Mark Tippetts, the 2018 Libertarian nominee for governor of Texas
Delegates to the Libertarian Party of Texas convention held April 14–15 nominated their candidates for state and national office for this year’s general election. The Amarillo Pioneer reported on the results on April 16. From the article, “Libertarian Party nominates statewide candidates for 2018”:
Over the weekend, the Texas Libertarian Party convention in Houston included speeches from several national Libertarian stars and served as a rally for delegates supporting the party. During the convention, the delegates also cast votes to determine the party’s nominees for the upcoming November election.
First, in the race for the U.S. Senate, Libertarian delegates selected Neil Dikeman to be the party’s nominee. Dikeman, a Houston venture capitalist, won the Libertarian Party’s nomination, defeating his closest opponent, Phil Gray, 195 votes to 116 votes. Shane Newsom, the third candidate in the race, picked up the support of 23 delegates.
In the race for Governor, Mark Tippetts, a Lago Vista City Councilmember, claimed the nomination in an extremely narrow race. Tippetts claimed 157 votes, narrowly topping Kory Watkins at 151 votes. Attorney and 2014 gubernatorial nominee Kathie Glass won 108 votes and Patrick Smith won 81 votes.
Finally, in the race for Attorney General, Michael Ray Harris easily won his race against Jamar Osborne. Harris won 236 votes to Osborne’s 25 votes, according to reports from the Texas Libertarians Facebook group.
Libertarians also nominated several unopposed candidates for many of the remaining statewide offices. Kerry McKennon was nominated for Lieutenant Governor, Ben Sanders for Comptroller, Richard Carpenter for Agriculture Commissioner, Matt Pina for Land Commissioner, Mike Wright for Railroad Commissioner, William Strange III for Court of Criminal Appeals Place 1, and Mark Ash for Court of Criminal Appeals Place 8.
Calvin DeWeese also claimed the nomination for the District 13 U.S. House seat to face incumbent Mac Thornberry, and Jack B. Westbrook won the nomination for Texas Senate, to face incumbent Kel Seliger. DeWeese and Westbrook were both nominated unopposed.
The election will be held on November 6.
For more information, visit LPTexas.org or the party’s Facebook page, here.
