For Immediate Release Saturday, May 5, 2012
Libertarian Party Nominates Judge James P. Gray for Vice President
LAS VEGAS – The Libertarian Party on Saturday nominated Judge James P. Gray of California for Vice President of the United States, giving him a chance to take his agenda of downsizing the federal government and marijuana decriminalization to Washington.
Jim Gray was declared the party’s Vice Presidential nominee after he won 59 percent of the vote in the first round of balloting. He received 357 votes from the 600 delegates of the National Libertarian Convention held at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.
His closest challenger, Lee Wrights of Texas, finished second with 229 votes.
‘I am proud. I am invigorated. I am excited. With Gov. Gary Johnson. I am determined to bring back prosperity and liberty to the United States of America.’ Judge Gray said.
A successful jurist who lives in Newport Beach, Calif. and presided over the Superior Court of Orange County, Judge Gray has been active in the Libertarian Party for several decades.
He was the 2004 Libertarian Party candidate for the U.S. Senate in California challenging incumbent U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer. He is also the chief proponent of a California ballot initiative called ‘Regulate Marijuana Like Wine’ that, if passed, would decriminalize cannabis consumption and production.
Judge Gray will form a Libertarian Party ticket with Gov. Gary Johnson, who won the party’s Presidential nomination earlier Saturday.
The delegates also gave a long and heartfelt standing ovation to runner up Lee Wrights.
‘I’m not going anywhere,’ said Wrights. ‘This is my home.’
R. Lee Wrights is a long-time Libertarian Party activist, writer and publisher of LibertyForAll.net.
‘I am convinced that Jim Gray will be an exceptional candidate, and a very successful Vice President,’ said Mark Hinkle, Libertarian Party Chair. ‘We have an impressive roster of talent this year to challenge our Big Government opponents not only in the race for the White House, but also in state and local races. The major parties offer Americans only one solution: Bigger government. Libertarians will show voters how we can make government small while dramatically increasing jobs, lowering taxes, and scaling back government debt.’
On Friday, the convention approved a new party platform, which denounced attempts by major U.S. political parties to grant to government the right to regulate the lives of individuals and seize the fruits of their labor without their consent.
The Libertarian Party insisted that individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and to accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make.
The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the United States, which is active in all 50 states and has more than 250,000 registered voters.
Libertarians call for ending government interference in personal, family and business decisions, much lower government spending, repeal of dangerous and unnecessary regulations, lower taxes, a currency free of government manipulation, free trade, and a peaceful, non-interventionist foreign policy.
Millions of Americans have voted for Libertarian Party candidates in past elections throughout the country, despite the fact that many state governments place roadblocks in order to keep third party candidates off the ballot and deprive voters of a real choice.
