North Carolina Libertarians highlight freedom message at national convention

By AI, Created 5:41 AM UTC, May 29, 2026, /AGP/ – North Carolina Libertarian leaders took part in a convention marked by sharp debate, officer elections and occasional conflict, while Jo Jorgensen and other speakers argued the party has a growing opening as voters grow frustrated with Republicans and Democrats. The gathering in Grand Rapids also showcased libertarian activism on criminal justice, food policy, sound money, surveillance, war powers and property rights.

Why it matters: - The Libertarian Party is trying to present itself as a serious alternative for voters dissatisfied with both major parties. - North Carolina activists used the national convention to showcase local leadership, candidate development and a broader freedom-focused message. - The convention also showed how the party mixes policy debate, protest and activism in a way that can appeal to outsiders looking for a different political lane.

What happened: - Jo Jorgensen, a former Libertarian presidential nominee and potential future candidate, addressed delegates at the 2026 Libertarian National Committee convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan. - Jorgensen said her earlier description of libertarianism now makes her “cringe” because she believes the two major parties now advance “only bad ideas.” - She argued that Republican and Democratic failures create “a unique opportunity for the Libertarian Party” to offer a serious alternative. - The North Carolina delegation included former gubernatorial candidates Barbara Howe and Steven DiFiore, LPNC Chair Ryan Brown and Communications Director Rob Yates. - Former LPNC Chair Susan Hogarth served as a delegate and was elected to the Libertarian National Committee as the Region 5 representative. - Region 5 includes North Carolina. - Rob Yates was nominated for LNC chair and used his speech to focus on membership growth, candidate recruitment and fundraising. - Yates said the party’s ultimate performance metric is “Freedom.”

The details: - Delegates debated how the national party should support state affiliates and individual members. - The convention also included votes on bylaws, process questions, officers and governing committees for the next term. - A noisemaker was used in one incident to drown out a speaker a delegate found provocative and offensive. - Police removed a delegate after an alleged assault on another delegate outside the event hall, following escalating arguments from inside the convention floor. - Speakers and sessions covered criminal justice reform, food freedom, sound money, surveillance, war powers, property rights and citizen journalism. - Dr. Sheena Meade of The Clean Slate Initiative discussed automatic record-clearing laws for people with past criminal records. - Lyn Ulbricht described her coalition work for clemency and criminal justice reform, with a focus on proportional sentencing, due process and federal prosecution in the digital age. - Joel Salatin criticized corporatization of the food supply and argued government policy blocks local, healthy food alternatives. - Justin Amash addressed the convention and drew on his decade in Congress as a voice for individual liberty, limited government, fiscal restraint and constitutional fidelity. - The artist known as Free hosted a game show called “Are You Smarter Than a Politician?” featuring Jo Jorgensen, Chase Oliver, Lars Mapstead and Ammon Bundy. - J.P. Cortez of the Sound Money Defense League discussed efforts to restore gold and silver as constitutional money through education, advocacy, legislative projects and research. - Rebecca Whiting, a U.S. Army medic who served two tours in Iraq, spoke on Memorial Day and called for gutting the military-industrial complex and focusing defense policy on the U.S. homeland. - Ford Fischer described using raw documentary footage and livestreams to show political movements and interactions with police, federal agents and other state forces. - John Padfield warned about warrantless privacy invasions through Flock cameras, mass data storage and AI-driven surveillance tools. - Ammon Bundy discussed grassroots movements centered on civil liberties, property rights and local control. - Bundy founded the People’s Rights Network, a decentralized activist organization formed to oppose government policies seen as violations of individual freedom. - The Libertarian Party of North Carolina describes itself as North Carolina’s leading alternative to the traditional two-party system. - Yates said libertarians view policies as “more or less Free” rather than dividing people into Left and Right. - Yates said growing government control over more than one-third of the economy and expanding surveillance and coercion are pushing more people toward a strong third-party option. - More information about the party’s platform and governance is available at the party website. - More information about the Libertarian Party of North Carolina and its candidates is available at the LPNC website. - The release also points readers to the party’s Facebook page.

Between the lines: - The convention appears designed to do two things at once: settle internal party business and keep the movement energized around a broader anti-establishment message. - The mix of policy panels, activist voices and disruptive incidents suggests a party comfortable with conflict as long as it stays tied to its core freedom narrative. - North Carolina’s visible role signals the state affiliate is trying to punch above its weight inside the national organization.

What’s next: - Delegates elected officers and governing committees for the next term, setting up the national party’s next phase of work. - The party will continue pushing membership growth, candidate recruitment and fundraising as it tries to become more politically effective. - North Carolina Libertarians will likely use the convention and its elected representation to strengthen the state affiliate’s influence inside the national party.

The bottom line: - The Libertarian Party’s national convention doubled as both a showcase and a stress test, with North Carolina delegates helping push a freedom-first message while the party works to turn outsider energy into real political power.