“Smaller, simpler government” is a hallmark of Governor Mitt Romney’s campaign - yet for Bay Area Libertarians, these words stand in contrast to Mitt Romney’s record.
“The father of Romneycare will not abolish Obamacare,” said Mark Hinkle, a former chairman of the Libertarian Party and a candidate for California State Senate in 2010.
Hinkle says that a vast majority of California Libertarians will likely vote for former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, the Libertarian nominee, rather than Mitt Romney, especially if Romney does not put Congressman Ron Paul on the ticket.
According to Carla Howell, executive director of the Libertarian Party and an opponent of Mitt Romney in the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election, supporters of Ron Paul have no reason to support the Romney campaign.
“Mitt Romney raised taxes, raised spending, championed and initiated Romneycare, and signed into law the New England cap and trade. He is big government to the core,” said Howell.
“Mitt Romney is the opposite of Ron Paul and Gary Johnson,” Howell added.
Mountain View Vice Mayor John Inks, also an active Libertarian, echoed that view.
“I see the Republicans and Democrats as both being the 'war and tax' parties,” said Inks, who is running for re-election this year.
For now, it seems unlikely that Ron Paul will either be selected as Mitt Romney’s Vice-Presidential choice or mount a third-party challenge, due to his desire to support the career of his son, Rand Paul, who is currently a U.S. Senator from Kentucky.
“Ron Paul wants to leave a legacy to his son. Running as a third party would throw a monkey-wrench into that machine,” said Hinkle.
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