(Parkersburg, WV, June 2, 2016) - “It’s a crazy election year all over the country,” says Michael Wilson, Chair of the Libertarian Party of West Virginia, “and nowhere more so than here in West Virginia where, astonishingly, the first Republican-controlled legislature in nearly 80 years is on the verge of passing an increase in the sales tax or an even greater increase in tobacco taxes than was already rejected in the House of Delegates.” “Republicans talk a good game about smaller government and then turn around and betray their putative principles every time,” Wilson observed.

“Well, all I have to say,” adds Libertarian candidate for Governor, David Moran, “is ‘thanks, GOP, you’re giving me just the boost I need to convince the public to vote Libertarian this year.’”

Libertarian candidate for Secretary of State, John Buckley, observed, “if the Republicans keep this up, we Libertarian candidates are going to have to record the GOP tax increase vote as a massive, in-kind political contribution on our campaign finance reports.” “I double-dog dare Bill Cole and his Republican majority in the legislature to pass a tax increase,” Buckley said. “There are tens of thousands of voters in West Virginia absolutely fed up with top-heavy government in our state and they’re looking for someone to represent them. Libertarians are offering them that alternative,” he declared.

The Libertarian Party of West Virginia is running a full slate of six statewide candidates, plus another dozen candidates for U.S. House of Representatives, state legislature, and local office.