Libertarian Carolyn Clift, who ran for governor on the Libertarian ticket in 2014 and became the spoiler who handed Bill Walker the governorship, is the person who will fill the vacant lieutenant governor’s spot on her party’s ticket in 2018.
Billy Toien is running as the Libertarian candidate for governor; he was unopposed in the primary and there was no one running for lieutenant governor on that ticket. Without a running mate in place by Sept. 4, his name would have to be dropped from the ballot.
Clift made the announcement on Twitter on Thursday, but the party’s executive committee met in June and unanimously voted to advance Clift as the running mate for Toien.
She also made this statement in opposition to the Office of Children’s Services:
A retired teacher, she is a former secretary of the Alaska Libertarian Party. During the 2014 Primary Election, she won 10,436 votes for governor, 16 percent of all votes cast. In the General Election, 8,985 Alaskans chose her, some 3.2 percent of voters.
It could be said that she cost Republicans the election. Clift drained off enough votes from Republican Sean Parnell that he lost to Bill Walker by 6,223 votes.
Update: Libertarians contacting Must Read Alaska say no party meeting has been called, as required, to add Clift to the ticket, and therefore there is still no official ticket. This story will be updated.
