Republican Liberty Caucus

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Infobox political party

The Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) is a political action organization dedicated to promoting the ideals of individual liberty, limited government and free market economics within the Republican Party in the United States.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is part of the libertarian wing of the Republican Party.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It also operates a political action committee, the RLC-USA PAC.<ref>RLC-USA PAC</ref>

The organization was founded in 1991 and has chapters in many states.<ref>History of the Republican Liberty Caucus. 2-20-2011. Retrieved April 16, 2011.</ref> In 2011, the organization hosted its National Convention in Arlington, Virginia.<ref>Republican Liberty Caucus Celebrates Twenty Years. 2-15-2011. Retrieved April 16, 2011.</ref> The 2013 convention was held in Austin, Texas and the 2015 National Convention was hosted in Nashua, New Hampshire.

File:RLC Logo small.jpg

RLC logo in 2006

IssuesEdit

The RLC works within the Republican Party to influence the party to adopt the RLC's agenda.<ref>Guinta, Peter. GOP warns dissident wing. Quoting William Westmiller, former RLC National Chair. Palm Beach Post, 7-2-2008. Retrieved April 19, 2011.</ref> As activist Tom Heitman put it, "We're trying to reintroduce the Republican platform to the Republican Party."<ref>Scott, Sam. Ron Paul Cured Their Apathy. Star News, 5-3-2008. Quoting Tom Heitman, Cape Fear RLC. Retrieved April 19, 2011.</ref>

The RLC favors individual freedom and limited government.<ref>Moffett gets support of Republican Liberty Caucus. Lexington Herald-Leader, 4-14-2011. Retrieved April 19, 2011.</ref> Specifically, the RLC favors reduced government intrusion, lower taxes, elimination of federal agencies, less regulation, a strong national defense with fewer military bases abroad, and no foreign aid.<ref>Guinta, Peter. GOP warns dissident wing. Palm Beach Post, 7-2-2008. Retrieved April 19, 2011.</ref>

In 2010, the Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas denounced the new state Republican Party platform that supported criminalization of sodomy and making same-sex marriage a felony.<ref>Mataconis, Doug. Texas RLC Denounces Anti-Gay Planks in Party Platform. UnitedLiberty.org, 6-26-2010. Retrieved April 19, 2011.</ref>

LeadershipEdit

Template:Abbr	Image	Chairman	Term	State<ref>The Republican Liberty Caucus Library, Republican Liberty Caucus: Background and Early History, accessed November 24, 2011. Template:Webarchive</ref>	Notes<ref>The Republican Liberty Caucus, History of our Movement, accessed November 24, 2011.</ref>
1		Eric Rittberg	1991–1992	Florida
2	File:Roger MacBride.jpg	Roger MacBride	1992–1995	Florida
3	File:Ron paul.jpg	Ron Paul	1995–2000	Texas
4	File:Chuck-Muth.jpg	Chuck Muth	2000–2001	Nevada
5	File:Ron paul.jpg	Ron Paul	2001–2002	Texas	(Honorary)
6		Douglas Lorenz	2002–2004	California
7		Bill Westmiller	2004–2009	California
8		Shepard Humphries	2007–2008	Wyoming
9	File:Davenalle.jpg	Dave Nalle	2009–2013	Texas
10		Matthew Nye	2013–2023	Florida
11	File:John Dennis (14045512711).jpg	John Dennis	2023–Present	California

EndorsementsEdit

Presidential endorsementsEdit

The Republican Liberty Caucus' process for endorsing presidential candidates is described in the organization's Bylaws and Rules:

A candidate for President of the United States may be endorsed by the Caucus by a 2/3 vote of the active and voting Chartered state's executive committees. The national Secretary shall notify all Chartered states of a favorable national board proposal for endorsement and state executive officers shall inform the Secretary of the approval or denial by their executive committee within 60 days.<ref>Bylaws and Rules of the Republican Liberty Caucus</ref>

Since the Caucus' founding in 1991, only three candidates have reached this level of support: Steve Forbes 1996, Ron Paul in 2012 and Rand Paul in 2016. When Forbes ran again in 2000, the organization remained neutral in that primary and did not endorse another specific Republican candidate in any presidential primary until December 30, 2011, when the RLC endorsed Ron Paul for President.<ref>Republican Liberty Caucus endorses Ron Paul</ref> In 2016, his son Rand Paul was also endorsed by the RLC.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Notable 2012 endorsementsEdit

On November 2, 2011, the Republican Liberty Caucus announced its first two endorsements in the 2012 election: Barry Hinckley, ran in the Republican primary in Rhode Island, and Brian K. Hill, ran in the Republican primary in Connecticut.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Republican nominee in Rhode Island challenged Democratic United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse while the Republican nominee in Connecticut ran for an open seat being vacated by independent United States Senator Joseph Lieberman.<ref>Republican Liberty Caucus Announces First Endorsements for 2012</ref>