Jim Ostrowski, a prolific civil rights and constitutional law attorney, author, and longtime Libertarian activist, is campaigning for the Chairmanship of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) with a bold pledge to refocus the party’s efforts on rural America and the West. In a detailed strategy memo and debate appearances, Ostrowski argues that the Libertarian Party (LP) has long ignored its strongest demographic—rural voters—while chasing urban strongholds where it consistently underperforms. His “rural, western strategy” aims to displace the Republican Party as the default choice for farmers, ranchers, and small-town conservatives by combining targeted electoral efforts, specific policy appeals, and a broader shift toward direct citizen action.
Ostrowski’s platform, laid out in a 19-page campaign document compiling his debate notes, resumes, and policy ideas, centers on the theme that “liberty is the greatest political idea in human history, but it is the worst-marketed political idea ever and its advocates lack a winning strategy.”
He draws on decades of experience as a criminal defense and civil liberties lawyer, adjunct scholar at the Independent Institute, and a leader in New York’s Libertarian Party. As CEO of LibertyMovement.org and author of books including Direct Citizen Action, Ostrowski positions himself as a bridge-builder who can unite radicals and reformers while delivering measurable growth in influence and actual liberty.
A Western rural strategy, where libertarians already win
At the core of Ostrowski’s bid is his January 2025 draft memo, “Libertarian Party Strategy for Rural America.” He opens with a blunt assessment of voting patterns: the LP routinely garners up to 3% of the vote in rural areas (and over 5% in some towns) but near zero in many urban zones. Yet the party’s response—tilting left to court cities—has alienated its natural base while failing to deliver results.
Rural Americans, who make up about 20% of the population but live on 97% of the land, are “natural libertarians” who are largely self-sufficient, produce the nation’s food, and have little need for most government services. Their vulnerability to eminent domain, land grabs, and regulatory overreach from growing urban populations makes them ripe for a libertarian appeal.
Ostrowski calls for an immediate, comprehensive outreach program to farmers and rural voters, backed by national resources and collaboration with state parties. Key elements include:
- Marketing and Wedge Issues Against the GOP: Target Republican voters directly by labeling the GOP a “fraud scheme” for promising smaller government but never delivering (no major cuts since Harding/Coolidge). Hammer failures on spending, debt, inflation, endless wars, school choice, and lack of federal constitutional carry. A new Marketing Task Force would develop ads, fliers, and messaging to exploit these gaps.
- Tailored Policy Proposals: End agricultural subsidies that mostly benefit Big Ag; abolish regulations blocking farm-to-consumer direct sales; eliminate estate and inheritance taxes; shutter the federal Department of Agriculture (“Farming is not a federal activity”); reduce trade barriers and end subsidies/security deals with countries excluding U.S. farm products; end Green Energy subsidies destroying farmland; and—critically—abolish eminent domain with strong constitutional protections, including a proposed “dead man’s switch” to safeguard property rights against future urban-left pressures.
- Concentrated Electoral Focus: Concentrate resources where the LP is already strongest rather than spreading thin. Priorities include competitive sheriff races (e.g., Cheshire County, NH; Teton County, WY; Park County, MT), where sheriffs can nullify unconstitutional laws; targeted congressional seats (Wyoming at-large, Montana’s districts); and long-term control of a Western state like Wyoming for its small population, low Democratic presence, and potential Electoral College kingmaker role. He notes a brief prior LP success electing a Wyoming state legislator in 2020.
This western tilt leverages stronger polling data in states like Wyoming, Montana, New Hampshire, Alaska, and North Dakota, marking a deliberate pivot from urban-focused efforts that Ostrowski says have yielded “decades of political irrelevance.”
Direct Citizen Action and Broader Platform for Victory
Ostrowski does not abandon electoral politics but argues it must be supplemented—and ultimately surpassed—by “direct citizen action,” the core thesis of his book Direct Citizen Action: How We Can Win the Second American Revolution Without Firing a Shot. He criticizes the LP’s repeated “Pickett’s Charge” approach of full-tilt national campaigns in a rigged system and instead proposes a two-track strategy: elections plus grassroots, non-electoral tactics to increase real liberty immediately.
Specific tactics he promotes include:
- A “Walk for Liberty” to build visibility and momentum.
- “School Exit” programs encouraging parents to pull children from government schools and homeschool.
- A mobile app ranking counties by freedom metrics to encourage “voting with your feet” and relocation to freer areas.
- Youth outreach addressing economic barriers to housing, marriage, and family formation.
- Establishment of a brick-and-mortar Libertarian Hall of Fame in Philadelphia to celebrate the movement’s history (inducting figures like Ron Paul) and build cultural pride.
Operationally, he calls for a new party logo, a rapid-response team, a dedicated marketing committee, a streamlined 19-page “Platform for Victory,” and an international libertarian strategy conference in Tennessee to forge global alliances. He rejects diluting core planks (e.g., economics, Second Amendment) and instead advocates teaching principles persuasively while unifying around 96% of agreed ideas.
In a recent California Libertarian Party debate, Ostrowski was widely seen as the standout on substance and innovation, outshining competitors focused on operations or broad recruitment. His message resonates with calls for professional political operatives, youth engagement, and unapologetic principles—echoing his history of challenging corporate welfare via lawsuits like his “Stop The Pork” initiative.
A Vision to Grow Influence and Liberate Rural America
Ostrowski frames his campaign as the missing piece for LP revitalization: a data-backed rural/western focus paired with direct action to stop “re-fighting past battles” and instead ask, “Will this increase actual liberty for Americans?” He believes rural voters and libertarians “need each other now” to counter the Uniparty, protect property rights, and build a viable alternative to the GOP in the Heartland.
As delegates prepare for the 2026 Libertarian National Convention, Ostrowski’s pitch—detailed in podcasts like Maximum Libertarian and shared widely on X and Facebook—positions him as the candidate with a concrete, actionable plan to turn the party’s latent rural strength into real political influence. Whether his strategy can overcome the LP’s historical challenges remains to be seen, but it offers a clear alternative to business-as-usual: target where the votes already exist, protect the people who feed the nation, and empower citizens to act directly for liberty.
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