New Libertarian Party Chair Rejects Alliances With Major Parties

Evan McMahon, the newly elected chair of the Libertarian Party, said the organization will not seek deals with either major party in exchange for influence or positions. "There's no deals that can be made for a cabinet position when you're sacrificing our set of principles in our platform," McMahon told Reason.

He described the previous approach of inviting major-party figures to the party's events as inconsistent with the group's platform. McMahon said the party must focus on running its own candidates rather than attempting to leverage voters for access to other parties.

McMahon supported the convention's decision to disaffiliate the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire. He called the move necessary after the state group endorsed a major-party candidate in 2024 instead of the Libertarian nominee. The former affiliate had also posted content described as racist, bigoted, and authoritarian on social media, McMahon said.

He stated that the group had become toxic to the party's brand and candidates.

McMahon set a target of 66,000 sustaining members, defined as those donating at least $25 annually, by 2028. He noted that more than 700,000 voters are currently registered as Libertarians nationwide. He said stronger local membership is required to field candidates and volunteers at all levels of government.

McMahon has chaired the Libertarian Party of Indiana since 2021 and previously worked on Republican campaigns before joining the Libertarian Party in 2010. McMahon addressed past criticism regarding a 2003 arrest that resulted in a guilty plea to burglary and drug charges and three years of house arrest.

He said the incident led to sobriety and described it as having saved his life. He also clarified a social-media post from the pandemic period that urged people to stay home, stating it was a call for personal responsibility rather than support for government mandates.