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Libertarian Wyllie declares for governor
Posted Jan 15, 2013 by William March
Updated Jan 15, 2013 at 06:55 PM
While Democrats are only beginning to consider their challenger against Florida Gov. Rick Scott for re-election in 2014, Libertarian candidate Adrian Wyllie of Dunedin has already declared.
Wyllie, 42, who said he owns an IT consulting firm and is co-host of a radio talk show broadcast on a few stations in the Tampa area, is making his first run for public office since a 1998 attempt at a Dunedin City Council seat. He’s married with two sons.
He said he’s been a Libertarian for 20 years—“since I was aware the party existed”—and can’t remember if he ever registered to vote as a Democrat or Republican.
Wyllie said he’s “following in the trail blazed by Ron Paul and Gary Johnson in 2012”—both Libertarians, although Paul ran as a Republican and Johnson also did so initially in the 2012 GOP presidential primary.
Wyllie said he knows he’ll have to run a campaign with little money, a task particularly daunting in Florida’s huge, TV advertising-oriented political arena, and plans to do it by recruiting 6,000 volunteers, at least one in every Florida voting precinct.
Like many Libertarians, Wyllie hold some positions that seem taken from the left side of the ideological spectrum and some from the right.
He opposes government bans on both marijuana and abortion—“Personally, I am pro-life, but government is not the solution to that problem,” he said.
But he also favors what some hard-line tea partiers call “nullification,” or refusal of state government to comply with federal laws it considers unconstitutional—specifically, the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, and many executive orders he said have been issued by presidents of both parties. He believes industries should be able to manufacture and sell goods within their own state borders with no federal taxation or regulation, including gun control laws, gasoline taxes and pollution regulation.
“If elected, I will defend all Floridians from any unconstitutional Congressional act, Executive Order or United Nations mandate,” he said in a news release.
Wyllie blamed Scott for “rolling over” to the Obama administration on Obamacare and federal gun control.
Concerning the nation’s economic problems, he said, “The Tea Party says the government is to blame. The Occupy movement says the bankers are to blame. They’re both right.”
“The American people are ready for a third party, they’re desperate for a third party,” he said in an interview.
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Reader Comments
Por (Tampa Bay Libertarian) on January 15, 2013 (Suggest removal)
Wyllie forgets to mention that his time as LPF chair has included extoring $600 from Libertarian candidate Franklin Perez, massive splurges of party money, and endorsements of GOP cronies like Connie Mack.
Of course as long as he keeps himself in the newspaper that is all that matters.
Suggest removalPor (AlexanderSnitker) on January 15, 2013 (Suggest removal)
It is great to see the Tribune writing a fair and accurate article about a Libertarian candidate for office.
Adrian is a great candidate and worthy of support. Become one of the 6,000 today and help him restore our economic and personal liberty.
Suggest removalPor (tward1979) on January 16, 2013 (Suggest removal)
He’ll need all the help he can get, and how nice would it be to have a candidate not affliated with the D’s and R’s to shake things up a bit (Not you, Charley Crist, we’ve seen your true colors)?
Suggest removalPor (MichelleMartin) on January 16, 2013 (Suggest removal)
It is time for a strong Governor who will stand in defense of the people of THIS state.
Suggest removalHe has my support!
Por (PeterDRichter) on January 16, 2013 (Suggest removal)
It’s about time we get a gubernatorial candidate that will stand up to the R’s and D’s. I had high hopes for Rick Scott, but when it came down to it, he has caved in on so many issues and it’s been very disappointing. We need someone that understands Nullification is a way of protecting Floridians from unconstitutional violations of our rights, which is happening at an ever quickening pace.
Suggest removalPor (JMG13) on January 17, 2013 (Suggest removal)
This is excellent news. I, along with most of my friends and family are completely disgusted with the actions of the Florida GOP and the Democrats. I am tired of both parties promising one thing and doing another all the while they work together to take our rights and expand the size and scope of government (including bailing out their crony friends).
Having a third viable choice on the ballot in 2014 will be a welcome change. I will no longer vote for the “lesser of two evils” because that is the strategy that resulted in the mess we have today.
I’d like to volunteer to be one of the 6,000 Mr. Wyllie is looking for in his campaign team as well.
Suggest removalPor (finzz) on January 17, 2013 (Suggest removal)
While I don’t agree with Mr. Wyllie on abortion (I believe that government is a large part of the solution), I think on the issues he is a strong candidate for governor who we could count on to stand up for states’ and individual rights against the ever encroaching federal government, as well as a model of fiscal responsibility. I just wonder how he will overcome the Snitker Paradox.
Suggest removal