[26] On August 19, 2023, he spoke at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox, becoming the first-ever third-party presidential candidate to speak at the event.[27][14]
Oliver filed to run in Oklahoma's "first Libertarian presidential primary election since the party was formally recognized in 2016". Alongside fellow Libertarian primary candidate Jacob Hornberger, Oliver achieved ballot access by collecting signatures from voters in each Congressional district.[28][29] He won the Oklahoma primary, which was held on Super Tuesday, on March 5, 2024, with 61% of the vote.[30]
In January 2024, Oliver and fellow Libertarian presidential primary candidate Lars Mapstead successfully worked together to secure major party status and ballot access for the Libertarian Party of Maine.[31] Afterwards, Oliver went to Iowa in order to campaign ahead of the 2024 Iowa Libertarian presidential caucuses.[32][33] He won the Iowa Caucus with 42.7% of the vote.[34]
On February 29, 2024, Oliver participated in a presidential candidates debate hosted by the Free & Equal Elections Foundation, alongside Party for Socialism and Liberation nominee Claudia De la Cruz, Green Party candidates Jill Stein and Jasmine Sherman, and fellow Libertarian candidate Lars Mapstead.[35][36]
Oliver won the Libertarian nomination on the seventh ballot at the National Convention,[3] defeating Michael Rectenwald.[37] Oliver designated Mike ter Maat as his preferred choice of running mate.[38]
John Stossel has expressed support for Oliver over Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Party candidate Donald Trump in 2024.[39][40]
National polling
[edit]Poll source | Date | Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Joe Biden Democratic |
Donald Trump Republican |
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Independent |
Cornel West Independent |
Chase Oliver Libertarian |
Jill Stein Green |
Other/ Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Data for Progress (D) | March 27–29, 2024 | 1,200 (LV) | ± 3.0% | 41% | 42% | 8% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 6% |
- ^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
Political positions
[edit]Abortion
[edit]Oliver self-identifies as pro-choice, although he is opposed to taxpayer funding of abortions and supports the Hyde Amendment.[41] He believes that abortion should be legal nationwide, and he has said he would support legislation to make it so.[42]
Climate change
[edit]Oliver supports letting the free market find the solution to climate change. He contends that if businesses are left alone, they will be incentivized to develop technologies that will eventually replace current carbon-based fuels.[43]
Electoral reform
[edit]Oliver is a strong supporter of ranked-choice voting in the United States, which he has said would have prevented the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Georgia from going to a run-off by allowing voters to rank their preferred candidates when they voted the first time. He has also stated that ranked-choice voting would save millions of taxpayer dollars by allowing run-offs to be instant, while ensuring that winning candidates always get above 50% of the vote.[19]
Foreign affairs
[edit]John Stossel called Oliver, "...the most anti-war candidate" in the 2024 presidential election.[40] Oliver supports ending American military aid to Israel and Ukraine. He has labeled the Israeli offensive in Gaza as a genocide. Oliver also supports the closure of American overseas military bases.[10][44]
Gun rights
[edit]During a 2022 debate with Warnock, Oliver expressed his support for gun rights, stating: "Armed gays are harder to oppress, and they're harder to bash."[43] Oliver opposes bans on bump stocks.[45] John Stossel has further affirmed that, "Oliver supports gun rights."[39]
War on drugs
[edit]Oliver advocates for ending the war on drugs and supports the legalization of marijuana.[46][47] Oliver also supports repealing the Controlled Substances Act and support passing the Drug Policy Reform Act[45]
Criminal justice reform
[edit]Oliver supports ending qualified immunity for law enforcement at the federal level.[26] Oliver also supports ending the death penalty and federal mandatory minimum sentencing.[45]
Immigration
[edit]Oliver supports an "Ellis Island-style immigration" system, stating: "If you're coming here to work and be peaceful, it's not my business."[25]
Education
[edit]Oliver supports abolishing the United States Department of Education, and advocates "for more choice in the education marketplace on a state-by-state basis".[4] Oliver also opposes the federal backing of student loans, and supports allowing student loan debt to be dischargeable in bankruptcy.[45]
Homelessness
[edit]Oliver supports removing regulatory barriers that prevent people and organizations from feeding homeless people.[12]
Economy
[edit]Oliver supports free trade, and opposes tariffs. He also supports a balanced federal budget and reducing inflation.[26]
Privacy and Civil Liberties
[edit]Oliver supports abolishing the Transportation Security Administration along with repealing the Patriot Act and the FISA Amendments Act of 2008.[45]
Third parties
