[Lnc-votes] [Lnc-business] Fwd: Request for Support/Marketing Funding - Rhode Island Presidential Petition Drive

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Pat Ford" <potax...@yahoo.com>
Date: Jul 17, 2016 6:38 AM
Subject: Request for Support/Marketing Funding - Rhode Island Presidential Petition Drive
To: "Pat Ford" <potax...@yahoo.com>
Cc: "Arvin Vohra" <vice...@lp.org>, "Nicholas Sarwark" <ch...@lp.org>, "Bill Redpath" <william...@lp.org>

Mr. Vohra

The Rhode Island Libertarian Party respectfully requests 1000$ from the National Libertarian Party to support its efforts to place Gary Johnson/Bill Weld on the Rhode Island Ballot.

Background

Rhode Island is a challenging opportunity/market for the Libertarian Movement. After several years of inactivity, the RI LP "Turned The Lights On" just this past November. Successfully holding its first convention in May, our first year of engagement has been largely successful. We hold 2-3 events per month. The RI LP has engaged with "Be The Change", a community kitchen that is funded privately. RI LP Members staff the kitchen monthly, with cash contributions to support their efforts. The Party was the only political presence to march in the Providence Pride Parade .. with over 10,000 members of the LGTQA community participating .. our commitment to Liberty was on display. We recently received our first major endorsement of the Johnson Campaign. We actively engage in "earned media" ... with Gary Johnson scoring a front page, top o' the fold, interview in the Providence Journal, and Bill Weld calling in our local Cumulus affiliate from the Convention Floor. Party officials are routinely on local cable & radio.

We host the only AM/FM Libertarian Talk Radio show in New England ... where Libertarian Candidates from Gary Johnson to Thom Simmons get a free, significant forum in Southern New England. Finally, we are proud to note that the Libertarian Party has 3 declared candidates for the Rhode Island General Assembly, and two candidates for local town councils

Challenges

Rhode Island has a strong, recent history of presenting independent third parties. Ironically, this presents a significant hurdle to our success. Lincoln Chafee, an abysmal failure as a Governor, was elected as an independent. In the most recent Gubernatorial Race, Bob Healy garnered 23% of the vote .. with the local GOP claiming that he "threw" the election to the Democrat. Frankly, both parties are not enthralled with the prospect of another third party, with the added dimension of a strong national presence backing it. Rhode Island has been overwhelmingly Democratic for over 70 years. Barack Obama received pluralities only larger in Vermont & The District of Columbia. If there was ever a case of "Political Christians in the Coliseum", we are it.

Petitioning

The Rhode Island Libertarian Party is committed to staffing its own petition drive, which, under state law, began just last week. We have already engaged in a joint petition day with Massachusetts, and are planning to help in New Hampshire. Our own prospects are not without challenges, however. We may "only" need 1000 signatures, but we are state with less than 1 million people ... and we fully expect to be challenged at every turn. Our limited resources are torn between support of our 5 LP Candidates .. and the need to participate in a united 50 state turnout.

Your support of our efforts, in marketing our petition drives is crucial. Rhode Island will be the epicenter of a rebirth of the New England Libertarian Movement. We just need a little help ...

Warmest Regards

Pat Ford

Rhode Island Chair

617.835.1899