Mary Matalin, a longtime Republican consultant and aide to both Presidents Bush, has endorsed a libertarian for president in 2016.
Matalin wrote that she supports Austin Petersen, a 35-year-old former producer of Judge Andrew Napolitano’s show on the Fox Business Network, because of his “distinguished and dedicated career in advocacy for the principles upon which this country has founded and under which it has thrived.”
“In an ideal world, the GOP would continue to be the natural home of libertarian principles,” Matalin wrote in the Libertarian Republic. “Unfortunately, both parties have decimated the first principles that made this country great over the last 80+ years. The Democratic Party, steeped in progressive, liberal philosophy, has consistently fought for consolidated, centralized political power at the expense of individual self-determination. In recent years, the GOP has been less rigorous in providing a robust loyal opposition.”
She continued, “In these tumultuous times of domestic and global uncertainty, the country would be well served with Austin Petersen on the national ballot along with the two established party candidates.”
Matalin joins other anti-Trump voters on the right such as conservative personality Erick Erickson, who want the Libertarian Party to choose Petersen over 2012 nominee Gary Johnson and John McAfee, the computer anti-virus creator.
The Libertarian Party’s convention begins in Orlando, Fla., on Thursday.
