LPWI Year End Affiliate News

2020 has been a busy year for the LPWI and it’s local affiliates. Many new affiliates were formed with more coming in 2021 as well. Here is a summary of the progress of active affiliates this past year.

Happy New Year!

Here in Milwaukee we are finally regularly meeting again. We have been meeting the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00 pm. The bar/restaurant ‘Kelly’s Bleachers’ on Bluemound Rd have been gracious and accommodating hosts for us and we plan to continue meeting there on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm. Please feel free to join us!

After a crazy election year, we are looking to keeping the momentum going! We had the incredible opportunity this year to host Dr. Jo Jorgensen at Hart Park in Wauwatosa, as well as some of our members helping out with the other Dr. Jo Jorgensen rallies in Oshkosh and Madison! If you missed out on the rallies, or are just looking to stay involved, come join us! We hope to see you soon!

Please reach out to Kristin Walker (walker1683@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

Kristin Walker.

Fox Valley Affiliate.

Onto a better 2021.

This year has been quite the interesting one to say the least. We have had some pretty big successes despite COVID-19 and the government forcing most libertarians off the ballot this year.

Jo Jorgensen put Oshkosh on the map for us.

 

Dr.Jo Jorgensen’s Presidential campaign’s first campaign stop ever in Wisconsin in July was co-organized and hosted by the Fox Valley Libertarians and it was a big success, with all local news networks giving her air time. We also raised thousands of dollars for her campaign and raised money for our organization to start up. We started with under $100 before her campaign stop, and ended with a couple thousand dollars in the bank after all expenses. We have already put that money into promotional merchandise and will be looking at public appearances and events in 2021 if COVID-19 government measures ever cease.

Our organization also were pioneers for the state party to put up blip billboard ads around the state, such as this one appearing in Neenah off of Highway 41N.

Wisconsin had Jo Jorgensen’s vote totals cover the spread and then some between the two major candidates – this means we cannot be ignored or marginalized. It’s enough to show that there are enough people out there who do not like the two-party system and want actual freedom, true freedom.

We’re now looking forward to 2021.

Brian Defferding

This year was our first year as an official affiliate of the LPWI!  We were approved unanimously in July, after a few months of social media and local activism gained us the attention of the state party, and we got right to work!

A few days after joining as an affiliate, our Chair and Vice Chair (Tony & Nadia) were given the incredible honor of speaking at the Jo Jorgensen rally in Oshkosh!  After that point, we were hard at work throughout the summer collecting ballot access signatures, sign waving, door hanging, and all around full-bore activism for the Libertarian movement; along with growing our local membership!

In September, our Chair (Tony) was asked to be the City Manager for Jo Jorgensen’s event in Madison; where we organized a highly memorable and historical bus stop at the base of the Capitol Building!  No permission, no permits, only LIBERTY!  This event brought in the first donations to our Affiliate, which we were able to use toward more campaign efforts throughout the Autumn months (LPDC brochures, door hanging supplies, Affiliate shirts, and a digital billboard for Dr. Jo).

Leading up to the election our Affiliate worked hard to get out the message of Jo Jorgensen and the Libertarian Party.  We hosted a couple of meet-ups and a watch party for the documentary about her campaign “Longing for Liberty”.  Through social media, we have worked tirelessly to grow our audience; from 20 likes on Facebook in June, to now nearly 750, with an average monthly reach that varies between 30-60k+ people!

We live-streamed ALL THREE of Jo Jorgensen’s visits to Wisconsin, which each obtained hundreds of views and engagements, and made a few campaign videos that were uploaded to Youtube; bringing the message of Liberty to places it might otherwise not have been.  We consistently create content to engage our audience, typically infographic or written in nature, though moving forward we plan to shift toward more video and audio content as well!

Through the formation of our Affiliate, we found many local Libertarians willing to rise up to the occasion.  Currently, our ranks sit around 20+ people who are interested or loosely involved in what we have going on, with a solid 10 people actively making things happen up here in Door County!  This has inspired many of us to dedicate ourselves to running for office: in the City Council, Board of Supervisors, and even CONGRESS!

In just 6 months, this Affiliate has really grown in a way that is absolutely inspiring to be a part of!  It is incredibly humbling to be part of such a phenomenal group of individuals all striving for the common goal of LIBERTY IN OUR LIFETIME!  We are only getting started.  This was never about an election, it’s about a rEVOLution!

In Liberty,
Tony Moen
LPDC Chair
doorco4liberty.org

The Taylor County affiliate has been an official but inactive group for a while.  Efforts are underway to re-energize and go forward.  Contact Tom Rasmussen through the link on the affiliates page of the LPWI website if you are interested.

Our affiliate, the Libertarian Party of Central Badgerland, was started in October of this year.  We have had two meetings where we have established a monthly meeting day and location, discussed future fundraising ideas, and begun plans for promotions and educational events.  Pages have been created on Facebook, Mewe, and Parler to help us reach out to people on social media, as well.

Julie Jones

The Kettle Moraines Affiliate was established in Q4 2020. The main focus has been on local government research and membership outreach activities.

Ashley Corning, Chair of the affiliate was appointed to represent Congressional District 6 for the state party.

The 2021 local races are heating up and the affiliate has plans to review and host candidate interviews as well as promote and research opportunities to run candidates under the LP ticket, with the goal to promote the party and freedom in Fond du Lac, Washington, and Sheboygan counties. 

Thank you!
Ashley Corning

Click on the map to see where affiliates are located.

For more information, contact LPWI Affiliate support coordinator Stephen Ecker lpwi_affiliates@outlook.com.

LPWI is looking forward to 2021 and beyond and we hope you will be involved in any way you can.

Mike Hammond
LPWI marketing/membership/fundraising committee.