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Mark West (Arkansas)

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Mark West
Image of Mark West

Libertarian Party

Elections and appointments
Last election

November 6, 2018

Contact

Campaign website

Personal website

Personal Twitter

Mark West (Libertarian Party) ran for election for Governor of Arkansas. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.

West completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.

West was a 2016 Libertarian candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 1st Congressional District of Arkansas.[1]

Elections

2018

See also: Arkansas gubernatorial election, 2018

General election

General election for Governor of Arkansas

Incumbent Asa Hutchinson defeated Jared Henderson and Mark West in the general election for Governor of Arkansas on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Asa Hutchinson
Asa Hutchinson (R)
 
65.3
 
582,406
Image of Jared Henderson
Jared Henderson (D) Candidate Connection
 
31.8
 
283,218
Image of Mark West
Mark West (L) Candidate Connection
 
2.9
 
25,885

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 891,509
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Arkansas

Jared Henderson defeated Leticia Sanders in the Democratic primary for Governor of Arkansas on May 22, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jared Henderson
Jared Henderson Candidate Connection
 
63.3
 
67,046
Image of Leticia Sanders
Leticia Sanders
 
36.7
 
38,873

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 105,919
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Arkansas

Incumbent Asa Hutchinson defeated Jan Morgan in the Republican primary for Governor of Arkansas on May 22, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Asa Hutchinson
Asa Hutchinson
 
69.6
 
143,648
Image of Jan Morgan
Jan Morgan
 
30.4
 
62,757

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 206,405
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Arkansas' 1st Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent Rick Crawford (R) and Mark West (L) ran unopposed in their respective primaries. Crawford defeated West in the general election on November 8, 2016. No Democratic candidates filed to run for the seat.[2][3]

U.S. House, Arkansas District 1 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngRick Crawford Incumbent 76.3% 183,866
     Libertarian Mark West 23.7% 57,181
Total Votes 241,047
Source: Arkansas Secretary of State

Campaign themes

2018

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Candidate Connection

Mark West participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on August 23, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Mark West's responses follow below.[4]

What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

“ Committee On Spending & Taxation (C.O.S.T.) to examine everything our government is doing to find redundancy, waste, & overlap and eliminate it. Empower economic & educational liberty through tax, regulatory, departmental, and agency elimination. Empower individual liberty by defending rights to life, liberty, and property from government encroachment.[5][6] ”

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?

“ I'm passionate about shrinking government and pursuing any policy that takes power away from the government and restores it with the people where it rightfully belongs.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[6] ”

Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Mark West answered the following:

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?

“ Ron Paul. He wasn't afraid to tell the truth about the direction federal policies were taking our nation. I want to do the same on the state level.[6] ”
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else that best describes your political philosophy?
“ Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand A Spontaneous Order by Chase Rachels[6] ”
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
“ Honesty, principled stances, desire to eliminate central government power over individuals.[6] ”
What qualities do you possess that would make you a successful officeholder?
“ I'm honest and principled and my goal is to eliminate the power of central government over the people.[6] ”
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
“ Protect individual rights from government encroachment.[6] ”
What legacy would you like to leave?
“ I would like to leave the central government so small that Arkansans don't have to think about whether they are going to break a "law" every time they try to do something. I want to leave Arkansans with a government powerless to infringe on their individual liberties.[6] ”
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at that time?
“ No[6] ”
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
“ I worked on a horse and pony ranch for a summer job.[6] ”
What happened on your most awkward date?
“ I bought my date a tube of toothpaste at Wal Mart. We've been together for 24 years since.[6] ”
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
“ Christmas. Enjoy spending time with my family during a slower time of year.[6] ”
What is your favorite book? Why?
“ Bible. It changed my life.[6] ”
If you could be any fictional character, who would you be?
“ Iron Man[6] ”
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
“ Cal Ripken box. Reminds me that my wife loved me enough to buy it and that dedication pays off.[6] ”
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
“ Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana[6] ”
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
“ Refusing to be limited by my height.[6] ”
A governor is the top executive authority in his or her state. What does that mean do you?
“ Dramatically reducing the size of government and it's ability to infringe on individual rights.[6] ”
Governors have many responsibilities, which vary from state to state. Which of those do you personally consider the most important in your state?
“ I would veto any part of a bill that increased taxation or that infringed on individual rights.[6] ”
In most states, governors have the power to make line-item vetoes. If that is true in your state, what would be your philosophy for how and when to use this power?
“ Closing the skills gap so that Arkansans have the necessary job skills to fill the job opening that exist and will continue to arise in our state.[6] ”
If the governor's office in your state does not have the line-item veto power, do you believe it should? Why or why not?
“ The Governor must stand for the people against the expansions of government that come out of the State Legislature.[6] ”
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?
“ The Governor should be very involved to protect individual rights to property (i.e. taxes) to not be squandered and wasted.[6] ”
What do you love most about your state?
“ The variety of scenery from the mountains in the northwest to the delta in the southeast to the forests in the south.[6] ”

Candidate website

West’s campaign website stated the following:

