Madsen held a press conference at 1:30 Monday afternoon in Salt Lake City, stating, “Today I announce that I am joining the Libertarian party and will support the Libertarian presidential ticket of Governor’s Gary Johnson and Bill Weld.”
He had served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention, but said rather than driving him away from the GOP, the Convention had failed to deter his decision to make the switch.
“Both parties use the government to pick winners and losers, in business, in healthcare, in the environment, in education, in every aspect of life. Both parties expand existing programs, create new programs and expand programs set to sunset even if the purpose is no longer needed. Differences among us are accentuated, and our core rights, enshrined in our constitution, rather than being upheld as inviolate, are too often seen as impediments to the expansion of the state.”
Madsen was joined by Nebraska State Senator Laura Ebke and Libertarian National Committee Chair, Nicholas Sarwark.
Madsen, a two-term state senator from Eagle Mountain, Utah, is now one of several current and former elected officials to register Libertarian and/or endorse the ticket including:
Max Abramson – State Representative (NH)
Tom Campbell – Representative (CA)
Laura Ebke – State Senator (NE)
Dawson Hodgson – State Senator (RI)
Danny Jones – Mayor (Charleston, WV)
Jeff Kraus – Mayor (Bozeman, MT)
Nicholas Schwaderer – State Representative (MT)
Lisa Torraco – State Senator (NM)
Jesse Ventura – Governor (MN)
Daniel Zolnikov – State Representative (MT)
Madsen has described himself as a believer in free choice in health care and education as well as a champion of free trade and free market solutions.
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