The caucus has support of some prominent libertarians, such as comedian Dave Smith, political commentator Tom Woods, and radio host Scott Horton.[8][9] Ron Paul once called the caucus "the libertarian wing of the Libertarian Party."[10][11] The caucus has also been highly controversial, and has been accused by their critics of harboring bigotry or being plants of the Republican Party, which the Mises Caucus denies.[12]
The Mises Caucus has shifted the Libertarian Party further toward the right ever since their party’s national convention in May 2022.[11] As of 2024, the Mises Caucus controls the positions of Secretary and Chair on the Libertarian National Committee as well as 37 state affiliates.[13][14]
In February 2018, the Mises Caucus endorsed LNC member Joshua Smith to challenge Sarwark for party chair in the 2018 Libertarian National Convention. Sarwark defeated Smith, 65–22%. The day prior to the convention, Woods and the caucus organized a parallel event called the Take Human Action Bash, featuring Scott Horton and Ron Paul as speakers, with the latter calling the caucus "the libertarian wing of the Libertarian Party".[15]
In June 2021, the Mises-controlled New Hampshire state affiliate (LPNH) made controversial tweets calling for "legalizing child labor", repealing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and re-opening Gitmo "so that Anthony Fauci and every governor that locked their state down can be sent there".[13] In response, LPNH chair Jilletta Jarvis took control of the state party's digital assets and Twitter account and disavowed the Mises Caucus members of the state party committee.[13][23][24] This move was widely condemned by many in the caucus (and some in the party outside the caucus), including 2020 vice presidential nominee Spike Cohen and former U.S. congressman Justin Amash. LNC Chair Bishop-Henchman moved for the LNC to disaffiliate the LPNH, alleging that the Mises faction had violated the national party's Statement of Principles. Both Jarvis and Bishop-Henchman resigned from their positions after the LNC rejected the disaffiliation motion.[13][23][25]
2022 takeover of the LNC
In 2021, Mises Caucus board member Angela McArdle announced her intention to run for party chair.[26][27] She was later endorsed by the caucus.[28] At the 2022 Libertarian National Convention, McArdle won the party chair election with over 69% of the vote. The caucus also won all the leadership positions on the LNC, and thus completed the takeover of the Libertarian Party by the Mises Caucus.[29]
In April 2022, the Keystone Party of Pennsylvania splintered off from the Libertarian Party as a result of the that year's Mises Caucus takeover in the state.[31]
Angela McArdle, a board member of the Mises Caucus, said in 2021 that the party should be ideologically closer to Ron Paul than Gary Johnson, and that Johnson didn't "put a fire in anyone's hearts".[27]
The Mises Caucus believes the Libertarian Party should focus running political candidates for local offices rather than the statewide or federal offices, since they view the latter as too unrealistic.[41] Additionally they believe in working with the Republican Party to achieve policy objectives, rather than running candidates against them, particularly in statewide and federal offices.[42][43]
In his resignation letter as LNC chair, Bishop-Henchman accused the Mises Caucus of having a "toxic culture" and "bad actors" that is "destroying and driving people away from the party".[13][23][25] In June 2021, former congressman Justin Amash criticized the Mises-controlled New Hampshire affiliate for "edgelording" and being unprofessional in their messaging.[49][50]
In May 2022, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) said that "Members of the Libertarian Party are concerned about the Mises Caucus winning control of the party at the May 26 national convention, ushering in an era of collaboration between the U.S.'s largest third party and the hard-right movement inside the Republican Party".[52] The SPLC said that Caucus chair and founder Michael Heise had cited donations received from Patrick M. Byrne and nominated Daryl Brooks for Governor of Pennsylvania.[52] Both Byrne and Brooks promoted the conspiracy theory that the 2020 presidential electionwas stolen from Donald Trump, the SPLC said.[53][54]
Notes
^The Libertarian Party nominates their candidates for President and Vice President (VP) separately. Libertarian VP candidates run their own campaigns before the nomination, but do not participate in the primaries
^Mises Caucus chair Michael Heise denies the charges of racism, arguing their appeal is among "youths who are into edgy podcasts".[29] Dempsey, member of the Mises-controlled LPNH affiliate said "I passionately reject the notion that Mises Caucus is completely, or filled with, racists or bigots".[13]
