Florida Liberty!

Libertarians got praise from continued electoral efforts: http://www.sptimes.com/2004/11/04/Hillsborough/Snow_s_showing_leads_.shtml

Libertarians have  moved from 5 people in office in 2000 to some 35. Says the article:

TAMPA - Florida Libertarians, those no-tax, stay-out-of-my-bedroom types, managed some respectable third-party performances in Tuesday's general election.

Sure, several of its candidates crossed the finish line with percentages of 2, 3 and 5 percent. But others polled over 20 percent, numbers rarely seen by any party challenging the Republican and Democratic political duopoly. In one South Florida race Libertarian Frank Gonzalez managed to garner 27.6 percent of the vote for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Number-wise, though, no Libertarian did better in Florida state House or congressional elections than Kim Snow, a software consulting company executive from Carrollwood.

Taking on Republican incumbent Kevin Ambler, she got 31 percent of the vote in a low-budget campaign for his northwest Hillsborough County seat in the state House of Representatives.

That pleased Florida Libertarian Party administrator Ralph Swanson, whose definition of political success is broader that many organizers.

"We here in the party have a rule of thumb: If we can get 30 percent, people will respect us," he said. "Kim Snow did a good job."

(...) With more money, Snow is confident she could have been even more competitive. Unlike Ambler, who had an army of volunteers, a mountain of brochures and a $200,000 war chest, Snow had just enough money for 1,500 fliers and some 60-second radio ads at the end of the campaign.

By taking 31 percent of the vote, Snow may have crossed the threshold to credibility, said Libertarian Charlie Westlake. That could help her raise money if she runs again, he said.

"It's very encouraging," said Westlake, who was creamed when he ran against Davis two years ago. "In the real world . . . you can't really attract money and support unless they believe you're a viable candidate."