[edit]Oliver was a contributing author in the September 23, 2023, article "Do Third Parties Help or Harm Democracy?", published by the nonprofit news organization Divided We Fall. In the article, Oliver discussed the strategic position the Libertarian Party holds for the 2024 election season, third-party ballot access, and how the Libertarian Party platform parallels important issues of other third-party platforms, namely the Green Party of the United States and Forward Party (United States), such as ranked choice voting, immigration, cannabis legalization, and LGBTQ+ rights.[48]
Personal life
[edit]Oliver is single and openly gay and resides in the suburbs of Atlanta.[1][14][49]
Electoral history
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Kwanza Hall | 11,104 | 31.75% | |
Democratic | Robert Michael Franklin Jr. | 9,987 | 28.55% | |
Democratic | Mable Thomas | 6,692 | 19.13% | |
Democratic | Keisha Waites | 4,255 | 12.17% | |
Democratic | Barrington Martin II | 1,944 | 5.56% | |
Libertarian | Chase Oliver | 712 | 2.04% | |
Independent | Steven Muhammad | 282 | 0.8% | |
Total votes | 34,967 | 100.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Raphael Warnock (incumbent) | 1,946,117 | 49.44% | +1.05% | |
Republican | Herschel Walker | 1,908,442 | 48.49% | −0.88% | |
Libertarian | Chase Oliver | 81,365 | 2.07% | +1.35% | |
Total votes | 3,935,924 | 100.0% |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "The 'armed and gay' Senate hopeful who helped force Georgia's runoff". The Guardian. November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ Robertson, Nick (May 26, 2024). "Libertarian Party chooses Chase Oliver as presidential nominee". The Hill. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ a b Gibson, Brittany (May 26, 2024). "Libertarians pick Chase Oliver as presidential nominee". Politico. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ a b DeFeo, T. A. | The Center Square (May 30, 2023). "Oliver sees 2024 as an opportunity for Libertarians to break out". The Center Square. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
- ^ a b Multiple sources:
- Georgia Secretary of State (November 21, 2022). "November 8, 2022 General/Special Election".
- Walters, Greg (November 9, 2022). "This Guy Just Threw The Senate Election Into Chaos From His Basement". www.vice.com. Vice News. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- Stuart, Tessa (November 12, 2022). "He Won 2 Percent of the Vote – and Could Decide Who Wins a Senate Seat". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- Nunez, Gabriella (December 2, 2022). "Georgia Libertarian announces president exploratory committee". 11Alive.com. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- ^ "Chase Oliver". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ Crenshaw, Noah (September 25, 2023). "Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver makes stop in Greenwood". Daily Journal. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ "Atlanta City Council Regular Meeting". Atlanta City Council. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ "Cop City breaks government promises in cruel way, Oliver says". Chase Oliver for President. May 17, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Garcia, Eric (May 28, 2024). "Who is Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Party candidate for president?". The Independent. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ "Columbia City Council Meeting Minutes". City of Columbia, S.C. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "City Council Meeting". YouTube. September 6, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ a b Stuart, Tessa (November 12, 2022). "He Won 2 Percent of the Vote – and Could Decide Who Wins a Senate Seat". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ a b c "LGBTQ Agenda: Gay Libertarian presidential candidate says he's running 'confident, aspirational' campaign". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
- ^ Georgia Secretary of State (September 30, 2020). "Results Summary".
- ^ Melton, Elizabeth (January 17, 2022). "Press Release: Libertarian Party of Georgia Makes History at 2022 Convention with Full Slate of Statewide Candidates". Libertarian Party of Georgia. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ Baruchman, Michelle. "Who is Chase Oliver? Things to know about the Libertarian presidential candidate". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – via AJC.com.
- ^ King, Maya (October 17, 2022). "Warnock Hammers Walker in Senate Debate, Gesturing to an Empty Lectern". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ a b McFall, Caitlin (November 10, 2022). "Georgia Senate Libertarian candidate says he will not endorse in Walker-Warnock runoff". Fox News. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ "CHASE OLIVER FOR PRESIDENT - committee overview". FEC.gov.
- ^ Nunez, Gabriella (December 2, 2022). "Georgia Libertarian announces president exploratory committee". WXIA-TV. Atlanta. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ Chase Oliver [@ChaseForLiberty] (April 5, 2023). "Are you ready to start Chase-ing Liberty with me? http://Votechaseoliver.com" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Fernandez, Madison (April 10, 2023) "What Republicans can do with their new supermajorities>PRESIDENTIAL BIG BOARD". Politico. April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
THIRD-PARTY CORNER — Libertarian Chase Oliver, who ran for Georgia Senate last year and earned 2 percent of the vote, pushing the contest to a runoff, filed to run for president. He announced his bid last week.
