Relations with State Parties
Libertarian State Parties provide a substantial part of the volunteer and other support for Presidential Campaigns. The Browne Campaign’s treatment of state Party relationships in 1996-2000 does not appear to provide a positive model for future Libertarian campaigns.
Between the National Convention and Labor Day, relations between Browne and the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party went badly downhill. Repercussions last to the present. In 1996, only activists knew what had happened, but by 2000 many State Party members knew. Between 1996 and 2000 Browne’s popular vote in Pennsylvania in the November Election fell by 62%.
In 1996 Pennsylvania had more national party members than all but a few other states. Its activists were vigorous and active, making it a natural for a Presidential campaign tour. State Party Chair Ken Sturzenacker reports spending weeks negotiating with Browne staffer Terry Bronson, trying to set up dates for a tour. A final agreement included the week around Labor Day, putting Browne in Philadelphia at Independence Hall at the traditional start of the campaign season. The tour included seven metropolitan areas stretching from Philadelphia to Wilkes-Barre to Philadelphia, with unique events at each stop. A fundraising dinner had already presold 200 tickets. Browne would make an early-morning hand-shaking appearance at a Stroudsburg commuter bus station used by Wall Street brokers to travel (nearly two hours, each way, every day) to work. In addition to the Independence Hall appearance, Browne was to pass through Philadelphia on an open tour bus, appearing with other LP candidates and a traditional string band.
The first sign of trouble came two weeks before the appearance. According to Sturzenacker, he received a ‘strange and troubling’ telephone call from Browne campaign associate Geoff Braun, cancelling the Stroudsburg appearance. According to Sturzenacker, “Braun curtly told me that ‘Harry doesn’t do that sort of stuff’ “.
Two days later, reports Sturzenacker, the Browne trip was cancelled. While he was the State Party Chair and host and had arranged the trip, Sturzenacker maintains that he was never contacted by the Browne campaign about the change of plans. Instead, Sturzenacker received an email from Tim Moir, the local Regional Representative to the Libertarian National Committee, saying that Moir had been called by Perry Willis and informed that the trip was cancelled. As Sturzenacker learned when he was finally able to reach Willis, the email was correct.
According to Pennsylvania activists, the cancellation caused massive disruptions around the state. The Berks County LP had to refund the 200 tickets it had already sold. Philadelphia Press and Party members, who had in many cases adjusted Labor Day plans to meet Browne, had to change arrangements at the last moment. The host of one event had to stand at the site telling people who showed up to see Browne that Browne would not be there. Michael Sensor, Editor of the eZine LibertyCap, reported in 2000 that he had tried to interview a Browne campaign official about the cancellation. Sensor received a flat ‘No Comment’ in response to his questions.
By the end of 1996, Browne’s political machinations had created a reputation that would permanently mar his future achievements. A politician’s word to other politicians is his stock in trade. By breaking his promises to his fellow politicians in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, Browne destroyed the political capital that permitted him to deal with activists in those states. In later years, Browne was to skip further opportunities to build political capital by travelling to advance the Party. In 1997, then-Libertarian Murray Sabrin ran a large-scale campaign to be elected Governor of New Jersey. He raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, got to debate his major opponents, drew 5% of the vote, and according to one exit poll saved Christine Whitman’s re-election drive: He selectively drew votes from her Democratic challenger, James McGreavey. Browne could have campaigned for Sabrin; he did not. In 2001, Nashville, Tennessee was rocked by demonstrations opposing a proposed state income tax. The demonstrations were led by Libertarian activists and radio talk show hosts. Browne was regularly invited to make the drive from his Tennessee home to Nashville to appear and speak; equally regularly, Browne did not appear in Nashville. New Jersey and Tennessee activists also did not forget Browne’s absence.
