Why the next Libertarian candidate for President might be comedian Dave Smith

In the past few years, Dave Smith has shown up in a lot of comedy spaces. He co-hosts the podcast Legion of Skanks, has his own podcast Part of the Problem and has been a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience. What you might not have expected was to see his name on your presidential ballot.

On May 28th the Mises Caucus successfully took control of the Libertarian Party by winning the election for the party’s national committee chairmanship. Dave Smith is strongly supported by the Mises Caucus, and so is now a strong contender for the presidential nomination.

For people not intimately familiar with Smith’s work, this may all come as a surprise. But for devoted fans, this is more of a logical, if unexpected, next move. Smith has been a prominent Libertarian voice, and his comedic persona often plays off of his political beliefs.

Smith has strongly hinted at seeking the nomination in the past. In fact, his comedy background is a part of his appeal. According to an article in Reason, his connection to the podcasting world, specifically with Joe Rogan’s circle, is seen by the Mises caucus leadership – which is now the national party leadership – as key to their strategy.

Justin Amash was a previous favorite for the nomination, but with the change in party leadership, Smith’s popularity with the Mises Caucus has propelled him to the forefront.

It is unlikely that Smith will end up on a national presidential debate stage. Current rules state that candidates must poll above 15% nationally. But if Smith does successfully go down this path, he will be the face of the Libertarian Party in 2024. Wild!