Writing in the New York Sun, Liz Mair wonders if there is any hope for libertarian minded Democrats in 2008. Unfortunately, the results are not encouraging. As Mair points out, all three of the current front runners are far from what you would describe as libertarian:

First, we have Senator Clinton, master of the big-government welfare state, with its price tag to be paid for with tax increases. Despite all her positioning as a centrist Democrat, she’s voted against repeals of the death tax and deficit reduction bills, as well as free trade legislation. She’s anti-gun with a vengeance and has an F rating from the NRA (a big no-no in the pro-gun West). And, of course, any libertarian voter who was paying attention during the 1990s still remembers and fears HillaryCare. Then, we have the former senator from North Carolina, John Edwards. During his Senate days, he was one of the most fiscally conservative Democrats. But, since then, he’s jumped on the loony-Left bandwagon, bashing Wal-Mart, personally leading a new War on Poverty, and championing tax hikes and large-scale redistribution of wealth. He’s also no friend of gun owners, with his 2002 and 2003 77% ratings from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. And, finally, we have Senator Obama, the man who has served a grand total of two years in the Senate and in that time has voted against every notable bill that would cut taxes. He said during his 2004 campaign for Senate that he would roll back the Bush tax cuts. And, during that same campaign, his opponent blasted him for voting for hundreds of millions of dollars in tax increases and pushing costly new government programs. He also shares the distinction with Mrs. Clinton of an F rating from the NRA.

The one interesting candidate is someone who hasn’t officially announced yet, Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico:

Mr. Richardson scored third best of any Democratic governor for overall current-term performance on Cato’s 2006 Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors. He earned a better grade than 37 other Governors, including 20 Republicans, in part because, during his tenure, New Mexico’s top marginal income tax rate has dropped a remarkable 35%. Mr. Richardson also brings good credentials where immigration, guns, and social issues are concerned. He declared a border emergency in his state in 2005 (so he’s no immigration softie), and he voted against the Brady Bill and other gun control initiatives while in Congress. Yet, Mr. Richardson also has solid, moderate, pro-choice credentials, and is not a proponent of constitutional bans on gay marriage or civil unions. Mr. Richardson’s record and his views could resonate with libertarian Democrats, and that’s something that should give Democratic Party bigwigs pause for thought.

I don’t know much about Richardson, but this sounds encouraging at least. Of course, while he might do well in the West, I think he’d have a harder time in the Northeast and Mid West. And then there is the possibility that there could be some skeltons in his closet. Nonetheless, Richardson strikes me as interesting.