Joshua Smith’s relationship with the Libertarian Party began about 10 years ago, shortly after he left the U.S. Navy and returned to civilian life.
“I was just kind of jaded with the military industrial complex, especially the wasteful spending,” he said.
Although he was registered as a Republican, Smith said he didn’t really fit under a traditional political umbrella.
Then he heard Ron Paul speak in 2008, when Paul sought the Republican presidential nomination, and “he really just opened my mind to libertarianism and personal freedom,” Smith said.
He joined the party but a year later became dissatisfied with its organizational structure and left.
Smith returned to the party in January 2017, and he’s back in a big way as the Region 5 representative for the party, overseeing Clark County, as well as Cowlitz, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties. He’s also running against incumbent Nicholas Sarwark for Libertarian National Committee chairman.
“I think that I can help move our nation forward toward a more free society,” Smith said. “I believe I have the chops and skills to do so.”
At 34, almost 35, Smith is shedding some parts of his youthful persona to prepare for the national spotlight. Gone are the gauged ears and he has plans to remove a tattoo behind his left ear that he’s regretted for the last 15 years. He’s eliminating the things that might detract from the message he wants to get across.
He now dresses in suits. Smith adorns his lapel with what he calls the “old” version of the Libertarian symbol: a porcupine pin. It was designed in 2006.
Smith has worked in several different positions, including as a general manager at a restaurant, as a salesman and currently as a maintenance tech for Celestica, an electronics manufacturer.
“I’m an absolutely passionate liberty lover, an everyday activist,” Smith said. “I’m not a super political-minded person per se, but at the end of the day I’m definitely a grass-roots activist.”
As recently as December, Smith was also running to represent the 49th District. He stepped down Dec. 6.
“(Washington) is kind of one of those places for Libertarians where people don’t like us so much,” Smith said. “I figured if I could get in the legislature I could improve that.”
But he instead decided it was better to focus on recruiting candidates nationally.
That doesn’t mean he won’t seek office again, Smith said, adding that “win or lose,” he’s strongly considering a future run for Sen. Maria Cantwell’s seat. There’s a Libertarian candidate, Mike Luke, currently campaigning for Cantwell’s seat which is up for re-election this year. But Smith described Luke as a quiet guy and “not really what the Libertarian party is about.”
Libertarian ideals
One of the defining characteristics of the Libertarian Party is its focus on individual liberties. Locally, Smith said taxes top the list of issues.
“I think as far as Washington is concerned, we are looking at some things Libertarians don’t like very much like the soda tax in King County and the land taxes (in Washington) are a little high,” he said.
To have any sort of impact on matters of importance, the party needs to get candidates elected.
“The Libertarian Party has an image problem,” Smith said. The solution could begin with better marketing, recruitment and assistance from the national party.
“It’s understandable when you’re part of a party promoting individual liberties and individual freedom,” he added. “People are going to have their own thoughts, do their own thing. I think with good marketing we can become a force to compete with the two-party system.”
If Smith is elected as the national party chairman — a win he deems absolutely possible, adding that “it gets more real every day” — he wants to change the way new members are handled.
“I don’t think (current leadership) takes an active role in shaping the activists who are just joining the party,” he said.
Smith recently received the endorsement of the Libertarian Party Mises Caucus, which called Smith “a stalwart libertarian of principle with a compelling vision for the Party.”
“Now, more than ever, we must work together and order ourselves for the fight of our generation against tyranny,” the Mises Caucus stated in its endorsement of Smith. “The Libertarian Party needs leadership that can see and act on the needs and opportunities of the times.”
As is the case with the mainstream parties, infighting is a problem for the Libertarians.
“We’re having growing pains, but it’s not like the current two old (parties) fighting,” Smith said. “We have new people coming in every day who maybe don’t understand the policies of liberty. Some push for policies that aren’t super liberty-forward but we’re fighting common ground so that’s nice.”
Speaking of infighting, Smith added that it’s “a beautiful thing watching the two old parties eat themselves.”
“It’s pushing people to look outside what they thought was the only option,” he said.
