Photos by Jacob Ogles: (top) Char-Lez Braden stands by the Florida delegation on the Libertarian National Convention floor. (above) Curt Schultz greets guests at the Florida lounge at the Rosen Centre.

As Libertarians from around the country gathered in Orlando this weekend to nominate their presidential nominee, Char-Lez Braden had a front row seat. The Bradenton Libertarian, who stepped into the role of state chairman for the Libertarian Party of Florida in October, led state delegation as delegates sat in the front of a crowded ballroom and nominated Gary Johnson to carry the liberty message to the broader public. Braden, like many party leaders, feels this year could mark a watershed moment for the party, and says it’s especially exciting that history could be made the year the convention happens in the Sunshine State. 

“Trump is making a lot of angry Republicans,” Braden said. “We are very aggressively reaching out to tell Republicans that there is another way, but we also finding a lot of Democrats who say Hillary’s nomination has pissed them off.” With Johnson polling at 10 or 11 percent in the only polls thus far to include his name on the ballot, party leaders see a chance to get the candidate on the debate stage—and maybe into the White House. If things go half as well as Libertarian members dream, it would be the biggest year ever for America’s largest third party.

With the convention in Florida this year, many Gulf Coast Libertarians made the drive to Orlando to convene with the party. The locals represented a wide array of the causes celebrated by Libertarians: gun rights, civil rights, deregulation and pretty much any position that involves letting individuals life life by their own choosing 

Chris Gallagher, a prominent business leader in Sarasota, came to the convention on Sunday just as the ballots nominating Johnson started to come in. Alexandra Coe, who until last year co-chaired a local Libertarian club, could be spotted Sunday rallying votes for her favored vice presidential candidate. Coe said she holds many of the ideals of liberal Democrtas in terms of civil rights and stopping discrimination, but favors the Libertarian approach to reaching those goals. "Democrats believe that somehow government should set up the laws and systems to protect and establish these things,” Coe said. “As libertarians we believe the government should have nothing to do with these things. As libertarians we have much more confidence in peoples ability to make decisions for themselves. People solve their own problems when given the chance and the tools to be successful. People naturally form communities that support ethical codes of behavior."

Curt Schultz spent much of Saturday acting as host for the Florida Libertarian Party’s hospitality lounge at the Rosen Centre Hotel. The Sarasota Libertarian was drawn to the liberty-centered philosophy by politicians like former Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. He briefly followed those two into the Republican Party to try and get them elected as presidential nominees there, but after the younger Paul folded up his campaign early this year, Schultz came back to this prickly third party. “I think our message of less government, less taxes and less spending will resonate with Republicans,” he said. Certainly, those positions won’t lead to a Democrat like Hillary Clinton, but its doesn’t just point toward the Republican nominee either, he said. “People feel like Republican leadership doesn’t really represent those values, and Donald Trump is the representation of this frustration, but it’s hard to take him seriously. He has declared bankruptcy how many times?”

Photos by Jacob Ogles: (top) Char-Lez Braden stands by the Florida delegation on the Libertarian National Convention floor. (above) Curt Schultz greets guests at the Florida lounge at the Rosen Centre.