Chase Oliver

Chase Oliver (born 1985) is an American political activist, sales account executive, and HR representative.[1] Oliver was the Libertarian Party nominee for the 2022 United States Senate election in Georgia, and the Libertarian Party nominee for the 2020 Georgia's 5th congressional district special election.

Chase Oliver
Oliver in 2023
Chair of the Atlanta Libertarian Party
In office
2016–2017
Preceded byVacant
Succeeded byAllen Emptage
Personal details
Born1985 (age 37–38)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Political partyLibertarian (since 2010)
Independent (2009–2010)
Democratic (before 2009)
ProfessionSales account executive and HR representative
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life

Oliver was born in 1985 in Nashville, Tennessee.[2]

Political career

Oliver was previously a Democrat and had supported Barack Obama in the 2008 U.S. presidential election but later left the Democratic Party due to his own anti-war views, which he felt were not being adequately represented by the party. Oliver joined the Libertarian Party in 2010 after meeting several members of the party at an Atlanta Pride Festival.[3]

2020 U.S. House campaign

Oliver first ran for public office in 2020, as the Libertarian nominee for the 2020 Georgia's 5th congressional district special election to replace John Lewis, who had died from pancreatic cancer earlier that year. He won 2% of the vote and was eliminated during the blanket primary.[4]

2022 U.S. Senate campaign

After becoming the Libertarian nominee for the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Georgia, Oliver faced off against the incumbent Democratic Raphael Warnock and Republican Party challenger Herschel Walker.[1][5] On October 16, 2022, he attended a debate hosted by Georgia Public Broadcasting and debated against Warnock, as well as an empty podium representing Walker, who had declined to attend the debate.[6]

On election day, Oliver received over 2% of the popular vote, forcing the Georgia senate race into a run-off.[7] He declined to endorse either Warnock or Walker, but offered to host a Internet forum between the two candidates.[8]

2024 presidential campaign

On December 2, 2022, Oliver announced his formation of an exploratory committee to inquire into a possible run for the Libertarian presidential nomination in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.[9]

Political positions

Abortion

Oliver considers himself as pro-choice, although he is opposed to funding abortion through public money.[10] He believes that abortion should be allowed nationwide, and he has said he would vote for legislation to make it so.[11]

Climate change

Oliver supports a free market solution to climate change, believing that if businesses are left alone, that they will develop further technologies that will eventually replace current carbon-based fuels.[12]

Electoral reform

Oliver is a strong supporter of ranked-choice voting in the United States, which he has said would have prevented the 2022 U.S. Senate election in Georgia from going to a run-off by allowing candidates to rank their preferred candidates when they voted the first time. He has also stated that ranked-choice voting would save millions of taxpayer dollars by allowing run-offs to be instant, while ensuring that winning candidates always get above 50% of the vote.[8]

Gun rights

During a 2022 debate with Warnock, Oliver expressed his support for gun rights, stating: "Armed gays are harder to oppress, and they're harder to bash."[12][13]

War on drugs

Oliver advocates ending the war on drugs, and supports the legalization of marijuana.[14][15]

Personal life

Oliver is openly gay and resides in suburban Atlanta.[1][16]

Electoral history
Georgia's 5th congressional district special election, September 29, 2020[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kwanza Hall 11,104 31.75%
Democratic Robert Michael Franklin Jr. 9,987 28.55%
Democratic Mable Thomas 6,692 19.13%
Democratic Keisha Waites 4,255 12.17%
Democratic Barrington Martin II 1,944 5.56%
Libertarian Chase Oliver 712 2.04%
Independent Steven Muhammad 282 0.8%
Total votes 34,967 100.00%
2022 United States Senate election in Georgia[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Raphael Warnock (incumbent) 1,946,117 49.44% +1.05%
Republican Herschel Walker 1,908,442 48.49% −0.88%
Libertarian Chase Oliver 81,365 2.07% +1.35%
Total votes 3,935,924 100.0%

References
  1. "The 'armed and gay' Senate hopeful who helped force Georgia's runoff". The Guardian. November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  2. "Chase Oliver". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  3. Stuart, Tessa (November 12, 2022). "He Won 2 Percent of the Vote – and Could Decide Who Wins a Senate Seat". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  4. Georgia Secretary of State (September 30, 2020). "Results Summary".
  5. Melton, Elizabeth (January 17, 2022). "Press Release: Libertarian Party of Georgia Makes History at 2022 Convention with Full Slate of Statewide Candidates". Libertarian Party of Georgia. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  6. King, Maya (October 17, 2022). "Warnock Hammers Walker in Senate Debate, Gesturing to an Empty Lectern". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  7. Georgia Secretary of State (November 21, 2022). "November 8, 2022 General/Special Election".
  8. McFall, Caitlin (November 10, 2022). "Georgia Senate Libertarian candidate says he will not endorse in Walker-Warnock runoff". Fox News. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  9. Nunez, Gabriella (December 2, 2022). "Georgia Libertarian announces president exploratory committee". WXIA-TV. Atlanta. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  10. Fausset, Richard (November 9, 2022). "The Libertarian Who Helped Push the Georgia Senate Race Into a Runoff" – via NYTimes.com.
  11. Simms, Claire (October 3, 2022). "Libertarian candidate 'happy' to cause runoff in U.S. Senate race". FOX 5 Atlanta.
  12. Weisbrod, Katelyn (October 26, 2022). "In Georgia, Warnock's Climate Activism Contrasts Sharply with Walker's Deep Skepticism". Inside Climate News. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  13. "Activists Plan 'Trans Day of Vengeance' at Washington Days After Killings at Nashville Christian School". The New York Sun. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  14. Staff, FOX Carolina News. "Candidate for U.S Senate (L-GA): Chase Oliver". www.foxcarolina.com. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  15. Kenmore, Abraham. "Who is running for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat? Warnock to defend post against icon Walker". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  16. Boehm, Eric (November 18, 2022) "What's Next for Chase Oliver, the Libertarian Who Forced a Runoff in the Georgia Senate Race?", Reason.com. Retrieved December 9, 2002.
  17. "Results Summary". Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  18. "United States Senate – November 8, 2022 General Election". Georgia Secretary of State. November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
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