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Respected libertarian Mike Ferguson joins the Missouri GOP

July 22, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY—Declaring “I am at home in the Republican Party,” Mike Ferguson, an Alderman from Grandview, MO, and the highest-profile Libertarian Party member in the state, announced today that he is joining the Missouri GOP.

“Mike Ferguson has dedicated his life to the cause of freedom and liberty—ideals shared by Republicans across the state,” said Lt. Governor Peter Kinder. “Today, the Missouri GOP welcomes Mike into the party. Mike’s leadership will be an asset to our movement as we continue the fight for fiscal responsibility, smaller government, and personal freedom.”

“This announcement once again demonstrates that the GOP is truly a big-tent party. As our nation faces the unprecedented expansion of the federal government, it is more important than ever to join together and present a positive vision of the future,” said David Cole, Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party. “Our success depends on our ability to reach out to people like Mike who share our beliefs.”

Ferguson, an active member of the Libertarian Party for more than 14 years, proved to be an effective spokesperson and strategist when he managed the effort to end political profiling in the state during the controversy over political profiling by the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC).

Prior to his work for the Missouri Libertarian Party, Ferguson served as the National Field Director for former Congressman Bob Barr’s presidential campaign in 2008. He was awarded the Libertarian National Committee’s Thomas Paine Award in 2008 and is a past recipient of the Missouri Libertarian Party’s “Champion of Freedom” award.

In his announcement, Ferguson explained why he is joining the Republican Party:

“My principles and beliefs have not changed. I am for cutting unneeded government spending. I am a fiscal conservative who believes that government should stay out of the private sector as much as possible. I am pro life. I am a believer in the common-sense truth that protecting personal freedom should be the goal of government at all levels. I don’t want to just talk about better, smaller government for Missouri, I want to be part of creating a better, smaller government in our state. I am at home in the Republican Party.

“I am a Reagan/Goldwater Republican. The stakes are simply too high to dilute the freedom-centered vote. We need a Republican Party that once again proclaims and puts into practice the values that were once the centerpiece of our party.

“Fortunately, the Missouri Republican Party is listening and is once again embracing the part of its base that has felt abandoned in recent years. I am excited to have the opportunity to help reconnect the party with the freedom movement.”

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