“

EMPOWERING GOVERNMENT REDUCTION USING C.O.S.T. INITIATIVE

  • Committee On Spending & Taxation
  • Emphasis on cutting spending so that we can cut taxes
  • Voluntary committee will examine every function of State government
  • Goal is to reduce redundancy, overlap, and inefficiency
  • Send proposed cuts to State Legislature
  • Taxation is theft

EMPOWER ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH FREE MARKETS

  • Transition to every aspect of the economy into the free market
  • Cut regulation and red tape that is strangling family business
  • End era of government licensing that impedes the growth of family business
  • Engage local businesses in developing marketable job skills for teenagers
  • End income taxes, empowering family businesses for growth and individuals for spending
  • Hemp economy providing plastics, fabrics, lotions, oils, and paper
  • Free markets are the key to economic growth

EMPOWERING LIBERTY IN EDUCATION

  • Transition out of federal & state funded and operated public schools
  • Transition into a community-based system funded and operated locally
  • Empower parents with authority over educating their children
  • Empower teachers with the flexibility and resources to educate students
  • Emphasize job-related education to empower students to take control of their future
  • Education is essential to escaping poverty

TRANSITIONING ARKANSAS WORKS INTO THE FREE MARKET

  • Examine point that current liabilities are met by current budgets
  • Transition remainder into the free market
  • Protecting children’s services for children and special needs Arkansans
  • Empower local charitable health care providers, organizations, and individuals to meet the need
  • Transition entire system into the free market for lasting solvency and services provided

EMPOWERING INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY BY DEFENDING CIVIL RIGHTS

  • Protect religious freedom from State establishment or prohibition, including atheism
  • Protect freedom of speech and press from State censuring, including offensive speech
  • Protect the freedom of assembly from State interference or prevention
  • Protect unlicensed right to own and carry any firearm for self-defense, whether openly or concealed
  • Protect the right to life for all Arkansans, from conception onward
  • Protect the right of every Arkansan to liberty and the pursuit of happiness in all decisions from State coercion * Protect rights to privacy and unwarranted search and seizure from State infringement
  • Protect the citizens of Arkansas from un-Constitutional Federal overreach

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

  • Actively work to eliminate laws that inadvertently and inordinately target minorities
  • Protect Arkansans from having any rights stripped away without due process
  • Protect the right of Arkansans to a speedy and fair trial, and from excessive bail
  • Encourage community policing practices in every county, city, town, and community
  • End monetary bail, overuse of fines and fees, and civil asset forfeiture
  • Decriminalize marijuana and expunge records of non-violent offenders
  • Protect rights of citizens to record and/or photo public events, agencies, and agents
  • Abolish solitary confinement and State imposed death penalty
  • Ease collateral consequences of incarceration for transition back into workforce
  • Restoration of voting and gun ownership rights

EMPOWERING ARKANSANS THROUGH GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY

  • Assess fines against legislators, agents, and interests when bribery or ethics violations occur
  • Review and/or repeal any legislation that was passed using bribery or ethics violations
  • All meetings among State officials are to be streamed and saved for public use
  • All elected State employees, families and staff must disclose compromising relationships

EMPOWERING VETERANS IN RECEIVING THEIR HEALTH CARE AND WHOLENESS

  • Root out causes of wait periods for VA care including coverage denials
  • Establish better accountability for VA employees
  • Empower private solutions for poverty and homelessness among veterans
  • Medicinal cannabis availability for PTSD and pain management without surrendering gun rights
  • Empower veterans to receive mental health care treatment without surrendering gun rights
  • Empower Veterans’ Advocates in any way possible to make sure no veteran is left behind[6]
 ”
—Mark West’s campaign website (2018)[7]

2016

The following issues were listed on West's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“
  • Economy: " The economy will be strongest when the federal government isn't bogging down businesses with voluminous regulations and playing favorites through subsidies and tax incentives. A free market is the best mechanism for re-building and healing our economy."
  • Health Care: " The free market is the best place for health care pricing and availability to be moderated hence I will work to repeal Obamacare and it's unconstitutional regulations that benefit the pharmaceutical and insurance lobbies and empowers federal bureaucrats while ignoring the real health care needs of most Americans."
  • Education: " As a father of a child with dyslexia Mark is familiar with the struggle that so many Arkansans face when it comes to education. One thing is clear and that is that a one-size-fits-all approach to education doesn’t work. We can and we will do better for our children."
  • National Debt: " We can eliminate the national debt but it will require us acting now to put in place the framework for scaling down the debt."
  • National Security: " We can keep our borders and our nation secure from aggression while at the same time respecting the liberties of our citizens."

[6]

”
—Mark West's campaign website, http://www.markwestforcongress.com/platform.php

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information," accessed November 10, 2015
  2. ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information," accessed November 10, 2015
  3. ↑ CNN, "Election Results," accessed November 8, 2016
  4. ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
  5. ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Mark West's responses," August 23, 2018
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  7. ↑ Mark West for Arkansas Governor 2018, "Platform," accessed November 1, 2018
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