Fellow Libertarians,
My name is Jeff Lyons, and I am the Region 8 (Northeast) representative to the Libertarian National Committee and a lifetime member of the Libertarian Party. I am writing today to tell you about my friend Billy Hunt, who is again running for a state representative seat from Rhode Island’s 68th District, this time in a special election.
I have had the pleasure of meeting Bill Hunt of Warren, R.I., several times. Billy is a well-spoken, intelligent, successful, dedicated family man. He is a compassionate Libertarian with a salesman’s gift for communicating the Libertarian message unapologetically and inoffensively. He has represented Libertarian principles on stage in debates, in the media, and on the radio. He has regularly earned more than 2,000 votes in the general election for this seat, and he has done so on his own shoe leather, personally walking his district and bringing the Libertarian message to every door in Bristol and Warren with very little help.
Billy can win this thing with the help of other committed Libertarian activists. Find out more at his campaign website: HopeWithHunt.com
By winning this campaign, Billy will shatter the myth that this country is forever stuck with a two-party system and all the obstacles that go with it. He has been working hard and investing his precious time — away from his business and his family — to advocate for liberty in our lifetime. He is within striking distance of victory.
Billy ran for this office in the past two general elections and was narrowly defeated by an opponent who bought his way to the Democratic nomination. Newly elected progressive Democrat Laufton Ascencao resigned on Dec. 5 before taking the oath of office. Representative-elect Ascencao admitted to lying about sending out a campaign mailer for local Town Council candidates prior to the Nov. 6 election. Ascencao provided the local candidates with copies of a forged invoice and altered cancelled checks, then instructed the candidates to use that information to complete their campaign finance reports.
Incumbent state Rep. Kenneth Marshall was also shamed for campaign finance complaints, which is presumably why he chose not to run for reelection to a fourth term, instead endorsing Ascencao’s primary opponent. Marshall is now running as an independent to avoid competition in the Democratic special primary, a situation that should favor Libertarian Bill Hunt by splitting Democrat-leaning voters in the general election.
In contrast to these scandals, Bill is a man of unalterable character — a statesman who still believes there is hope for Rhode Island’s 68th, and who wants to restore providence, honesty, and responsibility to Rhode Island’s representation in Providence.
This special election will feature ONE of the two Democrats running in a Feb. 5 primary, plus TWO independents, and Libertarian Bill Hunt. The three former or elected Democrats will split the progressive vote, leaving incumbent (who is already in the doghouse) and the Democratic nominee at a disadvantage.
Special elections are likely to have lower voter turnouts, and with FOUR candidates, 50 percent is NOT necessary to win! Libertarian Bill Hunt already has more than 2,000 voters identified from past November elections. Learn more about all his campaign is doing and how people can help at his website: HopeWithHunt.com
Democrats will face a struggle to identify voters who will support their particular candidate rather than the other Democrats in the race! Hunt’s campaign, on the other hand, can easily mobilize the supporters it has already identified and instead focus on reaching out to confused and disenfranchised Democratic voters.
A win for Bill Hunt is a win for the Libertarian Party and the whole libertarian movement. If Bill Hunt wins this race, it will be an absolute game-changer for Libertarian candidates in 2020. This election is incredibly important. No matter what happens on March 5, none of us should look back at this campaign wishing we had done more to launch the Libertarian Party to the main stage.
This is election is a huge opportunity for the Libertarian Party. Bill Hunt’s campaign website is mobilizing Libertarian activists now, ready to take full advantage of this opportunity to spread Liberty!
Learn more here: HopeWithHunt.com
Thanks for all you do to advocate and advance the liberty of others!
In liberty,
Jeff Lyons
Region 8 Alternate, Libertarian National Committee
Chair, Libertarian Party of Massachusetts
