Nicholas Sarwark

Nicholas Joel Sarwark[1] (born August 27, 1979) is an American attorney and businessman who served as the 19th chair of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC), the governing body of the Libertarian Party. Prior to his election in 2014,[2] he served on several LP national committees and as chair of the Libertarian Party of Maryland State Committee and vice chair of the Libertarian Party of Colorado State Committee.[3][4] As of 2020, he is the only LP chair to have served three consecutive terms.[5]

Nicholas Sarwark
Sarwark in 2016
19th chair of the Libertarian National Committee
In office
June 29, 2014 – July 11, 2020
Preceded byGeoff Neale
Succeeded byJoe Bishop-Henchman
Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Colorado
In office
2009–2014
Preceded byWayne Harlos
Succeeded byEric Mulder
Chair of the Libertarian Party of Maryland
In office
2001–2003
Preceded bySteve Boone
Succeeded byChip Spangler
Personal details
Born
Nicholas Joel Sarwark

(1979-08-27) August 27, 1979 (age 44)
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Political partyLibertarian
Other political
affiliations
Democratic (2022)
Spouse
Valerie Sarwark
(m. 2009)
Children4
ResidenceManchester, New Hampshire
EducationWashington Adventist University (BS)
American University (JD)
Signature
WebsiteOfficial website

Sarwark declined to run for another term as LNC chair in 2020, and was succeeded by Joe Bishop-Henchman.[6]

Early life and education

Sarwark was born on August 27, 1979,[7][8] in Phoenix, Arizona.[9] He graduated from Washington Adventist University in 1998 with a BS in computer science and a minor in philosophy, later receiving his juris doctor from American University Washington College of Law in 2008.[9] While attending law school, Sarwark clerked for the libertarian law firm Institute for Justice.[10]

In the early 1990s, Sarwark's father brought him to Maricopa County Libertarian gatherings, and Sarwark subsequently joined the party in 1999.[9][11]

Political career and campaigns

Sarwark was chairman of the Libertarian Party of Maryland from 2001 to 2003,[12][13] holding numerous LP officer and local-level roles there.[14] Prior to being elected chairman of the Libertarian National Committee in 2014,[2][4] Sarwark served as a deputy public defender in Colorado and as vice-chairman of the Libertarian Party of Colorado.[15] He was re-elected in 2016,[16][17] and again in 2018.[18][19]

While serving as LNC chair, Sarwark made appearances on multiple national media outlets, including MSNBC and NPR, to discuss libertarian perspectives on various topics.[20][21][22][23]

Sarwark ran in the 2018 Phoenix mayoral special election.[24] His campaign platform included opposition to light rail, addressing the city's pension debt, and working with Republicans and Democrats on the city council.[25] He garnered 10.5 percent of the vote, placing fourth among four candidates,[26][27] and did not advance to the 2019 run-off.[28]

After moving to New Hampshire, Sarwark ran for Hillsborough County Attorney in 2020 under the Libertarian Party. His major issues included clearing the criminal case backlog.[29] He received 5.6 percent of the vote, placing third among three candidates.[30] Sarwark ran for the same office in 2022 under both the Libertarian and Democratic parties.[31][32][33] He placed second in a two-candidate race with 45.25 percent of the vote.[34]

Personal life

Sarwark married his wife, Valerie in 2009. After building a family in Denver, he returned to Phoenix in 2014 to join his family's independent car dealership, where he served as vice-president.[35][36] Sarwark and his wife have four children.[8][37] In 2019, Sarwark and his family moved to Manchester, New Hampshire, to become a part of the grassroots libertarian movement the Free State Project.[38]

Electoral history

2014 Libertarian National Committee chair election[39]
Round 1
CandidateVotes%
Nicholas Sarwark16140.7
Geoff Neale (incumbent)13534.1
Brett Pojunis6616.7
None of the above317.8
Starchild (write-in)3nil
Total votes396 100%
Round 2
Nicholas Sarwark19451.3
Geoff Neale (incumbent)14438.1
None of the above4010.6
Total votes378 100%
2016 Libertarian National Committee chair election[40]
Round 1
CandidateVotes%
Nicholas Sarwark (incumbent)46464.7
Brett Pojunis13518.8
Mark Rutherford10815.1
None of the above (write-in)5nil
James Weeks (write-in)2nil
Trey Waites (write-in)1nil
Brett Bittner (write-in)1nil
Vermin Supreme (write-in)1nil
Total votes717 100%
2018 Libertarian National Committee chair election[41]
Round 1
CandidateVotes%
Nicholas Sarwark (incumbent)51765.4
Joshua Smith17522.2
Christopher Thrasher465.8
None of the above334.2
Matthew Kuehnel131.6
John Keil4nil
Matthew Schutter1nil
Arvin Hammer (write-in)1nil
Dan Behrman0nil
Total votes790 100%
2018–19 Phoenix mayoral special election[26]
1st round
CandidateVotes%
Kate Gallego171,03544.5
Daniel Valenzuela100,99826.3
Moses Sanchez71,12118.5
Nicholas Sarwark40,21810.5
Write-in1,082nil
Total votes384,454 100%
2020 Hillsborough County attorney election[30]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanJohn Coughlin 105,491 49.4
DemocraticMichael Conlon (incumbent)95,94844.9
LibertarianNicholas Sarwark11,9825.6
Write-in105nil
Total votes213,526 100%
Republican gain from Democratic
2022 Hillsborough County attorney election[42]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanJohn Coughlin (incumbent) 87,004 54.75
DemocraticNicholas Sarwark71,90445.25
Total votes128,908 100%
Republican hold

References

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by
Steve Boone
Chair of the Libertarian Party of Maryland
2001–2003
Succeeded by
Chip Spangler
Preceded by
Wayne Harlos
Vice Chair of the Libertarian Party of Colorado
2009–2014
Succeeded by
Eric Mulder
Preceded by Chair of the Libertarian National Committee
2014–2020
Succeeded by