Carla Howell
Carla Howell’s contract to serve as political director for the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) ends on June 30. On behalf of the many Libertarians who have benefited from her contributions, we thank her for her service.
Carla Howell has had a strong positive influence on Libertarian Party communications since she came on board at the LP headquarters in December 2011.
- She edited and managed LP News, keeping membership informed of key campaigns and party activities and their impact.
- She brought us her game “Who’s Driving?,” which continues to be a primary tool for training candidates and activists to advance an agenda for less government and more freedom.
- She organized and led candidate training, wrote the guide Game-Changing Libertarian Communications, and coached and supported hundreds of candidates to help them launch their campaigns, deal with problems that arose, and develop positive and effective campaign platforms.
- She wrote and edited hundreds of press releases and blogs for LP.org, arranged for key LP interviews (e.g., Stossel and The Glenn Beck Program), and was primary liaison to the press.
- She did hundreds of media interviews for the LP and provided background information for press inquiries.
In addition, Howell handled many other needs of the party, including:
- Played a key role in supporting the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns, and the Libertarian national conventions in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
- Recruited candidates and assisted state parties in their recruitment efforts.
- Raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the LP.
- Ran statewide petition drives in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., and helped to coordinate dozens of other ballot-access petition drives and lawsuits.
- Organized the LP’s participation in Paul Fest in 2012 to attract former Ron Paul supporters to the LP.
- Spotlighted Libertarian leadership in protecting the Fourth Amendment through lobbying and rallies throughout the United States.
Carla Howell’s accomplishments prior to having become political director for the LP are unusually impressive. She:
- Won 308,860 votes — 12 percent of the vote — against Ted Kennedy in 2000 as the Massachusetts Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate. For 16 years, that stood as the highest percentage result in the party’s history for a Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate running against both a Democrat and a Republican.
- Organized and managed two statewide ballot initiatives to end the income tax in Massachusetts in 2002 and 2008, and another to roll back the Massachusetts sales tax in 2010. Received endorsements from the Wall Street Journal, Steve Forbes, and the National Taxpayers Union. Won almost 1 million votes each time, in the face of widespread — often vicious — establishment opposition. Her 45 percent of votes to end the income tax shocked the Massachusetts political establishment.
- Ran against Mitt Romney for governor of Massachusetts in 2002 and ran for state auditor in 1998, for which she won the endorsement of the Boston Herald.
- Was a featured stand-alone guest on The O’Reilly Factor, Neil Cavuto, Glenn Beck, Fox Business News Happy Hour, and hundreds of other TV and radio shows.
- Participated in 20 live TV and radio debates.
- Organized a fundraiser and rally for presidential candidate Harry Browne in 1996, which stood as the most successful regional Libertarian Party fundraiser for more than 16 years.
- Was state chair of the Massachusetts Libertarian Party for two terms (1997–99).
- Oversaw the collection of more than 480,000 petition signatures for candidates and ballot initiatives, with a 100 percent success rate of making the ballot.
- Composed and performed the spoof song “How Could I Live Without Filing Taxes?,” which was played on more than 100 radio stations when it was released in 2001.
Gov. Gary Johnson said, “Carla Howell was critical to both the Johnson 2012 and 2016 Libertarian presidential campaigns. She ensured smooth communication between our campaign and the Libertarian national party. She is a tireless worker, who believes in her work. She was very helpful with media, arranging events, and organizing supporters. She is a capable political professional.”
Johnson’s campaign manager, Ron Nielson, said, “I found Carla Howell to be an intelligent, easy to work with, and capable political operative. Her experience in understanding the liberty electorate from her time working in the trenches as both a candidate and as a party operative was very beneficial to our efforts in the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns.”
Carla Howell remains committed to supporting the Libertarian Party and growing the movement for small government, which she passionately advocates.
We know many Libertarians share in our appreciation for her many contributions and look forward to her next project to advance individual freedom.
In liberty,
Nicholas Sarwark, LNC Chair
Arvin Vohra, LNC Vice Chair
Wes Benedict, Executive Director
P.S. Carla Howell can be reached at: CHowell@CenterForSmallGovernment.com
