Mark Glogowski, incumbent LPNY State Chair, recently released a statement, announcing his candidacy for LPNY State Chair. He was first elected in 2015 and prior to that, ran for New York State Assembly in 2012 and 2014.
I am running for re-election. I am looking forward to the challenge this year presents. I know my chairmanship has not been without controversy, but when, in politics, has everyone always agreed on everything?
As the LPNY Chairman, I believe I have pointed in the right direction and encouraged people to take the right approach to growing this party. I have stood firmly in that position and have not wavered. The result has been three years of growth. We have a new and more effective structure internally. Today, the Libertarian Party projects a much clearer and more acceptable image. We have gone from an image of a group that wants everyone to live life on the radical fringe of society to being a group that supports the right of everyone to live their life as they choose. (An advocate of people’s rights to choose their own lifestyles, not a proponent of the lifestyles.) We have gone from having an image of anarchists arguing in elitist terms about anything to being a family oriented, philosophically driven political party that is finally offering some sound pragmatic solutions to society’s problems. I believe this has happened because of the efforts of many in this party who desired a change in the tactics the LPNY had been using. The change in focus and approach has emboldened the members of our society, including ourselves, to look at how politics is affecting our daily life and to begin discussing those impacts with other people. Politics is not a dirty word. It is about the way we live.
My approach to being the Chairman will not change. I believe in empowering those that step forward. My goal has been to encourage everyone to step forward and to take on as many tasks as they want. Then I get out of their way; it is sort of how we would like our government to operate. Rarely have I intervened to cause a different direction or approach to be taken. I have attempted to intervene in the selection of our candidates only to ensure they go in the Libertarian Party’s direction and embrace the Libertarian’s approach. We do have an obligation to obey national’s bylaws in this matter – that is, if we are a party of principles. Many times I have taken steps in the background to help in the endeavors of those who have stepped forward. In doing so I have tried hard to not to squelch the enthusiasm or dedication of those individuals, nor diminish the spotlight that was placed on them.
If elected, I will continue to perform the duties and take on the responsibilities of Chairman as faithfully as I have in the past three. This year, I believe if the Libertarian Party’s candidates are all marching in step, all on the same line, all with only the Libertarian spotlight on their campaign, that the Libertarian Party can walk away with a win in the gubernatorial election. If re-elected, I will stand and point in the same direction and to the same approach because I believe that is where we should be going. The difference this year, I promise you, is that if re-elected you will hear me yelling and screaming at those headed toward the cliff. I will be warning them to turn around and join the parade down main street. In the past I withheld the yelling and screaming – and there was no parade.
Mark Glogowski
LPNY Chairman
Jim Rosenbeck, LPNY Vice Chair, is also running for State Chair. He made his announcement in February, and you can read about it here.
The LPNY state convention will be held April 20-22, 2018 in Albany. Click here to go to the convention page to view the schedule of events and registration form.