- ^ Stewart, Scott (July 25, 2023). "Libertarian candidate visits Carter Lake". The Daily Nonpareil. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
- ^ a b Eller, Donelle (August 19, 2023). "Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver in Iowa calls for 'cultural war ceasefire'". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
- ^ a b c Barton, Tim (July 23, 2023). "Who is Chase Oliver? Meet the Libertarian candidate running for president". The Gazette. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
- ^ Opsahl, Robin (August 19, 202). "Presidential candidates wrap up state fair political events". The Southwest Iowa News Source. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
- ^ "Who is on presidential primary ballot in Oklahoma?". USA Today. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
- ^ "16 candidates file to appear on Oklahoma's presidential primary ballot". KGOU. December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ^ Sharfman, Alexandra (March 6, 2024) "Trump and Biden dominate Super Tuesday in Oklahoma", KTUL.com. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
- ^ Kemp, Harrison (January 10, 2024). "Libertarian Party Earns major party status in maine". Libertarian Party of Maine. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ Lathers, Addison (January 14, 2024) "Iowa Libertarians host a debate on the eve of the Iowa Caucuses. What they said:", Des Moines Register. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ Miller, Larry (January 11, 2024). "OLIVER RETURNS TO IOWA FOR CAUCUSES". CHASE FOR PRESIDENT. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ Bunge, Mike (January 16, 2024) "Libertarian Party of Iowa announces the winner of its statewide Presidential caucus", KIMT.com. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "Campaign 2024: Free and Equal Elections Presidential Debate". February 29, 2024, Retrieved March 22, 2024
- ^ Marantz, Andrew (March 11, 2024). "Libertarians and Socialists and Jill Stein – Oh, My!". The New Yorker. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ Pellish, Aaron (May 26, 2024). "Chase Oliver wins Libertarian Party presidential nomination". CNN. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Hoyt, Conrad (May 26, 2024). "Chase Oliver chosen as Libertarian Party nominee for president". Washington Examiner. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Stossel, John (July 24, 2024). "John Stossel: Unsatisfied with Trump and Harris? Consider Chase Oliver for president". Orange County Register. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Kristin (June 26, 2024). "A Candidate Who Cares About Freedom". Stossel TV. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ Fausset, Richard (November 9, 2022). "The Libertarian Who Helped Push the Georgia Senate Race Into a Runoff". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Simms, Claire (October 3, 2022). "Libertarian candidate 'happy' to cause runoff in U.S. Senate race". FOX 5 Atlanta.
- ^ a b Weisbrod, Katelyn (October 26, 2022). "In Georgia, Warnock's Climate Activism Contrasts Sharply with Walker's Deep Skepticism". Inside Climate News. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
- ^ "Libertarians pick Chase Oliver for US president as Trump, Kennedy rejected". Al Jazeera. May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "PLATFORM". CHASE FOR PRESIDENT. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
- ^ "Candidate for U.S Senate (L-GA): Chase Oliver". FOX Carolina News. October 25, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ^ Kenmore, Abraham. "Who is running for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat? Warnock to defend post against icon Walker". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
- ^ "Do Third Parties Help or Harm Democracy?". Divided We Fall. September 27, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ Boehm, Eric (November 18, 2022) "What's Next for Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Who Forced a Runoff in the Georgia Senate Race?", Reason.com. Retrieved December 9, 2002.
- ^ "Results Summary". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
- ^ "United States Senate – November 8, 2022 General Election". Georgia Secretary of State. November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
External links
[edit]- 1985 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American LGBT people
- 21st-century American LGBT people
- 21st-century Georgia (U.S. state) politicians
- American gay politicians
- American political activists
- American anti-war activists
- Activists from Atlanta
- Activists from Tennessee
- Candidates in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections
- Candidates in the 2022 United States Senate elections
- Candidates in the 2024 United States presidential election
- Christian libertarians
- Christians from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Christians from Tennessee
- Georgia (U.S. state) Democrats
- Georgia (U.S. state) Libertarians
- Gay Christians
- LGBT people from Georgia (U.S. state)
- LGBT people from Tennessee
- Libertarian Party (United States) presidential nominees
- People associated with the 2024 United States presidential election
- Politicians from Atlanta
- Politicians from Nashville, Tennessee