Cindy Schroeder

cschroeder@enquirer.com

The Libertarian Party of Kentucky has 17 candidates running for public office in November’s election, including nine in Northern Kentucky, the most candidates that party’s had in a decade.

Most of the Northern Kentucky Libertarians are seeking office in Boone County, where six filed a statement of candidacy to run by Tuesday’s deadline.

Libertarianism holds that a person should be free to live as that person chooses, accepting responsibility for their own actions, without forcibly effecting the lives of others.

“I would have liked to have seen more candidates statewide, but we had a good turnout in Northern Kentucky,” said Pendleton County resident Ken Moellman, state executive committee chair for the Libertarian Party of Kentucky. “The leadership up here has done a great job (recruiting candidates).”

Moellman, who is running for Pendleton County judge-executive on the Libertarian ticket, is among the Northern Kentucky Libertarians running this fall. In November, he will face Republican David S. Fields and one of four Democrats, Andrew Coleman, J. Sonny Caldwell, Lee R. “LR” Faulkner Jr. and Rob Bertram.

Moellman said Libertarians are fielding more state and local candidates largely because they want to offer voters a choice.

“We’ve often been accused of splitting votes, but we have never been about that,” Moellman said. “We just want to give voters a choice. A lot of people get scared into voting for the lesser of two evils because they don’t have another choice.”

Greg Shumate, the Kenton County GOP chairman, said he doesn’t think the Libertarian candidates will have much of an impact, because most people want their vote to count, and Libertarians end up splitting their votes between the Democratic and Republican candidates.

“In the statewide races, clearly there’s a percentage of folks that align themselves with the Libertarian Party and they’ve certainly made some strides as a third party,” Shumate said. “But I think most people are going to choose their candidate from one of the major parties.”

Although many Libertarian candidates may lack the political experience of their Republican or Democratic counterparts, Moellman said all have extensive professional experience and/or civic involvement.

Also part of the Libertarian ticket in Boone County is John (J. Kyle) Sweeney of Union, who is running for judge-executive. Sweeney, a real estate investor, previously told The Enquirer that he sees himself as a viable candidate and believes that he can get a significant number of votes. Other candidates in that race include former Florence Councilwoman Patricia “Pat” Wingo, who is running as an Independent, and two Republicans, incumbent Judge-executive Gary Moore and District 1 County Commissioner Matt Dedden.

In other Boone County races, Libertarian Josh Brotherton of Hebron is running for Boone County commissioner in District 1. This fall, he’ll face one of five Republicans: Anthony “Tony” Jones, Mike Bailey, Cathy Flaig, Christy Vogt Mollozzi and Adam Chaney.

Libertarian Cristi Kendrick from Florence is running for District 2 County Commission in Boone County. Others in that race include Democrat Franklin Messer and Republicans Phyllis Sparks and Charles Kenner, the incumbent.

In the District 3 Boone County commissioner race, Libertarian James Bozman of Florence is running. He will face one of two Republicans, incumbent Charlie Walton or Thomas Szurlinski.

Elsewhere in Boone County, Libertarian William R. Mitchell Jr. of Hebron is running for the 66th District state House seat now held by Republican Addia Wuchner of Florence. Also filing a statement of candidacy in that race is Independent Patrick R. Bailey of Burlington.

In Kenton County, Libertarian Christopher M. Robinson of Covington filed a statement of candidacy to run for county clerk against Republican Gabrielle Summe, the current office holder.

Libertarian David Capano is running for Campbell County constable in District 3. He will face one of two Republicans in the fall, incumbent Ken Warden of Fort Thomas and David Arthur of Alexandria.⬛