Libertarian political strategist John Vaught LaBeaume was Assistant Communications Directorfor the Johnson-Weld 2016 presidential campaign.Tuesdayis the first round of voting in the nationally watched special election election to fill HHS Secretary Tom Price's former seat in Congress. When voters walk into voting booth, they will face a long list: 18 candidates' names on the ballot.But there's one choice voters won't find on that ballot. And it's a choice unique from all the other selectionsthat long list has to offer. A deep dive into the vote for president cast in the Georgia's 6thCongressional District indicates that this missing choice would appeal to a significant chunk of the electorate.The choice that's missing is an option for voters who want to register a protest against President Donald Trump's nationalist rhetoric but don't to want to signal endorsement of the whole far-reaching economic agenda insisted upon by the Democrats' lefty, Trump-resisting base.That missing choice is a mainstream Libertarian candidate for Congress.Missing is a Libertarian candidate who will stand up for America's ' and the 6thDistrict's ' welcoming immigrant tradition and for economic growth-driving free trade. A candidate that will also stand up for an economy free enough to foster innovation, and that will question the Democratic progressive base's antipathy to the Airbnb, Uber and the sharing economy.That no-show choice won't just deprive voters of an option that they can vote for. It will deprive observers nationwide of more nuanced and more robust picture of how Americans in diversifying areas enjoying economic growth are receptive to both Trump's nationalist populism and the evolving Trump-era Republican partisan brand, as well the messages Democrats are serving up in reaction. (Trump's Svengali, Steve Bannon, is "preoccupied" with this race, according to New York magazine.)Trump surprise victory upended conventional wisdom and pointed to shifts in both major parties' electoral coalitions. While Trump won over unprecedented numbers of working-class white and/or "Blue Dog" Democrats statewide, the 6thDistrict is ground zero for the not-entirely unfounded case that Hillary Clinton strategists advanced during the campaign. They insisted that vs.Trump, Clinton could harness demographic trends and "expand the map." Georgia was on their list of economically growing and diversifying target states. The educated and economically thriving suburbs of Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton counties that make up the 6th District are driving those trends.Indeed, the "Trump Slump," seen in growing districts like the 6th, was dramatic here: Trump eked out a single point ahead of Clinton, 48%-47%, down from Mitt Romney's 61% to 37.5 % clobbering of President Barack Obama in 2012. The socially tolerant, fiscally conservative Libertarian ticket of former Govs. Gary Johnson and Bill Weld pulled in a solid 5%.Results from the polling place at DeKalb County's Ashford Park Elementary School illustrates the constituency for this missing mainstream Libertarian choice.Trump took over 200 votes fewerthan Romney at this precinct, despite almost 200 more votes cast overall. Romney's 64% dwarfs Trumps 47%.That was enough to beat a notoriously unpopular Democratic nominee in Clinton, but just barely. Clinton attracted 250 more votes than Barack Obama did in 2012 here, and her percentage climbed 12 points to 46%.On top of that, voters in this precinct gave an impressive 7% of the their votes to Johnson, tripling his 2012 vote and adding over 100 votes.These results indicate a significant share of pro-economic growth voters who were alienated by Trump's immigrant-bashing and foreign trade demonizing, but who are also ' while generally comfortable with Democrats on social issues ' not as receptive to their"soak the rich" remonstrating.These voters are socially tolerant while pro-market innovation. In practice they're skeptical of government butting in on decisions made in both bedrooms and business boardrooms.Many have already voted Libertarian, and would do so again with that choice on their ballots.But with no mainstream Libertarian choice, these voters face a dilemma.Leading Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff's coffers are overflowing thanks to online progressive activist donors, flowing in overwhelmingly from outside Georgia. But this base threatens to declare victory in a strong Democratic showing for the full extent of an economic tax and regulatory agenda that presidential returns suggest only a sliver of Ossoff's voters will share.While he benefits from lavish advertising from the ostensibly free marketeer Club for Growth, Republican Bob Gray vows to be a "willing partner" to a protectionist Trump and touts his top rating from NumbersUSA, a group that advocatesfor growth-slowing immigration restrictionist policies.The other leading Republicans are silent on trade, vocally pro-Trump and trying to prove that their line on immigration is toughest of all, stances that presidential results show to be unpopular with this significant slice of the Sixth District.If Libertarians complain about ' as they should ' Georgia's inordinately arduous ballot access requirements for non-major party candidates in congressional races, then Libertarians should not fail to enter a nationally watched special election in the Peach State, especially one where the usual onerous access issues are waved.So if Libertarians want to be taken seriously, failing to field a competitive mainstream candidate in a constituency where they've performed impressively before, and that's receptive to their message, should not be an option.Billed by observers nationwide as a "Test of Trump" and his popularity ' or lack thereof ' the special election ballot hosts a Hobson's choice for thousands of Sixth District voters.Vote for a Democrat to protest Trump, but be counted as endorsing a progressive activist tax and regulate agenda; or pull the lever, again, for a Republican who ostensibly favors a freer economy, but be chalked up as condoning a president of whom they find grossly objectionable and advocates a protectionism they don't share.A strong vote for a mainstream Libertarian would draw attention to the significant share of voters are appalled by President Trump and his nationalist rhetoric, but aren't ready to endorse a Democratic reaction that reaches too far and threatens economic growth and innovation.Instead voters will be shunted off into one of two camps ' if they decide to vote at ' and their decision interpreted as endorsing half of a message they don't condone.SEE ALSO:Trump attacks 'disaster' Democrat candidate ahead of today's crucial special electionJoin the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: Here's the surprising reason highways have those concrete walls alongside them
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